A Dandelion StarSarina TsengAward: Top 100
School: isaac huerta Fluorescence is a physical phenomenon in which an object absorbs radiation, which is normally not visible, and gives off visible lights. Much like in a party room where clothes glow in the dark, lights aren't visible but certain material absorbs the light and glows. In the natural world, insects can detect ultraviolet light and see flower patterns significantly different from our eyes, which only sees visible-reflected lights. To induce the fluorescence glow, I choose a specific ultraviolet light beam at 365 nm wavelength for greatest effect and easy to photograph using a normal camera. For wavelengths longer than 365nm, visible lights outside of ultraviolet light can be seen thus the effect is less pronounced. The photograph is a dandelion taken with a 5 second exposure, using ultraviolet light to make the fluorescence glow. Center of each pappus has a high concentration of object that absorbs and gives off intensely, giving the dull dandelion a galaxy star-like pattern. A dandelion that couldn't have been enjoyed by our naked eyes. 
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