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A Color Temperature
The perceived color of a light source varies with the viewer and other
conditions.
Color temperature is an objective measure of the color of a
light source, defined with reference to the temperature to which an
object would have to be heated to radiate light in the same
wavelengths.
While light sources with a color temperature in the
neighborhood of 5000–5500 K appear white, light sources with a lower
color temperature, such as incandescent light bulbs, appear slightly
yellow or red.
Light sources with a higher color temperature appear
tinged with blue.
“Warmer” (redder) colors “Cooler” (bluer) colors
q
I (sodium-vapor lamps): 2700 K
w
J (incandescent)/I (warm-white fluorescent.): 3000 K
e
I (white fluorescent): 3700 K
r
I (cool-white fluorescent): 4200 K
t
I (day white fluorescent): 5000 K
y
H (direct sunlight): 5200 K
u
N (flash): 5400 K
i
G (cloudy): 6000 K
o
I (daylight fluorescent): 6500 K
!0
I (high temp. mercury-vapor): 7200 K
!1
M (shade): 8000 K
Note: All figures are approximate.