Illuminating landscapes at night can extend the beauty of any landscape to almost all the hours of the day. However, this amazing lighting effect can be achieved not through any ordinary form of lighting. One requires parabolic optics to get them.
The purpose behind using parabolic optics is to focus a beam of light at a specific spot, thereby illuminating it immensely in comparison to other places around it. This will create a stark contrast in the landscape and would focus the gaze of the onlooker on to the object illuminated.
Parabolic optics are nothing but lighting fixtures that are made up of a reflector and a lamp. Some commonly available fixtures are PAR 38, PAR 30, PAR 20 and MR-16 parabolic lighting fixtures. These have an in built arrangement of reflector and lamp and can have either incandescent or metal halide lights. Further, these do not require high voltage to function as their voltage rating is generally that of 120 V.
Apart from these smaller fixtures, regular sized fixtures are also available in the market. In these, a parabolic reflector of varying size is used along with powerful lamps such as T6, T4 or E17. Further, the intensity of the spotlight produced by the arc of the lamp can be changed by using lamps of different powers. Depending upon the landscape to be highlighted, a configuration with a suitable reflector and lamp can be used.
However, using parabolic optics alone may not give really vibrant effect of lighting. To do that, one must also know how to use them, for care has to be regarding things like the distance of light from the target and the type of target structure to be illuminated.
When it comes to illuminating a fixed, specific portion of the landscape, it is best to use narrow lights. However, illuminating wide areas requires spreading this narrow beam of light. Further, the distance involved between the light source and the target is also to be adjusted. Closeness will narrow the beam while greater distances would spread the light.
Also, when it comes to illuminating structures, one can choose from narrow parabolic reflectors and broad ones depending upon the size of the structure to be illuminated. Also, whether to install it above the ground or within it would depend upon what has to be illuminated.
Parabolic optics embedded in the ground, and close to the structure can work well for walls, columns and pillars. However, tilted parabolic optics placed at a distance are to be used to illuminate structures with a much wider surface area. The distance involved may have to be compensated with a more powerful lamp.
In order to smoothen the light coming from parabolic reflectors, refractors can be used. If there is a need to spread the beam in one axis, it can be done using a linear spread lens. To get a wide and smooth illumination, a radial lens can be used. Further, a sharp cut off in the light can be obtained using barndoors. Glare can be controlled with the help of internal as well as external visors and louvers.
This information on parabolic optics is just the tip of the iceberg. More can be, and has to be obtained, by evaluating illuminating needs.
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