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A huge specimen with a very nice, well-formed marialite (scapolite) crystal, fluorescent a bright yellow under longwave UV, on a calcite matrix. The marialite is yellow under all wavelengths, brightest longwave 365nm. Calcite is very bright under midwave, dimmer under shortwave. We prefer displaying this specimen under midwave with a longwave kicker to light up the scapolite crystal - as that makes each corresponding mineral pop, but they are respectable under any wavelength.
Note the tenebrescence in the GIF below. It appears that the scapolite is slightly tenebrescent. There have been discussions about the tenebrescent scapolites from Afghanistan being irradiated. This piece came off a 10lb boulder that had not been processed and most certainly not irradiated.
365nm UV light is often called "blacklight". Before the advent of longwave UV LEDs, blacklight fluorescent tubes, (the kinds used in hippie days to light up psychedelic posters) were the standard longwave UV light for our hobby. They were not very powerful but they did light a large area.
Enter 365nm UV LEDs
First, an animation showing the difference between the UV flashlight we recommend (365nm filtered UV flashlight) versus unfiltered 395nm UV flashlights we see many folks carrying around at shows. So. much. visible purple light. We selected a bunch of rocks as a demonstration. Took pictures of them under his flashlight without the filter and then with the filter.
A major component of rock collecting (for us) is simply getting out in nature. A buddy dragged us out to a very remote area here in middle Tennessee to hunt for fluorescent green agate. Since we consider ourselves pure "Glow Hounds" we weren't anticipating any glow rocks, just the beauty of the area, but we brought our UV lights anyway.
