Lighting...

[Milz]

No: HPFGUIDX 19871

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Amber <reanna20 at y...> wrote:
> 
> I'm sure that this has been mentioned by someone but I thought I'd 
ask
> anyways. Just to let you know that I did look beforehand, I used the
> search function on the archives and looked at the Lexicon. No dice. 
And
> I can't recall any specific answers in the books. Of course, I still
> could've missed something...
> 
> So, anyways, what's up with the lighting in Hogwarts? The only 
mention
> I see of it is the floating candles in the Great Hall, various 
torches
> on walls, and the fireplaces in the common rooms. Is all the 
lighting
> in Hogwarts by candlelight/firelight? That seems rather unhealthy 
for
> the eyes. And Hogwarts must go through tons of candles (unless 
they're
> enchanted of course!)
> 
> And if Hogwarts *is* only lit by candlelight/firelight, that seems
> rather odd. What with the "Lumos" spell and all, you'd think there 
is a
> spell that can imbue an object with light (a la lightbulb). Or that
> there would be mention of this. Is the entire wizarding world 
reading
> by candlelight? Have I missed something?
> 

The lighting at Hogarts is probably enchanted in some way or the 
other. I know that lamps and some candle-holders from the 19th century 
had "reflectors" which reflected the light and intensified it. Sure, 
it wouldn't compare to a 100 watt light bulb, but it provided a bit 
more light.

A funny story from my college days...The ceiling light fixture in my 
room burnt out, leaving my desk lamp as the only non-candle light 
source. I was on a 4 week waiting list to get my ceiling light fixed 
(I would have done it myself but I lived in an older building with 12 
foot high ceilings!) Before I could buy light bulbs for my desk lamp, 
the bulb burnt out. Needless to say, six vanilla-scented pillar-type 
candles produced sufficient light to read by.

Milz