Pink/Magenta wavelength?

[Vickal89]

hey

i am just wondering.. what is the wavelength of pink or magenta? The spectrum only goes from red (infrared) to violet (UV).

Can you explain to me?

 

[AJ_Dual]

There isn't one.

Magenta would be an additive color combining red and a lesser amount of blue or violet. In physics terms, it's just two distinct frequencies, and "Magenta" does not exist.

"Magenta" is what the brain "sees" when the red and blue cones in your retina are stimulated and the nerves/brain combine the signals.

"Pink" would be white light (the entire spectrum) with a small surplus of red in it. In laser terms, it would be a faux-white pseudo-white with a small surplus of red (Actually a HUGE one in terms of output, since red is on the end of the human sensitivity bell-curve for the visible spectrum.)

 

[Mogulman27]

I have heard (someone correct me if I'm wrong) that magenta is actually the same wavelength as green, but altered somehow. It exists because our brain loves continuity and tries to connect the red and the blue ends of the spectrum by creating a color to complete the "wheel".

Can anybody confirm/correct? I'm interested in knowing more as well.

Edit: Beaten to the punch

 

[AJ_Dual]

What you might be thinking of is the after-image when staring at a magenta spot for 30 seconds you see a green after-image when you then shift your gaze to a blank white area.

That's because the red and blue cones have gotten "tired" and the green cones are still running at full strength on your retina.

When you do it for a pure red spot, then look at blank white space, you see a turquoise/teal after-image because your red cones got "tired" and the blue and green cones are still at full strength.

Magenta Ain't A Colour

If human vision simply "averaged" superimposed wavelengths, red (say 600nm) and violet (400nm-ish) should "average" to 500nm green, although it does not make sense since there still is no green light/photons hitting your retina, so magenta is what our brain sees when red and blue/violet are superimposed.

So maybe it's this persistence of vision/illusion trick is what you're thinking of.

 

[Xplorer877]

The best you can do is to combine violet and red lasers to create magenta. It's a very unique color.

-Tony

 

[danilow]

So if i mix 635nm + 532 i got yellow, but yellow did exist at 580+- nm, so in this case my brain are interpreting the yellow color thru the averaged superimposed wavelengths, or two nm are combined physically resulting in a new wavelenght of 580+- ?¿?¿ i'm confused :yabbem:

 

[joeyss]

There are just two WLs in reality, but due to the intensity and the fact that they're stimulating the same area of your visual field you will see it as a different and unique color.

 

[danilow]

So there is 2 ways to see yellow ?¿

1.- thru real 580+- nm Wavelength
2.- by brain visual process cause two wavelengths are rendered has an unique color, ex 635nm and 532nm

thats really interesting

 

[joeyss]

Well they both stimulate the RED and Green cones in your eyes and that's what you see as "yellow". You just have to find the WL or combination of red and green to get "yellow".