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At 42.3 billion candelas, the Luxor Sky Beam is the
strongest beam of light in the world, using curved mirrors to collect the
light from 39 xenon lamps and focus them into one intense, narrow beam. On a
clear night, the Sky Beam is visible up to 275 miles away by aircraft at
cruising altitude, such as over Los Angeles.
Each of the 39 lamps is a 7,000 watt Xenotech fixture
costing about $1,200. When at full power, the system costs $51 an hour to
operate, with $20 per hour of that just for its 315,000 watts of electricity.
The lamp room is about 50 feet below the top of the
building and serviced by a staff of two workers during the day. The room's
temperature is about 300 degrees Fahrenheit while the lights are operating.
Since 2008, only half the lamps are lit as a cost and
energy saving measure.
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| Sky Beam at top of Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas |
