Here are 10 things you might not know about the Sacramento Kings’ purple victory beam
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The Sacramento Kings will face a team that has swept them during the regular reason for a chance at the playoffs for a second year in a row.
The Kings (46-36) will take on the New Orleans Pelicans (49-33) in a play-in tournament elimination game at 6:30 p.m. on Friday at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans.
Fans are hoping for a win, of course, but also a chance to “Light the Beam!”
To test how much you know about the purple-hued marketing sensation before tip-off, we asked our readers to take our quiz with questions on its creator, origin and mechanics.
Here are 10 fun facts about the beam and how our readers performed on the quiz (correct answers are bolded):
The beam is fairly new
Most readers knew the right answer to this question.
The beam was first ignited on Oct. 29, 2022, following a win against the Miami Heat during the 2022-23 NBA season.
Quiz results
Oct. 29, 2022 - 40% of answers
Sept. 1, 2022 - 21% of answers
Oct. 31, 2022 - 20% of answers
Sept. 22, 2023 - 19% of answers
The beam is lit following every win
There was no fooling readers with this question.
The beam is ignited following every victory, home or away.
Quiz results
True - 90% of answers
False - 10% of answers
The beam is powered by seven lasers
It was a close race between two answers, but the majority of readers chose correctly.
Seven lasers power the purple beam, on top of the Golden 1 Center in downtown Sacramento.
Jae Yong Suk, faculty co-director of UC Davis’ California Lighting Technology Center, said he’s fairly certain the beam is created using blue, red and green lasers.
Green would not be used at the same intensity as the other two colors, said Suk, an architectural lighting expert. If it was, the beam would turn white instead of purple.
Quiz results
7 - 41% of answers
10 - 39% of answers
3 - 14% of answers
1 - 6% of answers
The Federal Aviation Administration approved the beam
The majority of readers knew the right answer to this question.
The Federal Aviation Administration must approve the use of the beam each NBA season, according to Public Affairs Specialist Ian Gregor with the agency.
“Lasers can temporarily blind or distract pilots, and our goal is to ensure laser operations don’t create hazards for them and their passengers,” Gregor wrote in an email in April to The Sacramento Bee.
The beam was approved for use for the 2023-24 basketball season on Sept. 22, 2023, under certain conditions.
The rules include “providing contact information to the FAA for real-time coordination and immediately stopping operations if the FAA directs them to do so.”
Quiz results
The Federal Aviation Administration - 89% of answers
Gov. Gavin Newsom - 6% of answers
NASA - 3% of answers
The U.S. Department of State - 2% of answers
The beam was invented by a Folsom-based laser expert
We tried to throw readers a curveball and the majority dodged it.
The beam was created by Tim Anderson, owner of Nu-Salt Laser International company of Folsom.
Quiz results
Tim Anderson - 63% of answers
Vivek Ranadivé - 18% of answers
The Sacramento Kings - 15% of answers
Mike Brown - 5%
The beam doesn’t stay on all night
Most readers got this question right.
The beam becomes wider and harder to see the farther it travels into the sky. Then, it shuts off at midnight.
Quiz results
Midnight - 69% of answers
11 p.m. - 18% of answers
2 a.m. - 12% of answers
It’s theoretically possible to see the beam from space
This question tricked some readers but the majority made the right choice.
It’s not a question of whether the beam is visible from space, rather if the atmosphere is clear enough for people to see it.
“Theoretically, the beam can be seen from space ... but it’s complex,” Jae Yong Suk, faculty co-director of UC Davis’ California Lighting Technology Center, told The Bee in April during a phone interview.
The beam is a powerful piece of machinery, forced to compete with Sacramento’s overwhelming light pollution, among other atmospheric conditions like clouds and moonlight.
Suk made it clear: The beam “will travel the same distance ... with light pollution or without light pollution.” But the point of view from space will be altered.
Quiz results
Theoretically, yes - 75% of answers
100% yes - 17% of answers
No way - 8% of answers
The beam is a powerful piece of machinery
It was a close race between two choices, but fans came out on top with the correct answer.
The brightest color laser equipment in the world backs the beam for a combined power of 8,800 watts.
Quiz results
8,800 watts - 35% of answers
10,100 watts - 31% of answers
100,000 watts - 27% of answers
2,800 watts - 7% of answers
The beam is coupled with a chant
There was no fooling readers with this question.
For many Sacramento Kings fans who live in the capital city, the contagious chant is coupled with the joy of stepping outside and craning their neck to the evening sky.
Light the Beam!
Light the Beam!
Light the Beam!
Quiz results
Light the Beam! - 94% of answers
Let’s go Kings! - 6% of answers
There is a laser inside the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento
This question stumped almost half of our readers, but they came out on top with the correct choice.
An additional laser can be seen inside the Golden 1 Center after a win. It extends from the center of the court.
Quiz results
True - 53% of answers
False - 47% of answers
What do you want to know about life in Sacramento? Ask our service journalism team your top-of-mind questions in the module below or email servicejournalists@sacbee.com.
