Can you see Sacramento Kings’ purple victory beam from space? We shed light on the answer
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Light the Beam!
Light the Beam!
Light the Beam!
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.
How far does the Sacramento Kings beam go? People have toyed with the question since the marketing sensation was introduced during the 2022-23 NBA season.
In March, a Reddit user took their curiosities to the r/Sacramento forum, posing the question: “Do you think the beam is visible from space?”
The Sacramento online community assembled with nearly 50 comments and 128 “upvotes.” Some people joked that purple laser zaps extraterrestrial creatures in the eye while others took a mathematical approach to their inference.
The Bee consulted Jae Yong Suk, faculty co-director of UC Davis’ California Lighting Technology Center, to understand the science behind the otherworldly purple victory beam situated on top of the Golden 1 Center in downtown Sacramento.
Here’s what we found:
Is the Sacramento Kings’ beam visible from space?
It’s possible.
“Theoretically, the beam can be seen from space ... but it’s complex,” said Suk, an architectural lighting expert.
The brightest color laser equipment in the world backs the beam.
“The purple laser beam goes further than our eyes can see ... On a clear night, the laser will continue into space,” The Sacramento Kings told The Sacramento Bee in a statement for a previous story.
But 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.
The beam is a powerful piece of machinery, forced to compete with Sacramento’s overwhelming supply of light pollution, among other atmospheric conditions like clouds and moonlight.
Light pollution is defined as excessive light where it’s not needed, according to James Madison University of Virginia.
“Of all the various pollutions humans create, light pollution gets the least attention. But light pollution is one of the most prevalent issues facing the developed and developing worlds today,” the university said.
Street lamps, neon signs and billboards, and parking lot lights are just a few examples of light pollution.
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.
Other than that, the people who know the beam best are tight-lipped on the subject.
Beam creator Tim Anderson, owner of Nu-Salt Laser International company of Folsom, and the Kings declined interviews for this story.
“The (Kings) asked me to defer all interviews to them about the beam on the (Golden 1 Center),” Anderson said last week via text message.
The science behind the Sacramento Kings’ beam
Seven lasers power the purple beam for a combined power of 8,800 watts.
The beam becomes wider and harder to see the farther it travels into the sky. Then, it shuts off at midnight.
Suk 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. If it was, the beam would turn white instead of purple.
Combined, the monochromic lasers create a polychromic beam that’s hot to the touch.
Suck said he’s “pretty sure” there’s material attached to the laser devices to dissipate the amount of heat it generates while it’s turned on.
Who approved the Kings’ beam?
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 last week to The Bee.
The beam was approved for use for the 2023-24 basketball season on Sept. 22, 2023, under certain conditions. The list includes “providing contact information to the FAA for real-time coordination and immediately stopping operations if the FAA directs them to do so.”
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