Lighthouse Words to Know
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Student Activity Lighthouse Words to Know ARGAND LAMP - A hollow wick oil gallery) and/or lantern room (lantern LOG - A book for maintaining records, lamp (see wick) gallery.) similar to a diary. KEEPER - The person who takes care of NAVIGATION - Travel over water. AEROBEACON - A modern-day type of the light in the lighthouse. (The Head light presently used in many lighthouses ORDER - Size of the Fresnel lens which Keeper is responsible for the operation to produce a characteristic. determines the brightness and distance of a light station.) the light will travel. ASTRAGAL - Metal bar (running verti- PARABOLIC - A bowl-like metal de- cally or diagonally) dividing the lantern vice, silver plated, REFLECTOR with a room glass into sections. small oil lamp in the center. BULLSEYE - A convex lens used to PHAROLOGIST - One who studies or is concentrate (refract) light interested in lighthouses. CHARACTERISTIC - Individual flash- PRISM - A transparent piece of glass ing pattern of each light. that refracts or disperses light. DAYMARK - Unique color scheme and/or pattern that identifies a specific lighthouse during daylight hours. LAMP - The lighting apparatus inside a lens. LANTERN ROOM - Glassed-in housing at the top of a lighthouse tower contain- ing the lamp and lens. LENS - A curved piece of glass for bringing together or spreading rays of REFLECT - Bend or throw back light. light passing through it. REFRACT - Bend or slant rays of light. LIGHTHOUSE - A lighted beacon of major importance in navigation. REVOLVING LIGHT - One that pro- duces a flash or characteristic. LIGHT STATION - A complex contain- FIXED LIGHT - A steady non-flashing ing the lighthouse tower and all of the beam. SPIDER LAMP - Shallow brass pan outbuildings, i.e. the keeper’s living containing oil and several solid wicks. FOG SIGNAL - A device (such as a quarters, fuel house, boathouse, fog- STAG LIGHT - A lighthouse with no whistle, bell, canon, horn, siren, etc.) signaling building, etc. which provides a specific loud noise as family living in it, i.e. inhabited by men an aid to navigation in dense fog. only. FRESNEL LENS - A type of optic con- TOWER - Structure supporting the lan- tern room of the lighthouse. sisting of a convex lens and many prisms of glass which focus and intensify the WATCH ROOM- A room immediately light through reflection and refraction. below the lantern room or SERVICE FUEL - A material that is burned to pro- ROOM where fuel and other supplies were kept where the keeper prepared the duce light (fuels used for lighthouses included wood, lard, whale oil, tallow, lanterns for the night and often stood kerosene.) Today, besides electricity and watch. The clockworks (for rotating lenses) were also located there. acetylene gas, solar power is also used. ‘WICKIE”-A nickname given to light- GALLERY - On a lighthouse tower, a platform or walkway or BALCONY house keepers derived from the task of located outside the watch room (main trimming the wick of the lamps. Grand Traverse Lighthouse Museum Pre-Visit Teacher Guide, 2006 .