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Uranium glass

In the Frauenau Glass Museum

Glass that
by itself
lights up?

Anna yellow and Eleonora green are the light yellow to light green colours of uranium glass. These colours are created by adding uranium oxide to the glass batch. Uranium is a metal that occurs everywhere in the earth's crust.

Discover how these special glasses start to glow as if by themselves. They show their mysterious glow under black light - they fluoresce, as the technical term goes.

Even the Romans decorated walls with mosaic tiles made of uranium glass. From the 19th century onwards, it was produced in large quantities, mainly in Bohemia, but also in France, England, Belgium and the USA. Radioactivity was discovered at the end of the 19th century and the harmfulness of uranium in the 20th century. However, uranium is only present in small quantities in glass. The radioactive radiation can only be measured directly on the surface of the glass and is therefore not dangerous.

Uranglas Uranglas UV

Instructions for
Design
one
Night glow
glasses

You will need:

  1. A glass of your choice
  2. Night glow colour
  3. Clear lacquer
  4. Adhesive
  5. Air-drying modelling clay
  6. A wide brush
  7. Golden touch-up pen
Uranglas Tutorial 01

Do you want to create your own noctilucent glass? There are special glow-in-the-dark paints available in craft shops. The glass you choose should be rinsed clean and the surface should be free of grease.

Uranglas Tutorial 02

Paint the glass completely with one coat of night glow paint, after the first coat has dried you can apply a second coat to intensify the colour.

Uranglas Tutorial 03

Once the glow-in-the-dark paint is thoroughly dry, you can fix it with clear varnish.

Uranglas Tutorial 04

Now shape a long snake using air-drying modelling clay in the colour of your choice.

Uranglas Tutorial 05

Wrap your plasticine snake around the glass and allow it to dry thoroughly. You can then glue it to your glass with craft glue.

Uranglas Tutorial 06

Now decorate your snake with a gold paint pen with
Zigzag pattern.

Uranglas Tutorial 07

You can glue wiggly eyes onto your snake at the end and your glow-in-the-dark Schachtenbach glass is ready!

Uranglas Tutorial 08

To do this, the glass should be exposed to bright light for some time. It is best to place it under a bright lamp or in sunlight. Have fun with it!