searchlights
Night sky scanners
Searchlights are powerful lamps that project intense beams of light, typically mounted on swiveling bases to scan the sky or illuminate distant areas.
Military forces use searchlights to spot aircraft or ships; prisons use them to sweep perimeters.
The crossing beams at movie premieres or nightclub openings have become clichés of spectacle: Searchlights swept the Hollywood sky.
Rays or supports
- floodlightsPowerful wide-beam lamps
- lumensMeasure of visible light
- brightnessDegree of light emitted
- spotlightsFocused theatrical lighting
glare · luminosity · halogen · LED · incandescent · lamps · bulbs · headlamps
Regular surveillance route
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
- watchtowerElevated structure for surveillance
- perimeterShape's outer edge length
- guardWatchful defensive attention
sentry · checkpoint · monitoring · intruder · prison · compound · sweep · detection
Ground-to-sky weaponry
- air raidAerial military attack
- blitzSwift, overwhelming offensive
- ack-ackAntiaircraft gunfire
- batteryPortable electricity storage
flak · bomber · wartime · blackout · defense · bunker · artillery · night sky
Search for a suspect
- helicopterRotary-wing aircraft
- fugitiveOne fleeing authorities
- escapeFlight from captivity
- trackingMonitoring location over time
police · chase · dragnet · sweep · hunt · fleeing · cornered · nighttime
First public performance
- HollywoodAmerican film industry center
- spotlightConcentrated illumination source
- stageRaised performance platform
- marqueeTheater entrance canopy
red carpet · gala · opening night · celebrity · film · awards · paparazzi · glamour
beams
Rays or supports
- floodlightsPowerful wide-beam lamps
- lumensMeasure of visible light
- brightnessDegree of light emitted
spotlights · glare · luminosity · halogen · LED · incandescent · lamps · bulbs · headlamps · lanterns
patrol
Regular surveillance route
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
- watchtowerElevated structure for surveillance
- perimeterShape's outer edge length
guard · sentry · checkpoint · monitoring · intruder · prison · compound · sweep · detection · alarm
antiaircraft
Ground-to-sky weaponry
battery · flak · bomber · wartime · blackout · defense · bunker · artillery · night sky · tracking
manhunt
Search for a suspect
- helicopterRotary-wing aircraft
- fugitiveOne fleeing authorities
- escapeFlight from captivity
tracking · police · chase · dragnet · sweep · hunt · fleeing · cornered · nighttime · exposure
premiere
First public performance
- HollywoodAmerican film industry center
- spotlightConcentrated illumination source
- stageRaised performance platform
marquee · red carpet · gala · opening night · celebrity · film · awards · paparazzi · glamour · entertainment
lighthouse
Coastal beacon tower
navigation · naval · coastguard · rescue · distress · SOS · vessel · ship · foghorn · channel
- WWII BritainBlitz, Battle of Britain, home front, evacuees, air raids
- sky artcloudscapes, skywriting, skyscapes, cloud formations, dramatic skies
- air raidsair raid, air strike, bombing, raid, bomb
- Berlin historyBerlin Wall, Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie, East Berlin, West Berlin
- maritime operationscoast guard, coastal patrol, harbor patrol, naval patrols, patrol boats
- coastal fortsFort McHenry, Fort Sumter
searchlightsdarkness
Total absence of light
blackout · shadows · candles · lanterns · nightlights
searchlightsambient lighting
Soft indirect room illumination
diffused light · soft lighting · scattered light · indirect lighting · glow
searchlightsdarkness
Total absence of light
blackout · shadow · concealment · camouflage · blackout curtains