Hi,

"Charles" wrote in message
...
I've been reading a book about algae, several places it mentions
fluorescence from the accessory pigments.

what would be required to see this fluorescence? I have a microscope,
and believe I could get somewhat narrow band light using a light
source and a prism.

Fluorescence generally means that the item absorbs a high energy photon and
emits a lower energy photon rapidly. Usually in common applications this
means you shine a black light (UV-ultraviolet) on it and it emits a visible
photon. The black lights are generally mercury vapor lamps which emit
several very sharp lines, no need for a prism, a long wave at I think around
350 nm, and a short wave around 254nm (quite damaging to the eye). Google
on black light and you will find lots of suppliers for many hobby
applications. The two lines excite different fluorescence. The short wave
is generally not transmitted through normal glass, the light bulb is quartz.
You would probably illuminate the sample without any intermediate plain
glass lens and then could look at the fluorescing visible photons normally
through the microscope. You would arrange the lighting so you are not
staring at the UV light with either eye,and the microscope optics would not
let the most dangerous UV get to your eye.
Hope that helps,
Rick