Star Wars Episode 6: Return of the Jedi - Lightsaber Shadow
When Luke and Vader are fighting on the stairs, you can see a shadow of a lightsaber. Since lightsabers are supposed to give off light, they shouldn't have a shadow shaped like it.
The energy in a lightsaber is created through a power pack and focused into the saber with focusing crystals. These make the lightsabers' blade a solid energy blade. The energy gives off light. So, even though a lightsaber is solid, the light it gives off should not cast a shadow the shape of the lightsaber.
Lamps give off light but they can touch each other can't they?
Flashlights give off light but they can touch each other can't they?
Light bulbs give off light and they can still touch each other can't they?
I know how they made the lightsabers lokk like that in the movie. What I was saying is that it just seems that they should have taken care of the shadows. I think it was a poor job that they did not edit them out.
The point we are trying to make is that light, such as a flashlight beam, doesn't stop if it hits lamp light.
Lamps give off light and they can touch each other, right?
Lightsabers give off light so they can still touch each other. Yes, but can the light they give off touch other light? NO
A lightsabers blade is a high energy particle beam. The charged particles generated by the power cell are focused by the emitter crystal(s). These particles emit light because of their high energy state. The reason there is a shadow in the movie is because the lightsaber props wielded by the actors had a clear plastic rod sticking out of them in place of the "blade". This rod was used both to prevent the actors from overswinging their lightsabers, and to give the special effects guys a reference when they hand drew the lightsaber effects. (No computer generated graphics back then).
Something that glows brighter than anything around it CAN cast a shadow.
Try it with a glow-stick like they sell at concerts. The glow stick can be the brightest thing in a dim room, but a beam of light shining in from some distance will be interupted by the stick.
I hate to inform you all, but it's a completely legit for the sabres to do this. read: http://www.synicon.com.au/sw/ls/sabres.htm and he'll tell you all you need to know
quick summary for the lazier readers: Lightsabres are not JUST LIGHT. It's unknown exactly what they are but whatever they are, they would be solid(light and lasers pass through each other. sabres don't) and since they're solid, they would cast a shadow.
Have you not had a physics class or anything? Just because something is emitting light, does not mean that the source of the emission couldn't produce a shadow; all it takes is a light source form somewhere else.
Do this, take a lighter into a dark room, stand next to a wall, strike the lighter, then take a flashlight, and point it at the flame, guess what?, the flame has a shadow, besides, no one is 100% sure what a Lightsaber blade is, they are beyond our current technology, and will be for a long, long time, if ever.
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