Things That Are Bright

Welcome to our list of things that are bright!

Bright has a few different meanings in different contexts – brightly coloured, clever, happy. We’ve included all of the different meanings that we can think of in our list of bright things, including things that glow, shine, and are brightly coloured.

Welcome to our list of things that are bright!

Hopefully that visual list of bright things was useful! Here’s a longer and more descriptive list of things that are bright:

  • Sun: The dwarf star at the centre of our solar system and the source of our natural light.
  • Supernova: A powerful stellar explosion.
  • Jupiter: The largest planet in our solar system.
  • Moon: The satellite that orbits the Earth.
  • Venus: The second-brightest object in the night sky (after the moon). The second planet from the Sun.
  • Fire: Oxidation that releases light, heat and smoke.
  • Mercury: The first planet from the Sun.
  • Mars: Also known as the red planet. The fourth planet from the Sun and the second smallest in the solar system.
  • Saturn: The sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet (after Jupiter). Known for its rings.
  • Uranus: A planet with a beautiful milky colour. The seventh planet from the Sun.
  • Neptune: The eighth planet from the Sun.
  • Sirius: The brightest star in the night sky.
  • Quasars: Also known as a quasi-stellar object. A very bright and luminous galactic nucleus.
  • Andromeda: A constellation in the north of the celestial equator.
  • Aurora: Also known as the polar lights, northern lights or the southern lights. A natural light display generally seen in high-latitude areas.
  • Fluorescent Lighting: A type of low-pressure lamp that uses fluorescence to display light.
  • Incandescent Lighting: Electromagnetic radiation that emits light.
  • LEDs: Short for light-emitting diode. Light is emitted when an electrical current flows through it.
  • Traffic Signs: Since traffic signs need high visibility, they tend to have bright colours.
  • Safety Vest: Also known as high vis (visibility) clothing. Brightly coloured.
  • Light-up Billboards: Billboards tend to be large, brightly coloured, and some can light up for nighttime visibility too.
  • Reflective Lights: these are patches designed to reflect light. Generally used for situations where high visibility at nighttime is required.
  • Fairy Lights: Small lights arranged in a line on a flexible wire. Commonly used to decorate houses, Christmas trees and interior spaces.
  • Headlights: The light on the front of a vehicle. Used to illuminate the road at nighttime.
  • Indicator Lights: Lights used to indicate where a car will be turning.
  • Traffic Lights: Colour-coded lights used to tell drivers when to go and stop at intersections.
  • Computer Screen: Computer screens are illuminated and have adjustable brightness settings.
  • Cove Lighting: Indirect, subtle lighting that is built into recesses and ledges. The general idea is to provide even lighting and to hide the source of the light.
  • Emergency Lights: A light that is powered by battery and automatically switches on during a power outage.
  • Police Car Lights: The coloured flashing lights atop a police car that let other drivers know when the police vehicle is responding to an emergency.
  • Ambulance Lights: The coloured flashing lights atop an ambulance that let other drivers know when the police vehicle is responding to an emergency.
  • Fire Truck Lights: The flashing lights on top of fire trucks. Used to indicate to other drivers when fire trucks are in a hurry.
  • Streetlights: Lights on top of tall posts that light up a street or pathway at nighttime.
  • Fridge Light: The small light in refrigerators that turn on automatically when the fridge is opened.
  • Mood Lighting: Soft, generally coloured light that is intended to create some form of atmosphere or ambience.
  • Runway Lighting: Small lights that are placed on either side of a runway for heightened visibility.
  • Floodlights: A bright light used to provide even lighting across a large or wide area.
  • Track Lighting: A type of lighting that is common in museums and galleries. Light fixtures are attached to a track that they can move along.
  • Strobe Lighting: A light that provides flashes of light rather than a consistent glow.
  • Disco Ball: A ball covered in small square pieces of mirror. Used to provide many small reflections of light in an area.
  • Glare: Bright reflected light.
  • Milky Way: The galaxy that houses our solar system.
  • Landscape Lighting: Also known as garden lighting. Outdoor lighting that illuminates and creates atmosphere.
  • Tree Lights: Lights that are generally placed at the base of trees facing upwards to provide atmospheric lighting to the leaves and branches.
  • Uplights: Atmospheric lighting that faces upwards and provides interesting shadows along with the light.
  • Wall Lights: Light fixtures that are attached to walls.
  • Deck Lights: Bright lights that provide illumination for decks.
  • Fibre Optic Lights: Cables that carry light through fibre optics.
  • Underwater Lighting: Lighting that is used underwater. Helpful in exploration or maintenance.
  • Photoflood Lamp:  A type of incandescent bulb used as a continuous source of light.
  • Electric Sparks: An electrical discharge which emits light.
  • Moonlight: The light reflected by the moon at nighttime.
  • Halogen Lamp: Also known as tungsten halogen, quartz iodine or quartz-iodine. A type of incandescent lamp.
  • Discharge Lamp: A type of light that works by sending electric discharges through a plasma.
  • Arc Lamp: Also known as an arc light. Works by using an electric arc.
  • Xenon Lamp: A tube that emits light in lines.
  • Neon Lamp: Brightly coloured glowing tubes that produce light using gas.
  • Sulfur Lamp: A full-spectrum light that is very efficient.
  • Lasers: A light-emitting device that works through optical amplification. Known for bright, focused points of light.
  • Fireflies: A type of insect that emits light through bioluminiscence. Also known as glow worms and lightning bugs.
  • Crystal Jellyfish: Also known as the crystal jelly. A bioluminescent jellyfish.
  • Deep-sea Angler Fish: These fish have a bioluminescent lure attached to their body.
  • Ostracods: Also known as seed shrimp. Small crustaceans with bioluminiscent bodies.
  • Clusterwink Snails: Also known as the yellow-coated clusterwink. A small sea snail that can bioluminesce.
  • New Zealand Glow Worms: A fungus gnat that produces bioluminescence during their larval stage.
  • Radium: A chemical element that reacts with nitrogen.
  • Plutonium: A radioactive chemical element that reacts with halogens, carbon, nitrogen and hydrogen.
  • Glowsticks: A thin, flexible stick that is used as a cheap, colourful and temporary light source.
  • Jellyfish: Also known as sea jellies. Free-swimming marine animals with brightly coloured and sometimes luminescent bodies.
  • Fox Fire: Also known as fairy fire or chimpanzee fire. The glowing bioluminescence produced by some fungi species.
  • Phosphorus: A chemical element that is highly reactive.
  • Tonic Water: Water that is fluorescent under UV light.
  • Tritium: A rare isotope of hydrogen.
  • Radon: A radioactive chemical element that is tasteless, odorless and has no colour.
  • Fluorescent Coral: Corals that emit light.
  • Zinc Sulfide: An inorganic compound used in infrared.  
  • Algae: The term for a large group of photosynthetic organisms.
  • Hot Metal: When metal is heated enough, it glows brightly.
  • Snow: Ice crystals that form while floating in midair. A bright white when collected in clumps.
  • Floor Lamp: A tall lamp intended to light up most of a room.
  • Table Lamp: A small, short lamp for lighting up a desk area.
  • Pendant Lamp: A ceiling lamp suspended from a cord or chain.
  • Lantern: A portable lighting source that historically used a candle or wick.
  • Fittonia: Also known as nerve plant. A flowering plant with vivid leaves and brightly coloured veins.
  • TV Screen: TV screens are typically brightly illuminated for added visibility.
  • Reflections: Reflected light is still extremely bright.
  • Bike Lights: Lights used to indicate the position of a bike for safety purposes.
  • Carbide Lighting: Also known as carbide lamps. Commonly used to illuminate buildings or as lighthouse beacons.
  • Candles: A wax column with a wick in the centre. Used as a portable, long-lasting flame.
  • Fireworks: Pyrotechnics that are used for celebrations and entertainment. Very loud and bright with many different colours and patterns.
  • Spotlights: A type of light that brightly illuminates a small area. Commonly used in cars, theatre and as searchlights.   
  • Canopus: The brightest star in the Carina constellation.
  • Arcturus: The brightest star in the Bootes constellation.
  • Vega: The brightest star in the Lyra constellation.
  • Betelgeuse: Generally the tenth brightest star in the night sky and the second brightest in Orion.
  • Altair: The brightest star in Aquila and overall the 12th brightest star in the night sky.
  • Capella: The brightest star in the Auriga constellation.
  • Formalhaut: The brightest star in the Piscis Austrinus constellation.
  • Deneb: A star in the Cygnus constellation.
  • Rigel: A supergiant star in the Orion constellation.
  • Pollux: An orange giant star in the Gemini constellation.
  • Antares: Generally considered the 15th brightest star in the night sky, and is the brightest star in the Scorpius constellation.
  • Proxima Centauri: A small star in the Centaurus constellation.
  • Algol: Also known as the Demon Star. A star in the Perseus constellation.
  • Gamma Draconis: Previously known as Eltanin. A star in the Draco constellation.
  • Procyon: The brightest star in the Canis Minor constellation. Generally considered the eighth brightest star in the night sky.
  • Achernar: In the top ten brightest stars in the night sky. Very blue in colour.
  • Hadar: Also known as beta centauri. A triple star system in the Centaurus constellation.
  • Acrux: A star system light years from the Sun.
  • Aldebaran: A giant orange star in the Taurus constellation, light years from the Sun.
  • Antares: Considered the 15th brightest star in the night sky. The brightest star in the Scorpius constellation.
  • Spica: The brightest star in the Virgo constellation.
  • Becrux: Also known as mimosa. The second brightest star in the Crux constellation.
  • Deneb: A star in the Cygnus constellation.
  • Regulus: The brightest star in the Leo constellation and considered one of the brightest stars in the night sky.
  • Adhara: A star in the Canis Major constellation and one of the brightest in the night sky.
  • Castor: The second-brightest star in the Gemini constellation.
  • Dragonfruit: Also known as a pitaya. A cactus fruit with bright pink skin, and sometimes pink flesh as well.
  • Carrot: A bright orange root vegetable.
  • Lemon: A yellow citrus fruit commonly used as flavouring for desserts.
  • Grapefruit: An orange-skinned citrus fruit that can have light pink flesh.
  • Watermelon: A large fruit with a bright green rind and pink flesh. Commonly eaten by itself or as a dessert flavouring.
  • Capsicum: Sweet fruits that come in green, yellow and red.
  • Strawberries: Small, bright red berries known for their sweet flavour.
  • Bananas: Long yellow fruits that are actually berries.
  • Beetroot: A root vegetable which is bright pink-purple in colour. Can stain surfaces and clothing.
  • Sweetcorn: Also known as sugar corn and pole corn. Yellow fruit which is a common ingredient in Asian desserts.
  • Pineapple: A spiky fruit with yellow flesh and an intensely sweet taste.
  • Neon Philodendron: A vining plant with heart shaped leaves. Neon green in colour.
  • Sunflower: Large, tall flowers with bright yellow petals.
  • Daisy: Small yellow flowers.
  • Daffodil: Yellow flowers with trumpet-shaped blooms.
  • Comets: An icy meteorological body.
  • Meteors: Also called shooting stars and falling stars.
  • Mica: A silicate mineral that is ground up and used as a natural glitter in makeup.
  • Glitter Spray: Small, colourful particles that reflect light. Comes in many shapes and sizes, and is known for being difficult to clean.
  • Lighter: A small device used to generate a small flame.
  • Swarovski: An Austrian glass producer.
  • Sequins: Small, shiny beads in the shape of a disc. Very reflective and colourful and used for celebratory and decorative purposes.
  • Beads: Small decorative pieces that come in many shapes, sizes and colours.
  • Sprinkles: Small confectionery pieces that are sugary and colourful. Used as decoration in desserts.
  • Makeup: Beauty products used to adjust a person’s appearance.
  • Sapphire: A gemstone known for it’s brilliant blue colour.
  • Ruby: A red gemstone commonly used in jewelry.
  • Amethyst: A gemstone that is bright purple in colour.
  • Jade: An mineral that is commonly green, but can also come in yellow, pink, red, purple and black varieties.
  • Silver: A chemical element with a bright lustre.
  • Gold: A chemical element with a bright yellow gleam.
  • Labradorite: A mineral with a dark colour but a bright metallic lustre.
  • Sodalite: A mineral with a bright blue colour.
  • Malachite: A vivid green banded mineral.
  • Coral: Marine invertebrates with many different colours. Some are bioluminescent.
  • Topaz: A translucent mineral that ranges from yellow to golden brown.
  • Opal: An opaque silica with many reflective colours.
  • Mother of Pearl: A material that lines the inner layers of some shells. Has a bright lustre and soft rainbow reflections.
  • Paua Shell: The inner lining of abalone shells.
  • Amber: Fossilized tree resin with a warm yellow colour.
  • Amazonite: A light green mineral used as a semiprecious stone.
  • Pearls: Small decorative objects with a strong gleam. Commonly used in jewelry.
  • Moonstone: A type of gemstone with an opalescent sheen.
  • Rose Quartz: A type of quartz with a translucent rosy hue.
  • Emerald: A transparent, vividly green precious stone.
  • Fire Agate: A type of semiprecious chalcedony.
  • Fire Opal: A vibrant form of silica.
  • Fluorite: A mineral with purple, blue and green colouring.
  • Tiger’s Eye: A gemstone with a silky lustre and rich brown banding.
  • Larimar: A silicate mineral with soft blue colouring.
  • Aquamarine: A light blue beryl. Used as a semiprecious stone.
  • Citrine: A quartz that ranges from pale yellow to vibrant amber.
  • Diamond: A form of solid carbon which is incredibly dense and strong. Commonly used in precious jewelry.
  • Tanzanite: A mineral that comes in light blue and purple colouring.
  • Turquoise: A mineral that is opaque and blue-green in colour. Used in semiprecious jewelry.
  • Camera Flash: The small light that illuminates the subject or scene being photographed.
  • Highlighter (stationery): An office supply that is transparent and fluorescent. Designed to mark notable parts of a document.
  • Highlighter (makeup): Bright, finely milled glitter used to brighten up parts of the face.
  • Foil: Thin aluminium used to wrap food and keep it warm.
  • Prehnite: A pale green mineral.
  • Eyeshadow: Pigment used to decorate eyelids.
  • Lipstick: A small creamy, pigmented stick used to add colour to lips.
  • Chyrosprase: A pale green mineral used in semiprecious jewelry.
  • Nail Polish: Colourful lacquer used to paint nails. Comes in matte and glossy varieties.
  • Tennis Ball: The neon yellow/green ball used in tennis games.
  • Confetti: Small, thin pieces of colourful paper. Used in celebrations.
  • Orchid: Flowers with vibrant colouring.

We hope this list of bright things was useful and that you found what you needed!

We did our best to cover all of the varied meanings of “bright” with our visual gallery of bright things and descriptive list. But if you feel there’s something we missed, please feel free to let us know and leave a comment.

Thank you for visiting Thing Database!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *