Ligths - Color Temperatures

Light sources and their color irradiation in degrees Kelvin. The Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) is the absolute temperature of a black radiating reference light source which emits the same color irradiation as a given light source measured in degrees Kelvin (K).

Color Temperature Classifications

  • Cold colors (bluish white): > 5300 K
  • Neutral colors: 3300 - 5300 K
  • Warm colors (yellowish white through red): < 3300 K
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Results

Color Classification--
Light SourceCorrelated Color Temperature (K)
Clear blue sky12000 - 24000
LCD or CRT screen6500 - 9500
Uniform daylight - overcast sky7000
Average natural daylight6500
Xenon short-arc (continuous compact 250 W)6200
Electronic flash5500 - 6000
High intensity carbon arc5000
Moonlight4100 - 4150
HP mercury cool white lamp4000
Fluorescent warm white lamp3000
Warm white LED lamp3000
Halogen filament lamp3000
Soft white LED lamp2700
GLS tungsten filament2700
Soft white incandescent lamp2550
Standard incandescent lamp2400
HP sodium lamp, Paraffin flame (flat wick)2050
Candle flame2000
Sunset, sunrise1850
Match flame1700