See Also

Shadow

A shadow is a region of darkness Darkness

Darkness is the absence of light [i], but earlier in history it was sometimes viewed as a substance in i ... 

 where light Light

Light is electromagnetic radiation [i] with a wavelength [i] that is visible to the eye [i] or, in a technical [i] ... 

 is blocked. A shadow occupies all the space behind an opaque object with light in front of it. The cross-section of a shadow is a two-dimension Dimension

In common usage, a dimension is a parameter [i] or measurement [i] required to define the characteristi ... 

al silhouette Silhouette

A silhouette is a view of an object or scene consisting of the outline and a featureless interior.... 

, or reverse projection of the object blocking the light.

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A shadow is a region of darkness Darkness

Darkness is the absence of light [i], but earlier in history it was sometimes viewed as a substance in i ... 

 where light Light

Light is electromagnetic radiation [i] with a wavelength [i] that is visible to the eye [i] or, in a technical [i] ... 

 is blocked. A shadow occupies all the space behind an opaque object with light in front of it. The cross-section of a shadow is a two-dimension Dimension

In common usage, a dimension is a parameter [i] or measurement [i] required to define the characteristi ... 

al silhouette Silhouette

A silhouette is a view of an object or scene consisting of the outline and a featureless interior.... 

, or reverse projection of the object blocking the light.

Features



The closer to 90 degrees the angle between an elongated object and the direction of the light it blocks, the bigger its shadow. The smaller the angle between the direction of the light and the surface on which the shadow occurs, the longer the shadow is. If the object is close to the light source, the shadow is large. If the surface is curved there are further distortions.

For a non-point source of light, the shadow is divided into the umbra Umbra

The umbra is the darkest part of a shadow.... 

 and penumbra Penumbra

The penumbra is that part of the shadow where the light source is only partially blocked.... 

. The wider the light source, the more blurred the shadow.

If there are multiple light sources there are multiple shadows, with overlapping parts darker, or a combination of colors. For a person or object touching the surface, like a person standing on the ground, or a pole in the ground, these converge at the point of touch.

Colored shadows

If white light is produced by separate colored light sources, the shadows are colored.

Illuminate a room with a red light, and the shadows are exclusively gray, or dark. Illuminate the shadows with a white light, and the shadows are green. Where both lights are blocked, or in other words where the shadows intersect, the shadows are gray. Away from the intersection, where the red light is blocked the shadows are green, and where the white light is blocked the shadows are red. In other words, light colors shadows or brightens them, according to the complementary color of the light blocked to cast the shadow. In the case of white and red lights, the complement of white is red; with white and green lights, the complement of white is green.

In the absence of multiple light sources, colored lights illuminate spaces where other lights are not blocked. In the above example, the red shadow cast by blocking white light is not a shadow with the white light off, but it is illuminated in red.

In the absence of white light, colored lights blocked by an opaque surface cast shadows in the colors complementary to the lights blocked. For green light, red shadows, and vice-versa; blue, orange; yellow, purple; intermediate light, intermediate shadows.


Faster than light


For objects moving at every-day speeds , the shadow cast by an object will move faster than the object which casts it. A cross-section of a shadow is displaced by the motion of an object in front of a point source of light. The further the distance from the object blocking the light, the larger the silhouette and the greater the displacement by motion.

However, this simple relationship between speeds and distances becomes more complicated over vast distances for very fast moving objects due to the finite speed of light; the motion of an object may cut off the emission of light from a source to a surface, but the light that had already passed by the object will take some time before reaching the surface, and so there is some delay before the shadow on the surface reflects the updated position of the object. Thus while it is certainly possible to create shadows that move faster than light, this effect cannot be used to transmit information at superluminal speeds, because the motion of the shadow is being caused by the motion of the object in the past, not the present.

Other notes

A shadow cast by the Earth Earth

Earth is the third planet [i] in the solar system [i] in terms of distance from the Sun [i], and the fi ... 

 on the Moon Moon

The Moon is Earth [i]'s only natural satellite [i]. ... 

 is a lunar eclipse Eclipse

An is an astronomical event that occurs when one celestial object [i] moves into the shadow of another.
... 

. Conversely, a shadow cast by the Moon on the Earth is a solar eclipse.

On satellite imagery and aerial photograph Aerial photography

Aerial photography is the taking of photograph [i]s from above with a camera [i] mounted, or hand held, ... 

s, taken vertically, tall buildings can be recognized as such by their long shadows , while these also show more of the shape of these buildings.

A shadow shows, apart from distortion, the same image as the silhouette when looking at the object from the sun-side, hence the mirror image of the silhouette seen from the other side .

The term shadow is also used with regard to other things than light, for example rain Rain

Rain is a form of precipitation [i], other forms of which include snow [i], sleet [i], hail [i]... 

: a rain shadow Rain shadow

A rain shadow is a dry region on the surface of the Earth [i] that is leeward [i] or behind a mountain [i] ... 

is a dry area, which, with respect to the prevailing wind Wind

Wind is the roughly horizontal movement of air [i] caused by uneven heating of the Earth's surface. ... 

 direction, is beyond a mountain range Mountain range

A mountain range is a group of mountain [i]s bordered by lowlands or separated from other mountain range ... 

; it is dry because air masses lose part of their water Water

Water is a taste [i]less, odor [i]less substance that is essential to all known forms of life [i] and i ... 

 when they move over these mountains.

Furthermore, it is possible to see shadows by moonlight on clear evenings.

Fiction


  • In Peter Pan Peter Pan

    Peter Pan is a fictional character [i] created by Scottish [i] novelist and playwrighter, J. M. Barrie [i] ... 

    the main character loses his shadow: it snaps off when he leaps out of the window, which is slammed closed behind him. It is put in a drawer and later sewed back on by Wendy.


  • In many fantasy games, shadow is widely referred to as the source of dark arts and black magic. Shadows, mainly in this genre, are said to be the departed souls of people that have had their lives tragically cut short or did not receive acceptance in heaven or hell.


  • In Roger Zelazny Roger Zelazny

    Roger Joseph Zelazny was an American [i] writer of fantasy [i] and science fiction [i] short stories [i]... 

    's novel Jack of Shadows Jack of Shadows

    Jack of Shadows is a novel [i] combining elements of both science fiction [i] and fantasy [i] writte ... 

    , the main character has a unique ability to manipulate shadows magically.


  • In the Chronicles of Amber The Chronicles of Amber

    The Chronicles of Amber is a popular fantasy series [i] by Roger Zelazny [i]. ... 

     series of novels , Shadow is a metaphysical substance in which all possible universes can exist, if a person who meets certain criteria desires to go to them.


  • In Final Fantasy VI Final Fantasy VI

    Final Fantasy VI is a role-playing video game [i] developed and published ... 

    , Shadow is the name of a mysterious assassin who joins up with the protagonists at various locations and times during the game. Little is known about the character within the main course of the game, however much of his story-line is revealed when and if certain circumstances are met.


  • In Final Fantasy Tactics Advance Final Fantasy Tactics Advance

    Final Fantasy Tactics Advance is a strategy video game [i] for Nintendo [i]'s Game Boy Advance [i]. ... 

    , Assassins can bind a target's shadow to the ground, paralyzing them in time and space.


  • In The Lord of the Rings The Lord of the Rings

    The Lord of the Rings is an epic high fantasy [i] novel written by J. R. R. Tolkien [i].... 

    by J.R.R. Tolkien J. R. R. Tolkien

    John Ronald Reuel Tolkien CBE [i] is best known as the author of The Hobbit [i] ... 

    , Mordor Mordor

    In J. R. R. Tolkien's [i] fictional [i] universe of Middle-earth [i], Mordor is the dwelling pla... 

     is the land 'where shadows lie.'


  • Victoria by Knut Hamsun Knut Hamsun

    [i] author and recipient of the [[Nobel Prize in Literature]... 

     and Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World

    is a 1985 novel [i] by Japan [i]ese writer Haruki Murakami [i]. ... 

    by Haruki Murakami Haruki Murakami

    is a popular contemporary Japan [i]ese writer [i] and translator [i]. ... 

      feature a character depriving people of their shadows when approaching the end of the world.


  • In ninja fiction, ninjas are supposedly able to become "one with the shadows" or, "a living shadow." In the manga Naruto Naruto

    is a manga [i] by Masashi Kishimoto [i] with an anime [i] TV series adaptation. ... 

    , a special shuriken is named "The Windmill of Shadows." Also in Naruto, Shikamaru Nara possesses the technique to control a person's body movements once his shadow touches theirs. He can also manipulate his shadow into several shapes. This is known as Kagemane no Jutsu . Also, in the game Samurai Warriors Samurai Warriors

    This article is about the video game.... 

    , Hanzo Hattori Can reach a level named the shadow.


  • In Slayers and an episode of InuYasha InuYasha

    [i] [[manga]... 

    , throwing a knife onto the ground in a person's shadow would paralyze them, aptly named "Shadow Bind".


  • In DC Comics DC Comics

    DC Comics is one of the largest American [i] companies in comic book [i] and related media ... 

    , both Obsidian Obsidian

    Obsidian is a type of naturally occurring glass [i], produced by volcano [i]es when a felsic [i] lava [i] ... 

     and Shadow-Thief have abilities over shadow.


  • In the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, Shadow the Hedgehog Shadow the Hedgehog

    is a fictional character from the Sonic the Hedgehog [i] series. ... 

     is one of Sonic's main rivals.


  • In American Gods American Gods

    American Gods is a novel [i] by Neil Gaiman [i]. ... 

    ,
    a novel by Neil Gaiman Neil Gaiman

    Neil Richard Gaiman is an English [i] Jewish [i] author of numerous science fiction [i] and fantasy [i]... 

    , Shadow is the main character and also thought to be the god Balder Balder

    [i], the god of innocence, beauty, joy, purity, and peace, and is [[Odin]... 

    .


  • In Kingdom Hearts Kingdom Hearts

    is a hybrid action-RPG [i] that was released in 2002, which is notable for being t ... 

     the basic and most common heartless enemy are called Shadows.


  • In Dungeons & Dragons Dungeons & Dragons

    Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy [i] tabletop roleplaying game [i] currently published by Wizards of the Coast [i] ... 

    , there is a class named "Shadowdancer" that supposedly draws on shadow powers to induce abnormal effects in combat.


  • In many cartoon Cartoon

    A cartoon is any of several forms of art, with varied meanings that evolved from one to another.... 

    s that are very loosely based in reality or comedy movie Film

    Film is a term that encompasses motion pictures as individual projects, as well as the field in general.... 

    s with roughly equal disregard for reality , it is possible for shadows to act completely independently of the person who is supposed to be casting them. This often ranges from a person's shadow fighting with them , or going the wrong way to shadow puppets running amok . It is also possible for people to make photorealistic shadow puppets in these mediums.


  • In the Bionicle Bionicle

    BIONICLE is a line of toys [i] made by the Lego Group [i] that is marketed towards those in the 7-16 yea ... 

     universe, Makuta Makuta

    Makuta is a fictional character [i] in Bionicle [i], a story and toy line created by Lego [i]. ... 

     is master of shadows. He use a Kanohi Kanohi

    Kanohi Masks are objects from Lego [i]'s Bionicle [i] storyline, and the most common of the franchise's ... 

     mask called Kraahkan, to allows he the shadows powers. Others beings control Shadows in Bionicle, like Roodaka Roodaka

    Roodaka is a character from LEGO [i]'s Bionicle [i] storyline. ... 

     and the Dark Hunter Dark Hunters

    The Dark Hunters are an organization of bounty hunters in Lego [i]'s Bionicle [i] storyline. ... 

     Kraata-Kal.


  • In The Seventh Tower book series, creatures from a spirit-world are bound to people and become free-willed shadows.


  • In , Shadow is a creature ability that results in the creature only being able to participate in combat with other creatures that also have Shadow.


  • In , the Lasombra are a species of vampire Vampire

    Vampires are mythological [i] or folkloric [i] creatures, typically held to be the re ... 

     that can manipulate shadows and darkness Darkness

    Darkness is the absence of light [i], but earlier in history it was sometimes viewed as a substance in i ... 

     in general.
  • in tales of symphonia Tales of Symphonia

    is a video game [i] first released for the Nintendo GameCube [i] and later for the PlayStation 2 [i].... 

     and the rest of the tales series, shadow is the summon spirit of darkness


  • in Legend of Zelda The Legend of Zelda series

    The Legend of Zelda series , first published on February 21 [i], 1986 [i], by Nintendo, is a series ... 

    , Shadow Link is a recurring enemy the real Link must overcome.

Heraldry

In heraldry Heraldry

Heraldry is the practice of designing, displaying, describing and recording coats of arms [i] ... 

, when a charge is supposedly shown in shadow , it is called umbrated. Supposedly only a limited number of specific charges can be so depicted.

See also

  • The Shadow The Shadow

    The Shadow is a fictional [i] crime fighter created by Walter B. Gibson [i].... 

  • Shade
  • Shadow play
  • Shadow people Shadow people

    For other things named Shadowman, see Shadowman [i]

... 




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