The sun is going to make the plastic on them bottles break with exposure after a while. Glass might be better if it does not act as a magnifying glass and start fires.
Edmund Scientific has this
Reproduction 19Th Century Deck Prism I have often thought about as a kid, and they still have them in their catalogs. If I only knew some glass blowers...
For centuries, sailing ships used Deck Prisms to provide a safe source of natural sunlight to illuminate areas below decks. Now you too can discover the charm and appeal of the past with our classically styled, nautical deck prism ( glass ). Before electricity, light below a vessel's deck was limited. Light below a vessel's deck was provided by candles, oil and kerosene lamps - all dangerous aboard a wooden ship. The deck prism was a clever solution. Laid flush into the deck, the glass prism refracted and dispersed a flood of natural light into the cabin below from a small deck opening without weakening the planks or becoming a fire hazard.
In normal usage, the prism hangs below the ceiling and disperses the light sideways; the top is flat and installed flush with the deck, becoming part of the deck. A plain flat glass would just form a single bright spot below-- not very useful general illumination-- hence the prismatic shape.
On colliers (coal ships), prisms were also used to spy on the cargo hold; light from a fire would be collected by the prism and be make visible on the deck¹ even in daylight. The names "deck light" and "dead light" or "deadlight" are sometimes used, though the latter seems to be uncommon as a reference to prisms, as more often refers to plain-glass panels.
Edit: added the story
« Last Edit: September 16, 2011, 05:59:48 AM by Xelkos »
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