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I built a light box. (The kind you use for treating seasonal affective disorder, not the kind you use for photography.) ( Behind a cut in case you don't care. )
Edit: My friend Tracey asked what I did about UV protection. The answer is that it never occurred to me. However, Wikipedia says that the mercury in fluorescent bulbs primarily emits light with wavelengths of 253.7 and 185 nanometers (nm) (which then hits phosphors to create visible light). This graph on this page shows such wavelengths getting completely absorbed by each type of glass tested. Additionally, this epidemiological study has typical fluorescent UV being much less dangerous than sunlight. Even with my box delivering 4.4 times normal fluorescent light (my estimate), a half-hour session would be equivalent to 17 seconds of sun exposure, even without the glass front absorbing the UV. So I expect it's safe.
Edit: My friend Tracey asked what I did about UV protection. The answer is that it never occurred to me. However, Wikipedia says that the mercury in fluorescent bulbs primarily emits light with wavelengths of 253.7 and 185 nanometers (nm) (which then hits phosphors to create visible light). This graph on this page shows such wavelengths getting completely absorbed by each type of glass tested. Additionally, this epidemiological study has typical fluorescent UV being much less dangerous than sunlight. Even with my box delivering 4.4 times normal fluorescent light (my estimate), a half-hour session would be equivalent to 17 seconds of sun exposure, even without the glass front absorbing the UV. So I expect it's safe.
