beacon

A beacon is an intentionally conspicuous device designed to attract attention to a specific location. A common example is the lighthouse, which draws attention to a fixed point that can be used to navigate around obstacles or into port. More modern examples include a variety of radio beacons that can be read on radio direction finders in all weather, and radar transponders that appear on radar displays.

In the Vinony graph

Within Vinony's link graph, beacon is referenced by 1,447 other articles, and connects out to telegraphy, wireless communication and Information Age.

It is catalogued under the topic Beacons.

Its subject is documented across 27 Wikipedia language editions.

Wikidata facts

Image: Иллюстрация к статье «Береговые знаки» и «Бакан». Военная энциклопедия Сытина (Санкт-Петербург, 1911-1915).jpg

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OpenStreetMap tag: man_made=beacon
Commons category: Beacons
sRGB color hex triplet: 8B4513

Sources (5)

via Wikidata · CC0

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Encyclopedic overview

16 sections

Contents

For navigation
For defensive communications (historical)
Ceremonial use
Military use (20th–21st century)
Infrared marker
On vehicles
Other uses
In fiction
In publishing
In retail
Types
Infrared beacon
Sonar beacon
See also
References
External links

Beacons can also be combined with semaphoric or other indicators to provide important information, such as the status of an airport, by the colour and rotational pattern of its airport beacon, or of pending weather as indicated on a weather beacon mounted at the top of a tall building or similar site. When used in such fashion, beacons can be considered a form of optical telegraphy.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “beacon” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.