Blue afterimages are... blue?

While staring at some police-car flashers last week, I noted to my surprise that I saw afterimages that were exactly the same color of blue as the actual color of the flashing lights. I thought afterimages were supposed to be some complementary shade, not the exact same shade. This was when I stared at the lights for a few minutes and then closed my eyes. I made sure to check it several times.

What gives? Is it something special about the lights, or is it something special about me? If it helps any, I think the lights were the LED variety, which I think are monochromatic (or at least a very narrow band of) blue.

Are you sure you weren’t looking at those lights through a, ahem, purple haze? :stuck_out_tongue:
Seriously though, I just stared at my ceiling light (a CFL) then closed my eyes. The afterimage looked the same, I think. Then I turned on my L.E.D. flashlight and stared at it. Same thing. Now I need a colored light.
Ah be bock.
Peace,
mangeorge

There are two types of afterimages. A positive afterimage is caused by a bright light. This is what you saw looking at the police flashers. Negative afterimages, which is what you’re thinking of, is caused by fatiguing of the photoreceptors.