Patent ID: 7708424

Claim:
A decorative solar lighting apparatus for a gazing globe comprising: a rechargeable electrical power source coupled to an electrical charging system for charging said power source; a solar energy system conductively coupled to said charging system for collecting solar energy, converting said solar energy into electrical energy, and transferring said electrical energy to said charging system; at least one lighting subsystem comprising at least one light source electrically coupled to said rechargeable electrical power source and wherein said at least one light source is capable of being situated such that light is emitted from said gazing globe via at least one light transmitting region, wherein said lighting subsystem comprises at least one light emitting diode having an emission spectrum that includes light capable of exciting a luminescent material associated with said gazing globe and circuitry for automatically cycling said at least one light emitting diode between an on state that causes said luminescent material to emit fluorescent light and an off state that allows said luminescent material to emit phosphorescent light, said cycling occurring over a time period in a range from 1 second to 300 seconds; and a base portion having a substantially tubular, stretchable flange, and wherein said base portion is capable of being removably, elastically suspended from said gazing globe via said substantially tubular, stretchable flange thereby providing a substantially water-tight seal, and wherein said base portion further comprises at least one electrical conductor, thereby providing said coupling between said at least one light source and said rechargeable electrical power source.