John Smith I wrote:
Well, I am just sitting here with this 120,000 gauss magnet in my hand
and a magnifying glass in the other--attempting to see the photons
shooting from one side of the magnet to the other ... I'd at least think
the dern photons excite the gas and would light up the neon bulb I am
holding next to one side!

Maybe a quote from "Optics", by Hecht is in order:
"Virtual photons can never escape to be detected
directly by some instrument." Sorry about that.
--
73, Cecil http://www.w5dxp.com