Neon belongs to group 18 (The Noble Gasses), has an atomic number 10, average mass of 20.18 amu, with electron configuration of [He] 2s2 2p6 . It was discovered in 1898 by William Ramsay and Morris Travers. Like all the noble gasses, neon is chemically inert. Neon is fairly common in the universe, although rare on earth.
Neon is probably one of the most well known elements, especially for those who have been to Las Vegas or any major city. While most coloured lights are mistakenly called Neon lights, only the ones with the reddish-orange glow actually contain neon. Other colours are usually made by other noble gasses or variously coloured fluorescent lights. The red light comes from Neon's emission spectrum. When electrons in a neon atom become excited by energy (voltage in the case of neon lamps) they jump to a higher energy level. When the electrons go back down to their original energy level (ground state), they emit energy as a reddish-orange light.
Other than in lamps, neon also has applications as a cryogenic refrigerant, use in vacuum tubes, lightning arrestors, lasers, and television tubes.