Abstract: A rare gas illumination system and method are configured to provide a sweeping illumination effect. In one embodiment, the rare gas illumination system includes a tube containing a gas and having a first electrode at a first end and a second electrode at a second end. A first boot having a first transformer is coupled to the first end of the tube. A second boot having a second transformer is coupled to the second end of the tube. The system includes a controller having a microcontroller, a memory, and an output power driver. The memory is configured to store a plurality of control codes corresponding to a plurality of illumination patterns. The microcontroller controls the illumination pattern of the tube by executing the corresponding control code to selectively activate the output driver to provide a voltage signal to at least one of the first boot and the second boot.