Flashlight effect with css - css

Question

Here's what I'm trying to do: A solid grey background with a semi-eclipse (i.e. half an eclipse) of light starting from the centre of the page and ending at the top, so it looks as if there is a torch shining upwards from the centre of the page.
I've tried using SVG instead of css as I thought it might be easier, but I've ran into a few problems. Can anyone point me in the right direction?
Edit: Here's an image of what I'm trying to achieve:

Answer 1

You can use a radial-gradient as the background image like this:
html {
background: #ccc;
background: -moz-radial-gradient(50% -50%, cover, #fff 0%, #eee 50%, #ccc 55%, #bbb 100%);
background: -webkit-radial-gradient(50% -50%, cover, #fff 0%, #eee 50%, #ccc 55%, #bbb 100%);
background: -ms-radial-gradient(50% -50%, cover, #fff 0%, #eee 50%, #ccc 55%, #bbb 100%);
background: -o-radial-gradient(50% -50%, cover, #fff 0%, #eee 50%, #ccc 55%, #bbb 100%);
background: radial-gradient(50% -50%, cover, #fff 0%, #eee 50%, #ccc 55%, #bbb 100%);
min-height: 100%;
}
This works by placing the center of the gradient 50% above the page (note the -50% second parameter.) combined with the cover size attribute.
You can read more about the CSS radial-gradient property at MDN.
Here is an example: http://jsfiddle.net/kUFNV/4/

Answer 2

Why not use a CSS gradient? Here:
background: #f9f9f9;
background: url(data:image/svg+xml;base64,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);
background: -moz-radial-gradient(center, ellipse cover, #f9f9f9 0%, #cdcdcd 100%);
background: -webkit-gradient(radial, center center, 0px, center center, 100%, color-stop(0%,#f9f9f9), color-stop(100%,#cdcdcd));
background: -webkit-radial-gradient(center, ellipse cover, #f9f9f9 0%,#cdcdcd 100%);
background: -o-radial-gradient(center, ellipse cover, #f9f9f9 0%,#cdcdcd 100%);
background: -ms-radial-gradient(center, ellipse cover, #f9f9f9 0%,#cdcdcd 100%);
background: radial-gradient(ellipse at center, #f9f9f9 0%,#cdcdcd 100%);
filter: progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient( startColorstr='#f9f9f9', endColorstr='#cdcdcd',GradientType=1 );
Then add a margin-top: -50%; CSS to the element with the background. I don't suggest this is the body element as it'll get a bit messy, but create a new element with absolute positioning, give it the gradient code and the -50% margin and z-index: -1; so it'll be under all the rest of the page.
Good luck!

Answer 3

I'd recommend playing around with one of the CSS3 gradient generators like this one. With a few different color stops on a radial gradient, you should be able to accomplish something pretty close.
Here's one I put together quickly: http://jsfiddle.net/43k6F/