Ytterbium metal powder burns with a luminous vapor phase diffusion flame in oxygen. Consolidated stoichiometric mixtures with both polytetrafluoroethylene and hexachloroethane upon ignition yield intense luminous flames. With UV/Vis spectroscopy of the combustion flames Yb, YbO, YbCl, and YbF species have been identified contributing to the selective emission in the green spectral range. The flame temperatures of ytterbium combustion in oxygen and with halocarbon based oxidizers are in the same range as for comparable magnesium based systems.