A question about night vision

2008-03-11 21:47:44

#1

cowami: OY, BITCHTITS!; +1,106|6770|Noo Yawk, Noo Yawk

(by night vision, I mean natural night vision)

While I can understand that using white or yellow light can blind a person (temporarily) during night time operations, how come cockpits of aircraft and the bridges of ships are lit red in order to preserve night vision? Why not green, or blue, or something else (anything but white/yellow)?

2008-03-11 21:48:58

#2

_NL_Lt.EngineerFox: Big Mouth Prick; +219|7011|Golf 1.8 GTI Wolfsburg Edition

Infra-red?

2008-03-11 21:49:23

#3

commandochristian: Honda - The Power of Dreams; +293|6893|Michigan, USA

Ooo, I want to know the answer to this as well. +1 for the first good (and plausibly right) answer from me

Edit: wikipedia part 1 says:

wikipedia wrote:
Red light is used to preserve night vision in low-light or night-time situations, as the rod cells in the human eye aren't sensitive to red.

Clicking on the link to the wikipedia page on rod cells, one finds that rod cells are what are responsible for our ability to see in low-light situations.

Thus, the red is used because it doesn't affect the rod cells, and thus doesn't affect our night vision while simultaneously lighting up something, i.e. cockpit.

This is why they use RED, but it still doesn't answer why a different color isn't used.

Last edited by commandochristian (2008-03-11 21:54:18)

2008-03-11 21:52:42

#4

S3v3N: lolwut?; +685|6999|Montucky

When you look at a map with a green or blue light the maps that have contour lines that are in green and blue tend to disappear.

I do believe Red is just a standard, also blue is too dark and green is too light. Red just perfect.

Last edited by S3v3N (2008-03-11 21:54:16)

2008-03-11 21:53:55

#5

Reciprocity: Member; +721|7061|the dank(super) side of Oregon

http://www.aoa.org/x5352.xml

2008-03-11 21:54:11

#6

Deadmonkiefart: Floccinaucinihilipilificator; +177|7186

Red light has a lower wavelength, less energy, and therefore affects your night vision less.

2008-03-11 21:55:33

#7

commandochristian: Honda - The Power of Dreams; +293|6893|Michigan, USA

S3v3N wrote:
When you look at a map with a green or blue light the maps that have contour lines that are in green and blue tend to disappear.

I do believe Red is just a standard, also blue is too dark and green is too light. Red just perfect.

I think this is probably one of the main reasons, and one of the first legitimate ones, so I award my +1 to you! Happy Karma day!

2008-03-11 21:56:53

#8

Deadmonkiefart: Floccinaucinihilipilificator; +177|7186

S3v3N wrote:
When you look at a map with a green or blue light the maps that have contour lines that are in green and blue tend to disappear.

I do believe Red is just a standard, also blue is too dark and green is too light. Red just perfect.

Did you just make that up? Pretty good....

2008-03-11 21:57:53

#9

commandochristian: Honda - The Power of Dreams; +293|6893|Michigan, USA

Reciprocity wrote:
http://www.aoa.org/x5352.xml

From that website: rods are more sensitive to blue light and are not sensitive to wavelengths greater than about 640nm, the red portion of the visible spectrum. So that's essentially the true answer I guess. Okay, I'll give you +1 as well. This and my previous post I do believe are the two main reasons. *cue ABC's the more you know jingle and that dumb star flying overhead*

2008-03-11 21:58:09

#10

chaosdragon001: Whee; +53|6989|Los Angeles, California

Deadmonkiefart wrote:
S3v3N wrote:
When you look at a map with a green or blue light the maps that have contour lines that are in green and blue tend to disappear.

I do believe Red is just a standard, also blue is too dark and green is too light. Red just perfect.
Did you just make that up? Pretty good....

Yeah... that actually sounds legitimate...

2008-03-11 21:59:12

#11

S3v3N: lolwut?; +685|6999|Montucky

Deadmonkiefart wrote:
S3v3N wrote:
When you look at a map with a green or blue light the maps that have contour lines that are in green and blue tend to disappear.

I do believe Red is just a standard, also blue is too dark and green is too light. Red just perfect.
Did you just make that up? Pretty good....

4 Years of being in the Marines.

I had a 2nd LT try to read a map with a green filter. He didn't notice the little lines on the map that show you, say a 90 foot cliff.

2008-03-11 21:59:49

#12

commandochristian: Honda - The Power of Dreams; +293|6893|Michigan, USA

S3v3N wrote:
Deadmonkiefart wrote:
S3v3N wrote:
When you look at a map with a green or blue light the maps that have contour lines that are in green and blue tend to disappear.

I do believe Red is just a standard, also blue is too dark and green is too light. Red just perfect.
Did you just make that up? Pretty good....
4 Years of being in the Marines.

I had a 2nd LT try to read a map with a green filter. He didn't notice the little lines on the map that show you, say a 90 foot cliff.

Watch out for those cliffs, first step off tends to be a doozy

2008-03-11 22:00:37

#13

Deadmonkiefart: Floccinaucinihilipilificator; +177|7186

But really, red light is the lowest visible light on the electromagnetic spectrum. It transferrs less energy, so your eyes aren't as affected by it. The color of the contour lines on maps are green and blue precisely for this reason; so that they could be seen in red light.

2008-03-11 22:00:42

#14

S3v3N: lolwut?; +685|6999|Montucky

The most dangerous thing in the Marines is a 2nd Lt, A Map and a Compass. *edit* and a Grid-Square.

Last edited by S3v3N (2008-03-11 22:02:17)

2008-03-11 22:06:49

#15

Deadmonkiefart: Floccinaucinihilipilificator; +177|7186

I always thought that it was a well known fact that, in you eye, your rod cells(rods are responsible for night vision) are most sensitive to blue-green. The color they happen to be least sensitive to is red. That is why red light is used to preserve night vision.

2008-03-11 22:08:03

#16

cowami: OY, BITCHTITS!; +1,106|6770|Noo Yawk, Noo Yawk

S3v3N wrote:
Deadmonkiefart wrote:
S3v3N wrote:
When you look at a map with a green or blue light the maps that have contour lines that are in green and blue tend to disappear.

I do believe Red is just a standard, also blue is too dark and green is too light. Red just perfect.
Did you just make that up? Pretty good....
4 Years of being in the Marines.

I had a 2nd LT try to read a map with a green filter. He didn't notice the little lines on the map that show you, say a 90 foot cliff.

i lol'd

2008-03-11 23:28:20

#17

Flaming_Maniac: prince of insufficient light; +2,490|7187|67.222.138.85

Deadmonkiefart wrote:
I always thought that it was a well known fact that, in you eye, your rod cells(rods are responsible for night vision) are most sensitive to blue-green. The color they happen to be least sensitive to is red. That is why red light is used to preserve night vision.

^yes

All the astronomy buffs should know this fact well.

2008-03-11 23:33:52

#18

Reciprocity: Member; +721|7061|the dank(super) side of Oregon

when I was a pirate, I used to wear an eye patch, not because I was blinded in a freak 10 pound gun incident, but because it gave me one good night vision eye whenever I needed it.

2008-03-12 09:51:47

#19

Airwolf: Latter Alcoholic; +287|7200|Scotland

Deadmonkiefart wrote:
Red light has a lower bigger wavelength therefore a smaller frequency, less energy, and therefore affects your night vision less.

2008-03-12 12:11:41

#20

S.Lythberg: Mastermind; +429|6927|Chicago, IL

Red is a lower frequency and energy (the lowest we can see), and is not common in nature (oxygen/ozone reflects blue, absorbs red), and your eyes are not very sensitive to the red/orange spectrum.

2008-03-12 12:52:02

#21

ig: This topic seems to have no actual posts; +1,199|7003

eat more carrots

2008-03-12 12:55:06

#22

Mekstizzle: WALKER; +3,611|7101|London, England

tchweeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

https://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2006/10/30/i_splinter30_narrowweb__300x375,0.jpg

2008-03-12 15:40:07

#23

Rubix-Cubes: Member; +123|7136|UK

red will not block out other colours on maps or the important cockpit of crew controls, its almost like black light if that makes sense. i think thats what i was told cant be sure tho

BF2S Forums A question about night vision

wikipedia wrote:

S3v3N wrote:

S3v3N wrote:

Reciprocity wrote:

Deadmonkiefart wrote:

S3v3N wrote:

Deadmonkiefart wrote:

S3v3N wrote:

S3v3N wrote:

Deadmonkiefart wrote:

S3v3N wrote:

S3v3N wrote:

Deadmonkiefart wrote:

S3v3N wrote:

Deadmonkiefart wrote:

Deadmonkiefart wrote:

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