Choosing a head light

[John]

If you are really dark adapted, ANY light will diminish that, even an illuminated watch face. I can't understand how folks can chase really faint targets when laptops, tablets and mobile phone screens are around even if they have been switched to some sort of night mode or had red film applied.

My suggestion is to switch the light off as soon as you have finished doing whatever you needed it for. A number of times I've had folks wearing red head mounted lights, still swiched on peering into my eyepiece with the red light still on saying "well I can't see Messier 33 ???"

Sorry if this seems like a moan but our eyes are remarkable tools in low light and can work wonders with the scope optics if they are allowed to do so.

If you are observing planetary details though, the opposite applies, oddly and some experienced planetary observers actually stare at some illuminated white card before observing their planetary targets. Not to be tried around deep sky observers though !

 

 

[Saganite]

I have used this all through this winter. It has an adjustable brightness single red LED, it hangs around my next, never gets in the way or falls off like a head torch sometimes does, and I grip it with my teeth if I need to.

The lowest setting is very dim. It works a treat. I bought it from FLO for £12....Simples !

[Geoffw]

Settled on the Princeton Tec Fred Headlamp!  Thanks for all the comment and advice.