A snack ruined me!

[Johnboy]

Hi folks,

Sunday evening I was out in my back garden enjoying a good session with my new CPC1100. Having been out for a good 3 hours my eyes were nicely dark adapted, but I started to feel a touch peckish. So i decided to pop into the kitchen for a bisciut or two. So as not to ruin my dark vision I used my red torch to find my way into the kitchen and over to the fridge. Imagine my horror when I opened the fridge door to be blinded by the interior light! Night vision well and truly ruined!

I wonder if the Mrs. would let me cover the fridge light with red nail varnish?

Cheers,

John

[kris h]

Next time you should where dark sun glasses so when you go on your bisciut raid your eyes will stay dark adapted

[AndyH]

I doubt it very much !!

Methinks your head would be on a platter inside the fridge if you tried that

:DAndy

[Ant]

The answer is the PIRATES EYE PATCH

You look daft, but it protects your observing eye...

Ant

[Dons255]

or take the biccies out before obs start...

or 'accidentally' break the bulb in the fridge (or the switch)

[Nick]

The eye patch idea is really neat I hadn't thought of that - I will definately try that one.

[Patrick1948]

I'm in favour of the 'stuffing my pockets with biscuits before I go out' method.

[kev]

If your observing that night, unscrew the bulb a bit first when you go out, that way you can get a decent cup a coffee etc with milk without doing in your eyesight.

[TopHouse]

Or you could totally convince the neighbours and your family that you've lost your trolley by wearing theses beauties!

Amazon.com: Orion Red-Tinted Astrogoggles: Camera & Photo

[haitch]

I know how you feel - My car has over a dozen interior light bulbs (including bottoms of doors) and I have just ordered red LED replacements for them so I can dare open the door when I'm at a dark site.

[cathalferris]

You could switch off the fridge at the plug (as long as you remember to switch it on again!!)

It's funny really that I'm so used to doing things in the dark, like making tea / sandwiches etc, that when it's dark in the house my housemates think I'm weird for not turning on the lights.. Fun when I'm getting a snack while the scope is cooling down and I'm dark adapting and a housemate walks into the kitchen, switches on the light and gets a fright and a half as I'm sitting at the table with the headtorch on.

[Beulah]

Hahah, excellent. I would have forgotten the fridge light as well!

During an observation session, if I find I'm exposed to light for a short while, the dark adaption returns very quickly, compared to going out for the first time after extended exposure to light.

I know how you feel - My car has over a dozen interior light bulbs (including bottoms of doors) and I have just ordered red LED replacements for them so I can dare open the door when I'm at a dark site.

Now just watch where you observe, OK? Some people may get the wrong idea...

[LukeSkywatcher]

You keep the biccies in the fridge?

[great_bear]

I have some of those red-tinted goggles.

The Orion ones make you look like your a bit whacko.

Mine make you look like a genuine psychopath, and wouldn't be out of place in Silence of the Lambs.

[Carbon Brush]

Is there a commercial opportunity here?

Turn up to a star party with a darkened tea & hot dog van?

[great_bear]

To be honest David, when I was at Kelling last year (my first star party), I was amazed there wasn't a red-lit burger / pizza / potato van. I was quite disappointed to tell the truth...

[TheThing]

Ah, you should have been at SGL5. There was a red lit Gazebo with tea/coffee making facilities and more cakes than you could possibly eat in a lifetime (although I had a good go!)

[Johnboy]

You keep the biccies in the fridge?

Not for long...

[Ogri]

The answer is the PIRATES EYE PATCH

You look daft, but it protects your observing eye...

Ant

There's a problem with that - both eyes are linked.

I found out the hard way, with my right eye pupil being welded wide open. Tried all sorts for years, just in order to be able to go outdoors (or even turn the inside lights on, believe it or not), without getting arc eye.

I still got arc eye when I wore an eye patch, and the doctor finally twigged why - this both eyes being linked thing.

That's what kicked off the search for protective coatings and tints for glasses, so both eyes got protection (finally pretty successful too, as long as I don't push my luck ).

The only other 'cure' would be having my right eye removed, which I might consider when I lose the sight in it altogether.

[michaelmorris]

I use a pair of red-tinted safety specs for just such nutritional sojourns. They're also handy for trips to the loo at star parties.

I think mine cost me £12.99 from Seeview AstroShop, Astronomical Accessories, Binoculars and Telescopes but it looks as though they have discontinued the line.

[TopHouse]

I bet you look like one of peters and lee!

Ooooo there's a blast from the past!