Eyes at night

[Dazzler]

The FAA says that you should view objects at night by looking at them off-center. Apparently the rods in your eyes, which are more sensitive than the cones for night sight, are used for peripheral vision. Has anyone found this to be true? I've found no difference between viewing an object straight on and off-center at night.

 

[av8rmsu]

I have found this to be very true.

 

[VaughnAir]

At night, collision avoidance scanning must use the off-center portions of the eyes.

So once a visual has been verified, normal vision can prevail.

 

[Joe]

I notice when I look out the window at my neighbor's truck at night, if I look slightly to the side I can see the alarm light blinking, but when I look directly at it, it disappears. Weird...

 

[Rodelu]

It is true.
If you look straight at a dim light, inside a dark room, you will not see it.

 

[rv7]

I too have found this to be very true. Anytime that you are somewhere dark you stand a better chance of seeing things if you look to the left or right of where the object is. I don't think that this is something that can really be debated either, its just plain ol' anatomy/physiology. Try it in a dark room (not so dark that you can't see anything at all) in your house.

 

[Minnesota_Flyer]

Very, very true. I use that trick when watch stars, meteorites, etc. It's really kinda wierd how stuff you can see out of the corner of your eye disappears when you look right at it.

MF

 

[Tired]

Wait, so what your guys are saying is that I shouldn't have all the lights up bright at night so I can read my newspaper?

Whoops.