PEERING THROUGH THE DARKNESS

Soldiers, sailors and air crews who must see and fight in the dark use complex night sighting equipment that makes the most of dim or infared light.

Amplifying dim light Low-light sighting equipment captures reflected visible light too dim for the unaided human eye to see clearly, and electronically displays a brightened image somewhat like the viewfinder on a home video camera with magnification.

U.S. leads in night sighting The U.S. and its allies are said to have the best low-light and infrared sighting gear in the world, such as these Holographic One-Tube light amplifying goggles. This gives the coalition a major edge over Iraq.

Infrared in total darkness Infrared light cannot be seen by the human eye, but almost everything emits some, even in pitch dark. An electronic sensor “sees” the infrared and shows a matching LED display of visible light to the user. Infrared brightness of objects is related to their temperature, so it helps spot warm things like motors and people.

Source: U.S. Army Center for Night Vision & Electro Optics