Can you see a red light in the dark?

[Alpo]

Let's suppose there's someone is waiting outside my house at night to see if I get up. If I get up and turn on the light they're going to say that, so I don't turn on the light I get dressed in the dark. then I get a flashlight to use as I go down the hall so I don't bounce off the wall. They can see that white flash light.

 

So instead of a white flashlight, I get a red light. Now I know that a red light will not destroy your night vision. But could someone 30-40 feet away see that red light?

[Pat Riot]

Yes

[Dirty Dan Dawkins]

Yes

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

30 minutes ago, Alpo said:

Let's suppose there's someone is waiting outside my house at night to see if I get up. If I get up and turn on the light they're going to say that, so I don't turn on the light I get dressed in the dark. then I get a flashlight to use as I go down the hall so I don't bounce off the wall. They can see that white flash light.

 

So instead of a white flashlight, I get a red light. Now I know that a red light will not destroy your night vision. But could someone 30-40 feet away see that red light?

I couldn't see red lights at night (damned inconvenient for a man doing a lot of client visits after sundown) until I had my intra-ocular lens transplants to get rid of my cataracts.  Also corrected my vision from 20/ 350 right and 20/400 left.

 

Now, if you are wearing red clothing in the dark or very dim light you won't be seen.....usually.  I wouldn't bet the rent on it working all the time, though.

[Pat Riot]

If red lights couldn’t be seen at night why would car rear lights be red? Why are stop lights red? 

[Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663]

Ask a drunken sailor on Canal Street if he can see a red light.

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

23 minutes ago, Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663 said:

Ask a drunken sailor on Canal Street if he can see a red light.

I don’t know a drunken sailor,come to think of it, I’ve never known a sober sailor.

[Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619]

Of course. Red is part of the visible spectrum, after all.

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

If your flashlight is directed at the observer he can see it. But for the objects in the light beam it would be very difficult for him to see them.

 

but I must ask. You can’t walk-in the dark in your house?

[Alpo]

2 hours ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

If red lights couldn’t be seen at night why would car rear lights be red? Why are stop lights red? 

You don't see the light. You see the glowing red light bulb.

 

I mean the actual light. The radiant energy being given off by the light bulb.

 

[Pat Riot]

I see what you mean. The answer is still “yes”.

[Utah Bob #35998]

6 hours ago, Alpo said:

You don't see the light. You see the glowing red light bulb.

 

I mean the actual light. The radiant energy being given off by the light bulb.

 

Do you mean you can see a beam of red light? Like a spotlight? Yes. Just dimmer. Can you see objects illuminated by a red light? Yes.

Can you see the red dot the laser makes on your chest when the sniper is aiming a you?

I hope so.

[Cholla]

It depends on how clean your house is. The actual beam is invisible until the light hits something such as suspended dust particles, rain, etc. If the air was absolutely devoid of particles the beam would be invisible. In real life that would not be the case as we all put off dander and the air carries dust, smoke, lint, etc.

[Dubious Don #56333]

Yes. But it depends on brightness, direction and what type of window treatments you have. Once you go out of the house, you are at a disadvantage because from the "suspect's" perspective, he can see you fine. If he is in the shadows or otherwise using concealment to his advantage....

 

The red light, such as a flashlight is too bright. Get one of the led keychain lights, just a little dot basically. In darkness, its enough to navigate by. Or, just get you some night vision.

 

Time for a funny story. Providing security for the VP. Rural residential area. Next to a golf course. I hear me something deep, deep, deep into that golf course that ain't sposed to be there LOL. Being in the dark with night adapted eyes wasn't long before I saw something moving. Movement, expecially sudden sharp movements are easier to see. It looked like a.....dot. A blue dot! At this point, I call my partners who verified I wasn't imagining it as it went this way and that way and then, it goess all herky-jerky bouncy bouncy and we can clearly hear some type of crash-bang-bangy-bang and then as they came into the far reaches of the light at the guardhouse.....

 

Two of Secret Service's finest in a lectric golf cart. Both are wearing night vision, single tube which means no depth perception and the blue light was the UV light mounted on the top center. (did I mention it was a moonless night? Which is why he had that little illuminator on otherwise he couldn't have seen crap. Which apparently the little light didn't help with because that crashy-bangy we heard was them running into a decorative rock river LOL.

[Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619]

9 hours ago, Alpo said:

You don't see the light. You see the glowing red light bulb.

 

I mean the actual light. The radiant energy being given off by the light bulb.

 

 

You couldn't see the glowing red light bulb unless it was emitting 'actual' red light. 

[Ace_of_Hearts]

9 hours ago, Alpo said:

You don't see the light. You see the glowing red light bulb.

 

I mean the actual light. The radiant energy being given off by the light bulb.

 

What you "see" is photons hitting your eye. 

When you shine a light source on anything that deflects that photon to your eye you "see" it.

 

[Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619]

You only see what impinges on your eye, of course. With a beam of white visible light, you see the source if you are looking at it, or the reflection of something it strikes. This includes dust or vapor in the air which allows you to see the beam from the side, which is just reflected light.

 

Can you see something reflectively by red light? Of course. You can see where your laser dot impinges. You can read in your tent by the red light of a headlamp that has that feature, and you can see by it if you step outside in the middle of the night. Just not all that bright, naturally.

[Sixgun Sheridan]

Anyone who sees me stumbling around naked at night looking for the bathroom will wish there hadn't been any ambient light.

[Cypress Sun]

I wonder what the replies on this topic would be if this question was asked in Amsterdam.

[Chili Ron]

Howdy,

With all the little electronic things that have tiny lights in various

colors, I can see pretty well without switching on any flashlight.

One lit candle give a fair bit of light.

The other thing is consider closing th e curtains at least most of the way.

And if there is a brighter light outside that could cut down on seeing inside.

Of course tinted windows could change the game too.

One thing to try to keep in mind....

The floor is not a shelf

Best

CR

.

[Tennessee williams]

We can see you without any lights. Please move your TV to the left and rotate your alarm clock so we don't have to look up your nose.

[watab kid]

if i was hoping not to be seen - i think not going to work , on the other hand if your wanting to be seen at night [to avoid a hit and run] id look for more