Re: Red Headlamp for Astronomy


Phil Wheeler wrote:
> Until now I've used an Energizer headlamp, with one red LED and two
> white ones. Problems have been the headband (which never seemed secure
> nor comfortable) and the slide switch (slide it the wrong way and you
> have two white beams instead of a softer red one, death to night vision).
>
> Last week, based on an article at Cloudy Nights, I ordered a Rayovac
> 3-in-1 headlamp. It has a red LED, a white LED and a white Krypton
> bulb. The switch is a twist type with (very important!) the red light
> in the first position. It also has a more secure and comfortable
> headband, with an over-the-head strap -- and is water resistant.
>
> Model is Rayovac SPHLTLED and the best price I've found is $12.99.
>
> Phil

Hi Phil:

I'll check when I get home, but I've been using, I believe, the one
from Rayovac you are referring to. It has a rotary switch that selects
incandescent white, blue-white LEDs, or red LEDs. The heaband seems to
work OK. Only gripe? The red LEDs are bright for use at a dark site,
but since I mainly use it at our heavily light polluted club
observatory sight, that's not a real problem.

I'm happy with it, and unlike a lot of gadgets I've bought over the
years that I thought I could use in astronomy, it really does fine and
I do use it.

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
<http://skywatch.brainiac.com/astroland/index.htm>

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