Rigel Systems "Skylite" Red/White LED Compact Flashlight

Left: Two Rigel Skylites, with one set to Red light with the other to White light, shown next to a pen for scale (37,113 bytes).

The Skylite is a unique handheld flashlight ideally suited to the needs of astronomers, or anyone who must work in low light while preserving their night (scotopic) vision. The Skylite flashlight is readily distinguished because it can do double duty as a conventional white light flashlight; this makes it an especially good choice for those who travel far from home to remote locations and carry the Skylite as a primary or backup conventional flashlight.

Rigel developed "Starlite", the original adjustable brightness dual red LED (Light Emitting Diode) flashlight. Most Company Seven employees came to choose the Starlite, and since then the newer dual Red and White LED Skylite has become the compact flashlight of choice.

The human eye responds to low light levels by dilating (opening) the Iris diaphragm to permit a greater area of cones and rods in the Fovea of the eye to become stimulated. If the eye is exposed to common white light, then the Iris will constrict thereby reducing the eye's sensitivity to seeing faint objects. To see how this works, walk into a room and turn off the lights - notice how over time you will be able to see more and more fine details in the dark room as your eye adapts to this. Scotopic vision has been understood for some time, this is why military vessels switch to red light when operating at night. And this is why astronomers avoid white light sources when trying to attain and preserve their night vision.

Right: Two Rigel Skylites, showing one pair of LED's set to Red light with the other to White light. Brightness dialed up to fairly high setting to show up better in this digital image (12,494 bytes).

As with many other night time use flashlights, the Skylight can provide a red light. However, while many other flashlights employ incandescent bulbs with a red filter or painted lens to dim the light and provide the dark red color, the Skylight employs two red Light Emitting Diodes (LED's) arranged side by side. The Skylight incorporates a on-off switch with a variable intensity potentiometer to permit the user to vary the brightness of the LED's. The circuitry regulates the power so that as a battery voltage drops the illumination will not fade. The LED's are durable and almost never burn out, and their uniform brightness can be lowered across a wider degree than most incandescent sources. Furthermore, since the Skylight has two red LED's side by side, and a rectangular housing, then the light pattern is more uniform and better suited to the study of charts and common documents.

SkyLight Flashlight Features:

• Dual red LED for night vision.

• Dual blue-white LED for regular use.

• On-Off, and LED brightness adjust thumb wheel switch varies the amperage delivered to the LED.

• Compact easy to find long life 9 volt battery included. Provides 12 hours or more of use at brightest setting, or more than 13 days continuous operation at lowest setting.

• Durable, long blue Nylon lanyard permits light to be suspended around the neck for convenience.

• Engineered and made consistently well in the U.S.A.

Above: The Rigel Skylite is easily disassebled in the field with no tolls.
The circutry is of very good quality, installed onto a printed circuit board of Rigel's design (27,332 bytes).

SKYLIGHT SPECIFICATIONS