Can Night Vision See Infrared?

Is it possible for night vision to see infrared?

You can see in the dark thanks to night vision. It accomplishes this by boosting any light that hits your eyes, allowing them to process it and convert it into an image. Night vision has been around since World War II, but most people are unaware that it cannot sense infrared (IR) light! Because infrared light has longer wavelengths than visible light, night vision devices cannot detect this form of electromagnetic energy. However, night vision goggles will pick up on anything else; for example, if there is a fire nearby or headlights on the road at night, you will be able to see them with your goggles!

How does night vision work?

A photocathode absorbs photons and converts them into electrons, which is how night vision technology works. An electric field then accelerates the electrons, causing them to collide with the microchannel plate, where they are converted back into visible light, or images in our case!

What is capable of seeing infrared light?

While night vision cannot detect infrared light, some devices can! To detect electromagnetic radiation, devices such as security cameras and thermal imaging scopes use entirely different techniques.