Night Vision: “How-To” Video Shorts
We’ve put a playlist together on YouTube called Night Vision Component Attachment that demonstrates many common setups for astronomical observation with the Tactical Night Vision Company PVS-14 night vision monocular we sell. Videos include how to do hand-held and through the eyepiece viewing with filters and our FoneMate smartphone adapter to record the event. New to night vision? Pull up our Seize the Night! blog post to see in photos what you are missing out on.
This video is applicable to several products besides the night vision accessories. Our split compression ring mechanism is used by the Tele Vue FoneMate to line up your smartphone for imaging on compatible Tele Vue eyepieces, the TNV-1401 Eyepiece Adapter to attach the night vision monocular to compatible Tele Vue eyepieces, and the Tele Vue DIOPTRX™ line to place astigmatism correctors on Tele Vue eyepieces. Understanding how this mechanism works is useful when viewing the remaining videos.
This video demonstrates how to set up a PVS-14 for hand-held astronomical use with a filter. Parts demonstrated are the Tactical Night Vision Company White Phosphor Gen 3 Night Vision Monocular, TNV-14 Eyepiece Adapter, TNV-14 Filter Holder 48mm, and the filter of your choosing. 12nm Hydrogen-alpha is good but 6nm is better in moonlight or bad light pollution.
Having mastered the handheld use of the PVS-14, this video demonstrates how to set up the night vision monocular for astronomical use through a telescope eyepiece. This has the effect of multiplying the light-gathering power of your scope, allowing refractors to act as light-buckets and allowing your light-bucket to go into deeper magnitudes. Parts demonstrated are the Tactical Night Vision Company White Phosphor Gen 3 Night Vision Monocular, TNV-14 Eyepiece Adapter, and your Compatible Tele Vue eyepiece. (See eyepiece table below).
Share the view through your scope-mounted PVS-14 by adding a FoneMate smartphone adapter for your phone. Parts demonstrated are the Tactical Night Vision Company White Phosphor Gen 3 Night Vision Monocular, TNV-14 Eyepiece Adapter, SFA-0001 FoneMate, TNV-14 FoneMate Adapter, and your compatible Tele Vue eyepiece.
The 67mm Converter for Tele Vue 55mm Plössl (ECL-67.0) modifies the eyepiece’s apparent field of view to exactly match the 40° field of the PVS-14 objective lens. This yields a true field increase of 20% and the change in focal length creates a brighter image (larger exit pupil) for the PVS-14 objective lens. (See our blog post for more). Parts demonstrated are the Tactical Night Vision Company White Phosphor Gen 3 Night Vision Monocular, TNV-14 Eyepiece Adapter, and the kit version of the converter (ECP-5567) that includes the EPL-55.0 55 Plössl, ECL-67.0 67mm Converter, and X2C-0008 2″ Extension Tube.
| Eyepiece FL (mm) | Barrel Size | TV-60 FL: 360 (mag.) | TV-76 FL: 480 (mag.) | NP101 FL: 540 (mag.) | TV-85 FL: 600 (mag.) | NP127 FL: 660 (mag.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 67mm Conv. + 55mm Plössl | 2" | -- | 7.2 | 8.1 | 9 | 9.9 |
| Plössl 55 | 2" | -- | 8.7 | 9.8 | 10.9 | 12 |
| Plössl 40 | 1¼" | 9 | 12 | 13.5 | 15 | 16.5 |
| Plössl 32 | 1¼" | 11.3 | 15 | 16.9 | 18.8 | 20.6 |
| DeLite 18.2 | 1¼" | 19.8 | 26.4 | 29.7 | 33 | 36.3 |
| DeLite 15 | 1¼" | 24 | 32 | 36 | 40 | 44 |
| DeLite 13 | 1¼" | 27.7 | 36.9 | 41.5 | 46.2 | 50.8 |
| DeLite 11 | 1¼" | 32.7 | 43.6 | 49.1 | 54.5 | 60 |
| DeLite 9 | 1¼" | 40 | 53.3 | 60 | 66.7 | 73.3 |
| DeLite 7 | 1¼" | 51.4 | 68.6 | 77.1 | 85.7 | 94.3 |
| DeLite 5 | 1¼" | 72 | 96 | 108 | 120 | 132 |
| DeLite 4 | 1¼" | 90 | 120 | 135 | 150 | 165 |
| DeLite 3 | 1¼" | 120 | 160 | 180 | 200 | 220 |
| Delos 17.3 | 1¼" | 20.8 | 27.7 | 31.2 | 34.7 | 38.2 |
| Delos 14 | 1¼" | 25.7 | 34.3 | 38.6 | 42.9 | 47.1 |
| Delos 12 | 1¼" | 30 | 40 | 45 | 50 | 55 |
| Delos 10 | 1¼" | 36 | 48 | 54 | 60 | 66 |
| Delos 8 | 1¼" | 45 | 60 | 67.5 | 75 | 82.5 |
| Delos 6 | 1¼" | 60 | 80 | 90 | 100 | 110 |
| Delos 4.5 | 1¼" | 80 | 106.7 | 120 | 133.3 | 146.7 |
| Delos 3.5 | 1¼" | 102.9 | 137.1 | 154.3 | 171.4 | 188.6 |
| Panoptic 41 | 2" | -- | 11.7 | 13.2 | 14.6 | 16.1 |
| Panoptic 35 | 2" | -- | 13.7 | 15.4 | 17.1 | 18.9 |
| Panoptic 27 | 2" | -- | 17.8 | 20 | 22.2 | 24.4 |
| Nagler T5 31 | 2" | -- | 15.5 | 17.4 | 19.4 | 21.3 |
| Nagler T4 22 | 2" | -- | 21.8 | 24.5 | 27.3 | 30 |
| Nagler T4 17 | 2" | -- | 28.2 | 31.8 | 35.3 | 38.8 |
| Ethos 21 | 2" | -- | 22.9 | 25.7 | 28.6 | 31.4 |
| Ethos 17 | 2" | -- | 28.2 | 31.8 | 35.3 | 38.8 |
| Ethos 13 | 2" & 1¼ | 27.7 | 36.9 | 41.5 | 46.2 | 50.8 |
Did you observe, sketch, or image with Tele Vue gear? We’ll like your social media post on that if you tag it #televue and the gear used. Example:
#televue #tv85 #plossl #pvs14
Do you want your Tele Vue images re-posted on Tele Vue Optics’ Social Media accounts? Use this hashtag for consideration:
#RPTVO
- See Tele Vue website for more information on using the Night Vision monoculars and accessories (mobile site) in astronomy.
- Your telescope’s focuser is used to compensate for your near- or far-sightedness; see our DIOPTRX™ page (mobile site) to compensate for your astigmatism.
- Our FoneMate™ smartphone adapter (mobile site) is a convenient way to enter the world of astro imaging and nature photography.
