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[[File:CIE 1951 scotopic luminosity function.svg|thumb|300px|The CIE 1951 scotopic [[luminosity function]]. The horizontal axis is [[wavelength]] in [[nanometer|nm]].]]
[[File:CIE 1951 scotopic luminosity function.svg|thumb|300px|The CIE 1951 scotopic [[luminosity function]]. The horizontal axis is [[wavelength]] in [[nanometer|nm]].]]
'''Scotopic vision''' is the vision of the [[human eye|eye]] under low light conditions. The term comes from [[Greek (language)|Greek]] ''skotos'' meaning ''darkness'' and ''-opia'' meaning ''a condition of sight''.<ref>[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/scotopia scotopia] at [[dictionary.com]]</ref> In the human eye [[cone cells]] are nonfunctional in low light – scotopic vision is produced exclusively through [[rod cells]] which are most sensitive to wavelengths of light around 498&nbsp;nm (green-blue) and are insensitive to wavelengths longer than about 640&nbsp;nm (red).{{Citation needed|date=October 2010}} Scotopic vision occurs at [[luminance]] levels of 10<sup>−2</sup> to 10<sup>−6</sup> [[candela|cd]]/m². In other species, such as the Elephant Hawk-moth (''[[Deilephila elpenor]]''), advanced color discrimination ''is'' displayed.<ref>[http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v419/n6910/full/nature01065.html Scotopic colour vision in nocturnal hawkmoths]</ref> [[Night-vision goggles]] and similar devices take advantage of the fact that human eyesight is most sensitive to light with a wavelength of 540&nbsp;nm (slightly lime green).{{Citation needed|date=October 2010}}
'''Scotopic vision''' is the vision of the [[human eye|eye]] under low light conditions. The term comes from [[Greek (language)|Greek]] ''skotos'' meaning ''darkness'' and ''-opia'' meaning ''a condition of sight''.<ref>[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/scotopia scotopia] at [[dictionary.com]]</ref> In the human eye [[cone cells]] are nonfunctional in low light – scotopic vision is produced exclusively through [[rod cells]] which are most sensitive to wavelengths of light around 498&nbsp;nm (green-blue) and are insensitive to wavelengths longer than about 640&nbsp;nm (red).
Scotopic vision occurs at [[luminance]] levels of 10<sup>−2</sup> to 10<sup>−6</sup> [[candela|cd]]/m². In other species, such as the Elephant Hawk-moth (''[[Deilephila elpenor]]''), advanced color discrimination ''is'' displayed.<ref>[http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v419/n6910/full/nature01065.html Scotopic colour vision in nocturnal hawkmoths]</ref>


[[Mesopic vision]] occurs in intermediate lighting conditions ([[luminance]] level 10<sup>−2</sup> to 1 [[candela|cd]]/m²) and is effectively a combination of scotopic and [[photopic vision]]. This however gives inaccurate visual acuity and color discrimination.
[[Mesopic vision]] occurs in intermediate lighting conditions ([[luminance]] level 10<sup>−2</sup> to 1 [[candela|cd]]/m²) and is effectively a combination of scotopic and [[photopic vision]]. This however gives inaccurate visual acuity and color discrimination.

Revision as of 03:33, 26 May 2012

The CIE 1951 scotopic luminosity function. The horizontal axis is wavelength in nm.

Scotopic vision is the vision of the eye under low light conditions. The term comes from Greek skotos meaning darkness and -opia meaning a condition of sight.[1] In the human eye cone cells are nonfunctional in low light – scotopic vision is produced exclusively through rod cells which are most sensitive to wavelengths of light around 498 nm (green-blue) and are insensitive to wavelengths longer than about 640 nm (red).

Scotopic vision occurs at luminance levels of 10−2 to 10−6 cd/m². In other species, such as the Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor), advanced color discrimination is displayed.[2]

Mesopic vision occurs in intermediate lighting conditions (luminance level 10−2 to 1 cd/m²) and is effectively a combination of scotopic and photopic vision. This however gives inaccurate visual acuity and color discrimination.

In normal light (luminance level 1 to 106 cd/m²), the vision of cone cells dominates and is photopic vision. There is good visual acuity (VA) and color discrimination.

In scientific literature, one occasionally encounters the term scotopic lux which corresponds to photopic lux, but uses instead the scotopic visibility weighting function.[3]

See also

References