Peripheral vision

[Firefoot]

I was having a look at the stars in the night sky yesterday and noticed some stars were only visable with peripheral vision. As soon as I tried looking straight at it, the star vanished.

I've been experimenting through the day and cannpt replicate this, it only seems to happen in the dark with feint light.

Was just wondering what it is about your peripheral vision that allows you to see stars better indirectly than looking straight on.

[TristanGardner]

The eye has two different types of receptors, rods and cones. Cones pick up the detail of whatever you are concentrating on, rods pick light levels and movement and are only able to show black and white (I think).

Although there are rods and cones spread all over the eye, cones are more prominent in the middle rods are more prominent in the periphery.

wiki link

Tris

[Firefoot]

That's interesting. Cheers for the link

[rog007]

Who said that?

[RemainAllHoof]

No need for something so grand as stars. Find a watch with weak lume and look at it at night; it will be brighter to the edge of your vision.