As much as we avoid any type of light source when doing nighttime observations, there are moments when a bit of extra light helps locate the right eyepiece, make those small adjustments, read a sky chart or operate the laptop/camera.  For the longest time I’ve been fumbling about with a hand-held flashlight (red film equipped), often resorting to holding it in my teeth to keep my hands free.

A short while ago, while over at a friend’s observatory he handed me a headlamp for the evening.  Wow what a difference that made!  No wondering where I had left the flashlight, and both hands free when changing eyepieces, or checking sky charts.

Headlamp with white and red LED

There are plenty of models on the market, but be sure to have one that has a red night-vision mode.  The Black Diamond Spot that Santa placed under my tree can be dimmed in both in white and red light.