How to View Infrared Light
Anything with a temperature puts out heat or infrared light, including human beings and animals. Humans cannot see infrared light with the naked eye, unlike snakes in the pit viper family, such as rattlesnakes, that have sensory "pits" they use to image infrared light and detect warmblooded animals even in the dark, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). A simple way you can view infrared light from home, though, is by using a digital camera.
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Instructions
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Get a digital camera or other camera equipment with a view screen, such as a camera phone, video camera, or web cam. Turn the camera equipment on. Most cameras are sensitive to infrared light that is invisible to human eyes.
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Grab a television remote control as your source of infrared light. The LED bulb on the remote control emits infrared light used to communicate with your TV. Make sure the remote control is working properly. Check whether the batteries have power. Press the channel change buttons and see whether they are working as expected. Replace old remote control batteries if they are out of power.
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Switch your camera equipment to capture mode.
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Point the LED on the remote control directly at your digital camera's lens.
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Press any of the channel change buttons and look at the LED through your camera's view screen. Notice a flashing infrared light emitting when you press the channel change buttons.
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Tips & Warnings
Cameras are also sensitive to visible light. To get a better view of infrared light, purchase an infrared filter and place it between the LED and camera lens to block out visible light. Remove the reddish floppy disc from inside the protective casing of a floppy disc and use it to filter out visible light if you cannot access an infrared filter.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit the remote control image by Andrey Chmelyov from Fotolia.com
