scotoscope

plural scotoscopes

1. Any instrument for viewing objects in the dark or in a faint light.

   August 13th 1664, Samuel Pepys, Diary (London: Marshall Cavendish, 1988), 133. “Comes Mr. Reeve, with a microscope and scotoscope. […] The other [the scotoscope] he gives me, and is of value; and a curious curiosity it is to discover objects in a dark room with.”

   3 more examples

   At present the scotoscope's field of view and viewing-range requirements are in conflict, and improvement of one results in a decreased capability in the other.

   1967, Harold V. Soule, Electro-optical Photography at Low Illumination Levels, page 363

   A scotoscope (night vision device) was the most versatile viewer examined and provided maximum viewing distance for all markers.

   1979, Proceedings: Second International Conference on Wildlife, page 206

   However, where the angular field can be below 40°, a scotoscope with a refractive objective becomes a very useful device even with this small cathode diameter.

   1990, Illes P. Csorba, Selected Papers on Image Tubes, page 376