We have been so excited by what night vision has done for our observing, that Tele Vue has decided to partner with Tactical Night Vision Company (TNVC) to support the sale of of their white phosphor, PVS-14 night vision monocular for astronomical observing! Though the PVS-14 is not our product, with its white phosphor tube, it's the one night vision monocular that fits our "do no harm to the image" product philosophy. It provides the best combination of extreme low-light sensitivity, low-noise, and neutral "white" coloration for astronomy. As you'll see, the system we've developed around this monocular is quite simple and versatile.

Whether used standalone at 1x or mounted to a Tele Vue eyepiece on a scope, your gaze into the cosmos will be extended by several magnitudes to reveal hidden nebulae and galaxies, even in light polluted skies!

TNVC builds its PVS-14 using mil spec, Gen-3, image intensifying tubes. The white phosphor technology plus manual gain control make it the ideal unit for astronomical use. Rather than emerald green stars and scintillation, the white phosphor tube produces a more natural viewing experience. The gain control allows dialing in just the right amount of light amplification vs background noise for any given object brightness. The PVS-14 features an "autogated" power supply to reduce blooming on bright objects and protect the image intensifier tube from damage. The objective focuses manually and the PVS-14 eyepiece contains its own diopter adjustment. Built-in IR light source is included for terrestrial observations. Lifetime limited Warranty.

For this night vision monocular, Tele Vue has developed a system that includes: an adapter to attach the PVS-14 to your Tele Vue eyepiece, effectively making all our compatible eyepieces "night vision" eyepieces, the Fonemate (smartphone holder) and adapter to share the view or image with the PVS-14, and a 48mm filter adapter for the objective of the PVS-14 for when you want to scan the sky at 1x! We've also developed a 55mm Plössl with 67mm Converter kit to maximize true field and achieve increased image brightness with the PVS-14. All these accessories are described in detail below.

Call Tele Vue direct at 845-469-4551 to discuss how night vision can change your observing experience. Please note that you must be a United States citizen to purchase the Gen3 PVS-14 from us directly. You do not have to be a United States citizen to order the accessories.

At the 2017 Winter Star Party on Scout Key, Florida, Darren Drake (Indian Head Park, Illinois) used the Tele Vue FoneMate™ with a prototype image intensifier provided by Al Nagler on John Pratte's 32-inch, f3.6 Dobsonian telescope. Targeted on the Orion Nebula, the elusive G and H stars of the trapezium were visible in this video. (The zooming was simply done with the screen on the phone). Darren reports that stars down to 16th magnitude were seen with the system and opined that: "This is definitely a device that can add a whole new level to the observing experience." Video by Darren Drake.

Tele Vue TV-60 telescope setup with TNVC night vision monocular. An adapter allows the TNVC monocular to sit on top of the Tele Vue eyepiece and amplify the light from it. The built-in eyelens of the monocular allows visual usage. An adapter on top of the monocular eyelens provides a mounting place for Tele Vue's FoneMate™ for imaging through the setup.

PVS14 Buyer's Guide Explains the origin and difference between the various available night vision monoculars.

Click image to enlarge.

Night Vision Notice
Export of Night Vision Equipment or related accessories (such as manuals) is strictly regulated by the US Department of State in accordance with the guidelines of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). It is a major crime to ship or carry US manufactured Gen3 night vision devices outside the borders of the United States, punishable by fines and prison sentences. Ignorance of these regulations will not hold up in court. By purchasing night vision equipment from TNVC, you attest that you will not attempt to export or carry this night vision equipment outside the borders of the United States. Also, it is illegal to allow a non-US Citizen to look through US Gen3 Night Vision Devices, even on US soil. Again, this is a crime punishable by fines and prison sentences. If/when such items are resold, the original purchasing party must advise customers/end users of their duty to comply with U.S. export control regulations or face the possibility of severe criminal and civil fines including imprisonment if convicted. The adapter accessories on this page that can be ordered separately from the night vision monocular are not covered by ITAR restrictions.

Explore the world of night vision astronomy though these links.

Lario Yerino shot this with 20" Dob + 6nm Hα filter + Tele Vue 55 Plössl + 67mm converter + NightVision monocular + smartphone (ISO 400 @ 10seconds).

MANUFACTURER	TNVC Inc.
DIMENSIONS	4.5(L) x 2.0(W) x 2.25(H) inches
WEIGHT	12.4 oz.
POWER	One (1) Standard AA Battery
BATTERY LIFE	Approx. 50 Hours at Room Temp.
WATERPROOF	60 feet for 2 Hours
WARRANTY	10 Year on Tube. All other parts Lifetime if assembled after 31 December 2017. See TNVC Returns page (https://tnvc.com/returns/) for details.
GENERATION	U.S. Gen3 L3 MILSPEC OMNI VIII White Phosphor
FILM	Filmless
SIGNAL-TO-NOISE	33:1 (minimum)
RESOLUTION	72 lines per mm
EBI	<1.0
HALO/BLOOM	0.8 or below
GATE	Auto
GAIN	Adjustable
MAGNIFICATION	1x±0.03
FOV	40°
OBJECTIVE LENS	F/1.2
OCULAR LENS	EFL 26mm
DIOPTER	+4 to -6
FOCUS	10 inches to Infinity (without telescope)
COSMETIC SPOT DIAGRAM
ZONE 1	Clean
ZONE 2	Clean, some very tiny peppering may be acceptable .002 or smaller
ZONE 3	One blem no larger than .004, tiny peppering is acceptable.