[glend (Glen)]

First up I have to say I am a visual observer only so my eyes are my tools. I use a smaller tablet (Nexus 7") running Sky Safari Plus (which has red screen night mode, and I can turn this up and down as well). The tablet is stalk mounted on the Dob base. This works well for me, and being a smaller tablet seems to not throw out anymore light than a red led torch. But I have to use this setup as it is part of my wifi pushto system, which works fantastically. It is important to have your app running early in your setup (adapt time) to avoid the screen brightness in normal mode). I tend to use my left eye primarily for the eyepiece simply because it is my better eye, and most older people have one that is better than the other. You can try leaving your good eye closed except when viewing through it.

I simply don't carry charts etc with me anymore as Sky Safari has everything I need, and the charts reflect red light as well. If your observing in a metro/suburbs environment I am not sure that obsessing with dark adaption is going to gain you much, where a street light down the road might catch your eye occasionally, or a neighbor may turn on an outside light. Yes it does help with objects such as the Horsehead nebula which is dark on dark, but scope limiting magnitude, seeing conditions, and light pollution are (in my opinion, and assuming a home viewing session) much more of a factor than dark adaption obessions.

However, dark adaptation is important in very dark sky locations, usually found at Star Parties, Astro Camps etc where you maybe trying for objects which just are not visible from your home. Of course the other people there will be very concerned about their night vision so discipline for everyone is important. It only takes one person opening up a car door to illicit groans from other people.