Accuracy and "Flat Light"

[ciPeterF]

I'm a handgun shooter, but this forum is more likely to know the answer (I hope..)..

It "seems" that when we shoot in what's called flat light (moderate cloud, that still time just before a rain, etc).. that the scores are significantly higher. I know there's lots of things about the sun lighting one side of the front post and pulling your shots, but I'm also getting at tighter groups, etc.

Anyone know the technical answer? eg something happening to the rods and cones in our eyes?, or ?

s

 

[Savage]

Mirage it is less likely to have an adverse effect on image resolution of the target under these conditions .Mirage is a condition were daytime heating causing the light to bend your image of a target it actually causes the target to move from the shooters perspective .

 

[Ganderite]

This is also very true in target rifle. It has to do with contrast.

With flat light you can see a sharp black edge on the aiming mark and place the front sight at the same palce,every shot.

In bright light there is glare and the black edge of the aiming mark is less distinct.

With a handgun using a post front sight and a 6 o'clock hold, you will hit a bit higher in flat light. With a target rifle, you need a larger aperture in bright light.

Unless it is very dark, polorized glasses help in all light conditions.

I have some coaching experience.

 

[tetan]

It happens due to the fact that lenses in our eyes have nonlinear spectral transparency. At the certain color temperature of light lenses in our eyes allow highest amount of photons through. In other words, at the certain color temperature our eye needs least light to focus accurately on small objects.
But it is only half of the phenomena. Due to the fact that we actually see not with our eyes but with our brain, it has lots to do with brain's ability to differentiate object's edges in different light (color temperature). Brain handles colors nonlinearly as well.

 

[viper7]

I read some tips from an IPSC master-class shooter once and he suggested that you open your eyes when you shoot.

Great, I thought. Good advice.

What he meant was that the resting state of our eyelids covers about 30% of the iris, and in bright conditions it can be much more than that. Add to that the fact that as your eylids close, you are looking through your eyelashes as well it is no wonder the image gets blurry in high light.

I think we shoot better in flat light because our eyes are fully open and working as designed.

So open your eyes when you shoot.

 

[Longshot]

Yep contrast.