What specific human retinal cells shut down in dim light, contributing to the monochromatic view of the Milky Way?
Answer
Cones
Human vision distinguishes colors using cone cells, which are highly dependent on ample light levels to become fully operational and register color perception. When viewing extremely faint objects like the Milky Way under dark sky conditions, the environment lacks the necessary photon density to stimulate these cones effectively. Consequently, vision shifts primarily to the rod cells, which are responsible for low-light detection but lack the capability to interpret color, resulting in a grayscale perception of the celestial target.
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