Misses happen. Your BP can probably see better in low light than you can, although there is some question as to whether they can see red (probably not.. although they may be able to see shorter wavelengths than we can). That said, a major way that pythons home in on their prey is by its heat signature, which they "see" with the heat pits. That capability is incredibly sensitive and highly developed. They can nail a prey animal in utter darkness, and BP's that hatch without eyes are still able to eat just fine.
But that's why the prey has to be warmed up to around what its body temperature would be if it were alive. It has to be warmer than the background, or it doesn't "look" like food. And if your hand is nearby and warmer than the prey, or the prey is in between the snake and the much hotter heat lamp, you could be presenting a confusing image.
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