Red or green laser?

Question on which laser to buy. I've seen red lasers used to check on the surface of a mirror that was being ground. If I'm correct it was to see if the beam would reflect back, rather than penetrate, indicating more work needed to be done. But I see that green lasers are
used when pointing out objects in the night sky. My guess is, a 5mw or less power red laser would serve just fine when it comes to working on a mirror. Is this enough for pointing out object in the sky? Or does one need a green laser to do this? I realize atmospheric
conditions will affect how well a laser works outside but under normal conditions is more than 5mw needed here? I've checked out some web sites posted on this NG which sell lasers. But many that I've checked are selling high priced items. If a $50 green laser does the
job, why spend $200? True higher power may come into play but it seems some sites are simply counting on curiosity caused by newspaper articles to sell overpriced lasers. All I need is a simple, laser for the night sky with a dead man's switch to prevent accidnets from
happening, any suggestions? I can buy a red laser anywhere it seems for as little as $9.99 to about $59 at some stores including radio shack. Again, 5mw on a red laser seems adequate for mirror grinding, why waste money but for night sky use is a green laser required?
Thanks in advance for the help!

The red beam isn't visible to the eye. But a green beam is. I have=20
a $59 green laser from z-bolt.com and it works very well for pointing=20
out objects to a small group of people.

-Florian

wrote:
Question on which laser to buy. I've seen red lasers used to check on
the surface of a mirror that was being ground. If I'm correct it was to
see if the beam would reflect back, rather than penetrate, indicating
more work needed to be done. But I see that green lasers are
used when pointing out objects in the night sky. My guess is, a 5mw
or less power red laser would serve just fine when it comes to working
on a mirror. Is this enough for pointing out object in the sky? Or does
one need a green laser to do this? I realize atmospheric
conditions will affect how well a laser works outside but under
normal conditions is more than 5mw needed here? I've checked out some
web sites posted on this NG which sell lasers. But many that I've
checked are selling high priced items. If a $50 green laser does the
job, why spend $200? True higher power may come into play but it
seems some sites are simply counting on curiosity caused by newspaper
articles to sell overpriced lasers. All I need is a simple, laser for
the night sky with a dead man's switch to prevent accidnets from
happening, any suggestions? I can buy a red laser anywhere it seems
for as little as $9.99 to about $59 at some stores including radio
shack. Again, 5mw on a red laser seems adequate for mirror grinding,
why waste money but for night sky use is a green laser required?
Thanks in advance for the help!


the reason you can see a green laser at night is because your eyes are
more sensitive to it. you wont be able to see a red laser at night. how
bright the green laser needs to be is dependant on how dark it is in
your area.

Ian Anderson
www.customopticalsystems.com

baloney! I and many others have been using red lasers at night for years _
and the public sure sees them point at celestial objects _

Yes the green is easier to see - significantly easier to see. But to say
the red
lasers cant be seen is total nonsense.







you wont be able to see a red laser at night. how
bright the green laser needs to be is dependant on how dark it is in
your area.

Ian Anderson
www.customopticalsystems.com

On Thu, 20 Jan 2005 01:04:51 -0600, Warm Nights wrote:

baloney! I and many others have been using red lasers at night for years _
and the public sure sees them point at celestial objects _

Yes the green is easier to see - significantly easier to see. But to say
the red
lasers cant be seen is total nonsense.

I feel sorry for you, living under such miserable atmospheric conditions that a
5mW red laser makes an effective pointer to celestial objects! But for anyone
living where the air is fairly clean, you really do need a green source if you
hope for people to see much. If it is very clean and dry (as where I live) even
the green laser is hard to see for anyone more than a few feet from the source.

_________________________________________________

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com

Yes the green is easier to see - significantly easier to see.=20
But to say the red lasers cant be seen is total nonsense.


Must depend on the brightness of the particular red laser. I have
a cheap red one and i can't see the beam. But with my also cheap
green laser the beam is bright and easy to see.

-Florian

I live where I live. We can;'t all be deities! (and blind to boot).





Chris L Peterson wrote:

On Thu, 20 Jan 2005 01:04:51 -0600, Warm Nights wrote:

baloney! I and many others have been using red lasers at night for years _
and the public sure sees them point at celestial objects _

Yes the green is easier to see - significantly easier to see. But to say
the red
lasers cant be seen is total nonsense.

I feel sorry for you, living under such miserable atmospheric conditions that a
5mW red laser makes an effective pointer to celestial objects! But for anyone
living where the air is fairly clean, you really do need a green source if you
hope for people to see much. If it is very clean and dry (as where I live) even
the green laser is hard to see for anyone more than a few feet from the source.

_________________________________________________

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com

I suppose in the next breath you are going to say: "Im quitting amateur
astronomy. Cant have my green phaser! Next theywill take away my
telescope and then my
socks!".







Florian wrote:

Yes the green is easier to see - significantly easier to see.
But to say the red lasers cant be seen is total nonsense.

Must depend on the brightness of the particular red laser. I have
a cheap red one and i can't see the beam. But with my also cheap
green laser the beam is bright and easy to see.

-Florian

CL
From: Chris L Peterson
CL
Subject: Red or green laser?
CL
Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2005 15:10:34 GMT
CL
CL baloney! I and many others have been using red lasers at night for years _
CL and the public sure sees them point at celestial objects _
CL
CL Yes the green is easier to see - significantly easier to see. But to say
CL the red
CL lasers cant be seen is total nonsense.
CL
CL I feel sorry for you, living under such miserable atmospheric conditions that a
CL 5mW red laser makes an effective pointer to celestial objects! But for anyone
CL living where the air is fairly clean, you really do need a green source if you
CL hope for people to see much. If it is very clean and dry (as where I live) even
CL the green laser is hard to see for anyone more than a few feet from the source.

In the age before laser pointers I and other astronomers worked
star viewings at Jones Beach, Long Island. There we pointed out the
stars with an automobile headlight! The lamp was loose to hol din the
hands ans aim at the sky. That beam was so, erm, brilliant! In fact,
for any fainter star, we had to aim off of it, wlse the star would be
seamped. Or we drew a circle around it and told the visitors to look
at the center of the circle.
Jones Beach is on the south shore of Long Island, right smack in
the airlane of Kennedy airport to the west. Planes regularly flew over
or along the shore all night long.
You may recall that the Air France flight that somehow exploded
off of the Moriches, flew tight next to Jones Beach.

---
þ RoseReader 2.52á P005004


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Be careful not to point your spotlights skyward or the government may
spotlights and automobile headlights.

"JOHN PAZMINO" wrote in message
...
CL
From: Chris L Peterson
CL
Subject: Red or green laser?
CL
Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2005 15:10:34 GMT
CL
CL baloney! I and many others have been using red lasers at night for
years _
CL and the public sure sees them point at celestial objects _
CL
CL Yes the green is easier to see - significantly easier to see. But to
say
CL the red
CL lasers cant be seen is total nonsense.
CL
CL I feel sorry for you, living under such miserable atmospheric
conditions that a
CL 5mW red laser makes an effective pointer to celestial objects! But
for anyone
CL living where the air is fairly clean, you really do need a green
source if you
CL hope for people to see much. If it is very clean and dry (as where I
live) even
CL the green laser is hard to see for anyone more than a few feet from
the source.

In the age before laser pointers I and other astronomers worked
star viewings at Jones Beach, Long Island. There we pointed out the
stars with an automobile headlight! The lamp was loose to hol din the
hands ans aim at the sky. That beam was so, erm, brilliant! In fact,
for any fainter star, we had to aim off of it, wlse the star would be
seamped. Or we drew a circle around it and told the visitors to look
at the center of the circle.
Jones Beach is on the south shore of Long Island, right smack in
the airlane of Kennedy airport to the west. Planes regularly flew over
or along the shore all night long.
You may recall that the Air France flight that somehow exploded
off of the Moriches, flew tight next to Jones Beach.

---
þ RoseReader 2.52á P005004


----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet
News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 100,000
Newsgroups
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