Green laser pointer first impressions

I recently ordered a 5mW green laser pointer. It arrived yesterday.=20
What prompted me was a few nights ago trying to point out comet Machholz =

to my wife and son. I think my son saw it but my wife had a hard time=20
figuring out where i was pointing. The laser made quite a difference.=20
My son and i experimented (played) with the beam for a while. When =
standing=20
next to the beam and pointing out stars it works quite well. But the=20
visibility of the beam falls off pretty quickly. I had my son point the=20
beam up and i'd step away. From 10 feet or so i could just barely see =
it.=20
From across the yard it was invisible. In a way i was a bit =
disappointed.=20
I had visions of this bright green beam slicing through the skies from =
my=20
backyard. But on the other hand maybe it's good that the entire =
neighborhood=20
won't be seeing it either.=20

Another test we did was to shine the beam on a hillside about 1.5 miles=20
from my house. Through binoculars a round spot was clearly seen on the=20
hillside. This was quite impressive. Sometime i'd like to drive over to=20
the hillside and have my son shine the laser from home. I'm curious what =

the spot looks like from close up.

I purchased the $59 model from z-bolt.com. It's a nice solid unit and=20
delivery was very fast. I doubt i'll really use it much for stargazing=20
but it will come in handy now and then.

-Florian
Stargazing.com
Palm Springs, Calif.

All laser pointers are not equal. 5mw is a maximum, most are 1-2 mw. Also
if the laser is cold it the output is so poor it can barley light up an
airplane. I keep mine in my pocket until it's time to use it.

Steve


--
Steven L. Dodds
Nova Optical Systems
http://www.nova-optical.com
"Florian" wrote in message
...
I recently ordered a 5mW green laser pointer. It arrived yesterday.
What prompted me was a few nights ago trying to point out comet Machholz
to my wife and son. I think my son saw it but my wife had a hard time
figuring out where i was pointing. The laser made quite a difference.
My son and i experimented (played) with the beam for a while. When standing
next to the beam and pointing out stars it works quite well. But the
visibility of the beam falls off pretty quickly. I had my son point the
beam up and i'd step away. From 10 feet or so i could just barely see it.
From across the yard it was invisible. In a way i was a bit disappointed.
I had visions of this bright green beam slicing through the skies from my
backyard. But on the other hand maybe it's good that the entire neighborhood
won't be seeing it either.

Another test we did was to shine the beam on a hillside about 1.5 miles
from my house. Through binoculars a round spot was clearly seen on the
hillside. This was quite impressive. Sometime i'd like to drive over to
the hillside and have my son shine the laser from home. I'm curious what
the spot looks like from close up.

I purchased the $59 model from z-bolt.com. It's a nice solid unit and
delivery was very fast. I doubt i'll really use it much for stargazing
but it will come in handy now and then.

-Florian
Stargazing.com
Palm Springs, Calif.

LOL on the airplane comment. Never thought us astronomers would be
public enemy number one in the war on terror.

Tony Flanders's thong

Watching over my shoulder for FBI agents, I aimed my GLP down the
street last night onto a neighbor's house. At 100 yards the spot was
at least 4 inches in diameter (or 40 times larger than a dark adapted
pupil). There's no way a beam with a spread like that could be
dangerous to a human eye at anything approaching aircraft distances.
Visible or perhaps even annoying, but no more dangerous than a
flashlight in the face.


Florian wrote:
I recently ordered a 5mW green laser pointer. It arrived yesterday.
What prompted me was a few nights ago trying to point out comet
Machholz
to my wife and son. I think my son saw it but my wife had a hard time

figuring out where i was pointing. The laser made quite a difference.

My son and i experimented (played) with the beam for a while. When
standing
next to the beam and pointing out stars it works quite well. But the
visibility of the beam falls off pretty quickly. I had my son point
the
beam up and i'd step away. From 10 feet or so i could just barely see
it.
From across the yard it was invisible. In a way i was a bit
disappointed.
I had visions of this bright green beam slicing through the skies
from my
backyard. But on the other hand maybe it's good that the entire
neighborhood
won't be seeing it either.

Another test we did was to shine the beam on a hillside about 1.5
miles
from my house. Through binoculars a round spot was clearly seen on
the
hillside. This was quite impressive. Sometime i'd like to drive over
to
the hillside and have my son shine the laser from home. I'm curious
what
the spot looks like from close up.

I purchased the $59 model from z-bolt.com. It's a nice solid unit and

delivery was very fast. I doubt i'll really use it much for
stargazing
but it will come in handy now and then.

-Florian
Stargazing.com
Palm Springs, Calif.

Good, now go down to the nearest airport and try your experiment at the
flight line. See if the pilots there feel the same way about your
"flashlight". Oh, when you make bail, let us know all the details -- LOL!

Mark wrote:

Watching over my shoulder for FBI agents, I aimed my GLP down the
street last night onto a neighbor's house. At 100 yards the spot was
at least 4 inches in diameter (or 40 times larger than a dark adapted
pupil). There's no way a beam with a spread like that could be
dangerous to a human eye at anything approaching aircraft distances.
Visible or perhaps even annoying, but no more dangerous than a
flashlight in the face.


Florian wrote:

I recently ordered a 5mW green laser pointer. It arrived yesterday.
What prompted me was a few nights ago trying to point out comet

Machholz

to my wife and son. I think my son saw it but my wife had a hard time


figuring out where i was pointing. The laser made quite a difference.


My son and i experimented (played) with the beam for a while. When

standing

next to the beam and pointing out stars it works quite well. But the
visibility of the beam falls off pretty quickly. I had my son point

the

beam up and i'd step away. From 10 feet or so i could just barely see

it.

From across the yard it was invisible. In a way i was a bit

disappointed.

I had visions of this bright green beam slicing through the skies

from my

backyard. But on the other hand maybe it's good that the entire

neighborhood

won't be seeing it either.

Another test we did was to shine the beam on a hillside about 1.5

miles

from my house. Through binoculars a round spot was clearly seen on

the

hillside. This was quite impressive. Sometime i'd like to drive over

to

the hillside and have my son shine the laser from home. I'm curious

what

the spot looks like from close up.

I purchased the $59 model from z-bolt.com. It's a nice solid unit and


delivery was very fast. I doubt i'll really use it much for

stargazing

but it will come in handy now and then.

-Florian
Stargazing.com
Palm Springs, Calif.

Gee, was that supposed to be funny? Please don't even pretend to
understand the first thing about common sense.

Mark wrote:

Visible or perhaps even annoying, but no more dangerous than a
flashlight in the face.

To put it simply, annoying a pilot is dangerous, especially when he/she
is approaching a landing.

Mark

My point was that it could be little more than an annoyance. Surely
GLPs are not a pilot's only, most likely or even most serious source of
distraction.

No, generally that is the stewardess...

Sky & Telescope just posted an article on laser safety...

http://skyandtelescope.com/observing/article_1429_1.asp

The article links to the following interesting laser page...

Sam's Laser FAQ
http://repairfaq.ece.drexel.edu/sam/lasersam.htm


-Florian