Green Laser Pointers

orion f6.3 · Post by **orion f6.3** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 1:49 pm

Its also down to cost. I have one cheap and one higher quality hense more expensive. No matter what batteries I use, in cold weather the cheaper one becomes a faint line after a short while, the other is at full power! Even when used as a guide and full exposed for hours at a time! Orion

Eclipse · Post by **Eclipse** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 4:45 pm

The red dot finder on my Celestron 4SE is so awkward and fiddly I have just ordered a laser pointer which will bolt onto the red dot mount. It canÂ´t be any less useful, and will certainly look SOOOOO cool.

petevasey · Post by **petevasey** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 12:32 am

As far as the accuracy of the end result is concerned, there's little or no difference between a red dot finder and a laser pointer for aligning a telescope.

BUT there are times when a crick in the neck is guaranteed when using a red dot finder, whereas a laser pointer (held switched on by a suitable arrangement) doesn't require you to get up close to the telescope. And you're not likely to leave it switched on by accident when you pack up!

On the other hand, they are banned at star parties, so you'll always need a backup finder

Cheers, Peter.

orion f6.3 · Post by **orion f6.3** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 9:56 pm

not banned at our star partys even used by our speaker to show newcommers where things are

petevasey · Post by **petevasey** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 10:33 pm

orion f6.3 wrote:not banned at our star partys even used by our speaker to show newcomers where things are

Perhaps I should have said 'banned at many star parties' ?

Certainly banned at Kelling Heath

Cheers, Peter.

Shirley · Post by **Shirley** » Wed Jan 19, 2011 9:02 am

martinss wrote:Hi All,

As some of these pointers don't work in the cold, it might be worth wrapping a fabric hand warmer round it...I left a post about how I used one with my camera here:
http://www.etech.com/electronics-laser- ... c1202_1267

It really did work a treat and might be worth a bahs on those forthcoming cold nights out!!!

Don't look down!

Martin

it is extremely useful at night - for pointing out astronomical features in the sky.

danielpower · Post by **danielpower** » Wed Jan 19, 2011 12:49 pm

There are a plenty of astronomy 400mw laser pointers on Amazon.com

brian livesey · Post by **brian livesey** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 10:01 am

Which are the laser-pointers that won't limp in the cold?

brian livesey · Post by **brian livesey** » Tue Apr 19, 2011 2:38 pm

A 400mW laser pointer is over-kill. The beam is so bright at night that it overwhelms the target object.
I prefer a 5mW pointer, as it doesn't detract from the target. The problem with mine is that they are temperature-sensitive and don't work in frosty conditions.

riquel2me · Post by **riquel2me** » Sun May 01, 2011 12:48 pm

Where did you buy the laser pointer?

Eclipse · Post by **Eclipse** » Sat Jun 04, 2011 10:20 am

I use a 50 mW laser pointer to align my scopes, clamped in a purpose designed adjustable mount. I hold the button down with a specially carved, high tech clothes peg, and find lithium batteries keep it shining brightly for ages.

In winter I warm the business end with the wife´s hairdryer.

I also have a 300 mW GLP, but that is overkill for astronomical use - I carry it - especially at night - in case a Moroccan tries to mug me!!!

brian livesey · Post by **brian livesey** » Sat Jun 04, 2011 1:32 pm

A camera shutter cable makes an ideal on/off switch for a laser-pen. I mounted my laser-pen inside an aluminium tube about the same length as the laser pen.
Three screws at each end of the tube hold the laser-pen in place for adjustment. I drilled and threaded a small hole in the tube, directly above the on/off button on the laser-pen and screwed in the camera shutter cable.
The whole assembly was then mounted on the finder-mounting. It works like a charm.

damonlove · Post by **damonlove** » Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:26 am

How about the buring laser pointer?

I found a video from youtube.I think it is so interesting!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YqVEi_5 ... r_embedded

dazcaz · Post by **dazcaz** » Mon Feb 13, 2012 11:13 am

I have a REAL laser. Not a laser diode laser a REAL laser.
It's a metal box about 4 feet long Inside this box is a long glass spiral tube and other gubbins. This box is connected to another box by a flexible conduit. This box has the mains connection, key switch and covered on off switch.

I have no idea how powerful it is. it's a red laser so no use at all for star tours

it's sheer size and weight wouldn't help much either.

I obtained this laser a few years back as it was being thrown out by it's previous owner. It was used for making holograms apparently. I was going to flog it on e-Bay, but apparently you have to have a licence to sell this sort of kit.

It puts out a really nice beam. It doesn't burn when I put my hand in the beam. It doesn't do anything fancy like popping balloons or lighting matches, but it is a REAL laser, just like you see on James Bond

It sits in my radio shack doing not a lot. I do fire it up occasionally just for fun.
Anyone have any practical ideas of uses, apart from making holograms that is?

David Frydman · Post by **David Frydman** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 8:43 pm

Channel 11 T.V. Now.
'Nothing to Declare'.
The fine for bringing high powered laser pointers into Australia is stated as up to 110,000 Australian Dollars.
It shows them being confiscated but I did not see what the fine was.

regards, David

Two or three men were fined 5,000 dollars plus 3,000 dollars costs each after prosecution.
The other man was fined 4,600 dollars.
This was for various prohibited items including the high powered laser pointers.