Stargazing turned to lasers

Hey,

I am new to laser pointers, and I've become quickly addicted. Over the summer I bought a laser pointer to go with my 8" Dobsonian telescope, I used it for stargazing. The easily seen green beam was perfect for pointing out stars and various other heavenly bodies to people.

Now I'm somewhat interested in a more powerful laser, just for fun. This forum seemed like an excellent source of information on lasers, goggles, and the like.

Kolet said:

Hey,

I am new to laser pointers, and I've become quickly addicted. Over the summer I bought a laser pointer to go with my 8" Dobsonian telescope, I used it for stargazing. The easily seen green beam was perfect for pointing out stars and various other heavenly bodies to people.

Now I'm somewhat interested in a more powerful laser, just for fun. This forum seemed like an excellent source of information on lasers, goggles, and the like.

Click to expand...

Underneath it's [this forum's] though outer shell it has a ton of great information it just has to be searched for. Enjoy your stay here, you can really lean a ton about stuff you didn't want to know about lol. Be sure to read the stickies and rules.

-Udanis

Welcome!

Read the stickies and use the search function to get the most from this place..

You sound like you'll fit in fine around here. There are several other people around here who share your interest in stargazing..

welcome. as ef said other astronomy ppl... and actually one called jayrob sells some great laser stuff. so keep an eye out for him in the b/s/t section

michael.

Check out the Astronomers social group. Yours is a common story.

Thanks for the welcome, everyone. I've been lurking your forum for awhile now.

Welcome to your new addiction!

I too got sucked into this hobby with the simple need for a pointer to use at star parties.

this hobby has a way of sucking you in thats for sure

^^It's the laser equivalent of a black hole
(meant as a compliment)

Welcome to l.p.f. !!!!!!!

Thanks everyone!

Hey, Kolet,

That's how I got started in lasers - bought a glp so I could point at things when doing public presentations (which I do a lot of).
Cool example right now, Uranus is very close to Jupiter and can be easily seen in binocs if you know where to look. Find big J with your scope, then move to Uranus, then put your glp up to the finder scope eyepiece and turn it on. The beam will point where your scope/finder is aimed. Anyone with binocs can follow the beam and see Uranus. If the skies are dark enough, it's visible to the unaided eye. I put soft tape (gaffer's tape) over the head of one of my glp's so it won't scratch the eyepiece.

William
http://www.pastro.org

That's awesome, and I've been observing Jupiter regularly since it's opposition. I often use my green pointer to show people what I'm looking at.

Kolet said:

Hey,

I am new to laser pointers, and I've become quickly addicted. Over the summer I bought a laser pointer to go with my 8" Dobsonian telescope, I used it for stargazing. The easily seen green beam was perfect for pointing out stars and various other heavenly bodies to people.

Now I'm somewhat interested in a more powerful laser, just for fun. This forum seemed like an excellent source of information on lasers, goggles, and the like.

Click to expand...

Hey Kolet !

Welcome to LPF !

That seems to be how I got interested in lasers, thru astronomy. (other than the old red laser pointers, I had already used a red laser pointer in the past for pointing as well has having fun with)

I remember way back when I first read about green lasers in an astronomy magazine, back then the green lasers were too pricey for my hobby budget, but back about 6-8 weeks ago or so I happened to see an ad online for a really low cost green laser and thought wow, the price really came down, now I can get one ! (of course I later wanted to try the violet one also )

Anyhow, another member started an Astronomy social group on LPF, here is a link to it if you want to consider joining - http://laserpointerforums.com/groups/astronomers/

Isn't it neat how different hobbies can work together, not only astronomy, but rock and mineral hunting, when I read not too long ago someone mention how the violet laser can cause fluorescense in some items, I got interested in that and first got a violet laser, then I found a fairly inexpensive shortwave/longwave portable UV light you can use for hunting for fluorescent rocks and minerals. (ordered, waiting for it to arrive) (got to be careful using shortwave UV though and use UV-C rated clear safety glasses)

That's neat, I'm about to take a course in Geology, so I'm sure I'll learn about the interesting ways lasers can be used there as well.

I just joined the Astronomers group, and I just ordered a blue laser, so I'm out to a good start.

Kolet said:

That's neat, I'm about to take a course in Geology, so I'm sure I'll learn about the interesting ways lasers can be used there as well.

I just joined the Astronomers group, and I just ordered a blue laser, so I'm out to a good start.

Click to expand...

Hey, that's neat, perhaps later you could start a group for any rocks/minerials that might fluorcese some under a 405nm laser (I think there should be at least some if I remember reading right from what others said).

I'm finding out geology is especially interesting when you see how neat some of the rock and minerials fluorcese under shortwave UV, there are web sites online with photos.

You'll find out that while violet lasers might be good for a limited number of things as far as getting them to fluorcese, (and I am glad I did get a violet laser), many things like a majority of the rocks and minerals that fluorcese need shortwave (254nm) light to do so, and the violet lasers are 405nm which is just outside the longwave UV spectrum which I believe goes to up to 400nm, but 405nm is still close enough to cause some things to fluorcese. (some rocks/minerals fluorcese under longwave and midwave UV but I read that a majority need shortwave UV)

I'm not sure if there are any shortwave UV (254nm) lasers, but if so they are likely very expensive, even the shortwave LEDs that are available are very expensive and don't put off much power for the cost.

For affordable shortwave with current technology you really need the shortwave UV fluorescent tube type of lights, and even those can be fairly pricey, the lowest cost one of those I have seen so far is about $35.00 but it is a 4W portable entry model for beginners, but it does come with interchangable tubes for both longwave and shortwave UV, I recently ordered one from UVTools LLC. and am waiting for it to arrive. (for really serious rock/minerial hunters that can afford it can pay from around $150 and up for more powerful above entry level units)