Laser pond scum projector

Just duplicated a youtube video I saw. Used my red laser pointer to project images of little bugs in a drop of pond water.

Here's a picture of the projector:


Shoestring, but functional.

The laser is attached to a tripod head using a rubber band (15-20mW 635 nm - you don't need or want a powerful laser for this). I adjusted the focus so most of the drop was hit by the laser stripe. I'm using an eyedropper. There's an alligator clip (with tape attached so the teeth of the gator clip don't damage the bulb of the dropper) used to squeeze out a drop of water. This drop of water suspended at the end of the dropper acts as a magnifying lens.

Here are a couple videos. First video has some larger fleas. Second video has smaller spots which may or may not be bacteria sized critters. I don't think there's enough magnification.

I don't want to go swimming any more. There's a lot of stuff in the water!

My grandson is gonna LOVE this :thanks:
+1

Peace,
dave

Thats cool. If only I could find a pond in this desert.

Yup, Cool indeed, Use to notice this when I did it to projector lens, seeing the dust particles huge. Fun to see the things move around inside it, and relishing when you swim in a pond, whats really in it, at a microscopic level

Another great experiment to recommend to new users (and not so new!), way to go man

You could've just posted this in the microscope thread...

We have a microscope thread???

Anyway, that's a cool simple DIY microscope!

Indeed we do.
http://laserpointerforums.com/f44/laser-microscope-52885.html