London Greenwich Green Laser

lamborgini8 · Sep 6, 2009

I moved house two years back and have wondered what the green spot light that I see every now and then is... I always thought it was from the karting and motorcross stadium nearby me even though its slightly in the wrong direction for the beam.

Here's the bit I actually feel a little silly for not working it out... I am on the Meridian Line, in fact it crosses my house. I have been to Greenwich in London before and I remembered there's a green laser that marks out the Meridian Line across London... I only just figured it out after one of my friends pointed it out to me again... If I trace the line in the same direction using google earth it points straight to London where the beam comes from.

I am almost exactly 21 miles from Central London, where the beam originates, and the beam looks like one of those search lights.

I will try to get a picture.

Trevor · Sep 7, 2009

The laser coming out of the observatory at Greenwich:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/Greenwich_observatory_laser.jpg

An article about it - apparently someone built a building in the way?
The Greenwich Phantom: Laser Leanings

Hopefully I found the right laser?

Trevor

cyclonite · Sep 7, 2009

yes that green laser was put into the royal observatory by an artist. it marks the 0 degree line (where the world starts). It's a very high powered laser. The equipment cabinet itself is huge and complex. In fact when you're inside the royal observatory, the reflection from the light scattering on the white wall is enough to hurt your eyes if you stare too long at it.

lamborgini8 · Sep 7, 2009

cyclonite said:
yes that green laser was put into the royal observatory by an artist. it marks the 0 degree line (where the world starts). It's a very high powered laser. The equipment cabinet itself is huge and complex. In fact when you're inside the royal observatory, the reflection from the light scattering on the white wall is enough to hurt your eyes if you stare too long at it.

You managed to take a look at it? When I was there I couldn't get into the building that housed the laser, I just knew it was there because of a little sign explaining it.

Must be a few watts to still be visible at 21 miles though, even if the beam looks 3 meters wide as if it where a spotlight.

cyclonite · Sep 7, 2009

that building's open to public and it's free to enter. you probably went there when they were closed.

I'll try to dig my pictures of the place up and post them here.

cyclonite · Sep 7, 2009

cyclonite · Sep 7, 2009

cyclonite · Sep 7, 2009

The last pic shows the laser equipments.

Anyone knows what laser this is?? DPSS??

RA_pierce · Sep 7, 2009

I think it's about 5W DPSS.

lamborgini8 · Sep 7, 2009

Cool, nice pics.

Pretty huge laser though, is it a old laser or is that just for cooling or something?

cyclonite · Sep 7, 2009

don't think it's that old. not sure what those boxes contain but laser equipment is normally quite complex. I remembered one of the boxes having several serial ports, presumably for programming via a laptop.

I think this laser's fibre coupled, hence all the equipment on the floor while the laser emits from a device high up there.

lamborgini8 · Sep 7, 2009

cyclonite said:
don't think it's that old. not sure what those boxes contain but laser equipment is normally quite complex. I remembered one of the boxes having several serial ports, presumably for programming via a laptop.

I think this laser's fibre coupled, hence all the equipment on the floor while the laser emits from a device high up there.

Actually that would make more sense seeing the equipment they have in your pictures.

Im not sure it is controlled by a computer or not? I don't see why it would need to be seeing as it doesn't move going by the info I found on the internet. But then the google says that all they have is a simple laser setup with two mirrors directing it out the front of the hole in the building, but your pictures make it look a little more complicated than that.

yobresal · Sep 7, 2009

I've seen the laser in person during daylight hours. I then saw it at night and it was the first green laser I ever saw. It is what inspired me to get into lasers. It is the reason I am here. Whenever people ask me where my laser obsession originated I tell them the prime meridian.

cyclonite · Sep 8, 2009

awww what a nice story. you came over for holiday?

yobresal · Sep 8, 2009

Yep just for a couple weeks.

Krutz · Sep 8, 2009

great story! i wish i had such a cool "thats how it began"-story ;-)

manuel

edit:
i'm waiting for the day the laser-operator crashes by and asks how to remove the splash from his green laser?

manuel

edit2:
oops, thats big! how to resize this without downloading, resizing and re-uploading it?

London Greenwich Green Laser

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