mW ratings???

Ok....so I just got a WL Core.... which is a 5mW laser... And the beam isn't that bright.. When I shine it through smoke or fog, the laser beam becomes bright.

What I was wondering is, at around what mW does a green beam become clearly visible without aids (smoke, fog, dust), and at what mW does a beam become solid and bright green?

Thanks guys!!

The laser beam is only visible when it can reflect off of "smoke, fog, or dust" that is in the air. In a vacuum you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between 5mw and 5W.

It depends. The closer you are to sea level and the more moisture that is in the air the brighter the beam appears. But for a very clear beam in a dark night you want to go 50mW+ green, and for a reliable lightsaber-ish beam you want 100mW plus green.A red or violet laser is much less bright per mW than a green.