omg I'm scared

[smogon_user]

Just a few minutes ago I was outside pointing my green 75mW laser at the stars and I came close to hitting an aircraft. It looked just like a star, it had absolutely no flashing lights or anything to differentiate it from the hundreds of other stars visible in the sky. Other than the fact that it moved slowly which I didn't realize until after shining my laser.

Will I go to jail for almost hitting an aircraft? I'm 99% sure it didn't actually hit it but it came close.

 

[el-taco]

No, you will not go to jail unless someone in your area calls the police and tells them it was you.

The pilots will not be able to tell which house it came from, but they will be able to show the general area. Best to stay inside for the night...

 

[caleb]

what altitude do you think it was at.
was it an airliner, this doesnt realy matter im just wandering.

the only thing that bothers me is that something acidental could be reported and taken as a threat, it would add to more risk of being banned. i dont care anymore since there already illgeal where im from. :'(

 

[Cyparagon]

With the absence of flashing lights, I'd assert the possibility of a satellite.

 

[caleb]

With the absence of flashing lights, I'd assert the possibility of a satellite.

i'd agree, it may take upto 4 minutes for a satelite to cross the skiy directly above you.

 

[f22warzone]

or worse it was the space station..... wonder what type of trouble you would get for blinding thos things : )

 

[Maven]

OH GOD WE ARE GOING TO CRASH INTO THE EARTH BECAUSE OF THAT OMINOUS GREEN GLOW COMING FROM THE GROUND..

 

[hydrogenman15]

OH GOD WE ARE GOING TO CRASH INTO THE EARTH BECAUSE OF THAT OMINOUS GREEN GLOW COMING FROM THE GROUND..

Yeah, you don't have to worry about it lasers like that just don't have that kind of range.
Its not a problem unless it's a plane coming in to land or a helicopter. Just don't do it again.

--hydro15

 

[Benm]

If it was a jet at cruise altitude, i doubt they would notice even if you did it the aircraft.

From 10 km distance a medium powered green is well visible, but jetliners dont have windows in the floors. For anything to be visible to pilot or passangers, you'd have to hit the plane at a very shallow angle, i.e. a plane more near the horizon than directly overhead.

By that time you are tens of miles away - still very well visible when looked at, but nothing blindingy bright.

 

[artix]

[quote author=Maven link=1218259840/0#6 date=1218299451]OH GOD WE ARE GOING TO CRASH INTO THE EARTH BECAUSE OF THAT OMINOUS GREEN GLOW COMING FROM THE GROUND..

Yeah, you don't have to worry about it lasers like that just don't have that kind of range.
Its not a problem unless it's a plane coming in to land or a helicopter. Just don't do it again.

--hydro15[/quote]

O RLY?

 

[myles]

[quote author=hydrogenman15 link=1218259840/0#7 date=1218302057][quote author=Maven link=1218259840/0#6 date=1218299451]OH GOD WE ARE GOING TO CRASH INTO THE EARTH BECAUSE OF THAT OMINOUS GREEN GLOW COMING FROM THE GROUND..

Yeah, you don't have to worry about it lasers like that just don't have that kind of range.
Its not a problem unless it's a plane coming in to land or a helicopter. Just don't do it again.

--hydro15[/quote]

O RLY?[/quote]

HA i wish i had a laser that powerfull!

 

[steve001]

It was a satellite. But just in case
Knock knock who's there...

 

[Benm]

It was a satellite. But just in case
Knock knock who's there...

... the CIA with a bill for a new camera on their spy sattelite, and labour costs to get it up there ;p

 

[Murudai]

If the plane was so far up that it looked like a star, then it was so far away that any laser light from a 75mW would be so diverged that it wouldn't look much brighter at all than normal ground background lights.

 

[Benm]

If the plane was so far up that it looked like a star, then it was so far away that any laser light from a 75mW would be so diverged that it wouldn't look much brighter at all than normal ground background lights.

Well.. divergence makes for interesting numbers sometimes. A good laser with 1 mrad divergence is (1000 pi)^2 ~ 10 million times brighter than a 'bulb' of equal light output when looking directly at it from a large distance.

With those numbers, 10 mW green at a distance is as visible as 100 kW worth of (10% efficient) fluorescent lights.

 

[moond0ggie]

It was a satellite. But just in case  
Knock knock who's there...

... the CIA with a bill for a new camera on their spy sattelite, and labour costs to get it up there ;p

;Dlol, thats a good one!