Stargazing turned to lasers

[Petacat]

Hi , and welcome Kolet

 

[Petacat]

To join the astronomy social group go to the top of the page and click the community tab. Then click social groups, Then find the astronomy social group and join up. Post photos of your telescope. There are many groups you might like to join. The LPF is a great place to read, communicate, and learn. But be careful with your lasers. If you get higher power lasers, make sure to get goggles for the nm you are working with.

Sorry for the double post. My bad

 

[wbp]

That's good to have both a wide field perspective along with a higher magnification of the same object, would look neat being able to quickly check between both views with objects like the Pleiades and also Orion with a higher mag view of the Orion nebula !

I agree! I replaced the finder scope on the big refractor with an 80mm Stellarview about 4 years ago. If you're not familiar with the Stellarview, it's really a decent 80mm telescope on it's own. You can easily see Jupiter's 4 brightest moons (and currently Uranus in the same field). It's good enough to be able to pick out M57 (the "Ring").

William

 

[elite ares]

I replaced the finder scope on the big refractor with an 80mm Stellarview about 4 years ago.

OK, that just makes me jealous. Stellarviews are very nice telescopes in their own right! Me?...I'm lost :huh: without my Telrad, but it's getting harder all the time to see my guide stars because of light pollution.:cryyy:

 

[Petacat]

After living in Alaska for 45 years light pollution down here in the lower 48 is driving me crazy. Boy was I spoiled and didn't know it.

Stellarview 80mm :drool:

 

[AstroLaser]

After living in Alaska for 45 years light pollution down here in the lower 48 is driving me crazy. Boy was I spoiled and didn't know it.

Stellarview 80mm :drool:

That works in reverse with some people, those who may had always lived in a more light polluted area like a big city or large suburban area who later move to a more rural area are pleasantly surprised at the difference of having a less light polluted night sky

I know it would be nowhere near as good as being able to freely view a much less light polluted night sky, but have you tried any of those telescope filters that are supposed to block light pollution and if so how well do they work ?

 

[AstroLaser]

I agree! I replaced the finder scope on the big refractor with an 80mm Stellarview about 4 years ago. If you're not familiar with the Stellarview, it's really a decent 80mm telescope on it's own. You can easily see Jupiter's 4 brightest moons (and currently Uranus in the same field). It's good enough to be able to pick out M57 (the "Ring").

William

Neat idea, that is what I would call a super finder scope !

 

[Petacat]

Yes there are filters for light pollution but they tend to block the fainter stars.
UltraBlock Narrowband Light-Pollution Filters | Orion Telescopes

 

[AstroLaser]

Yes there are filters for light pollution but they tend to block the fainter stars.
UltraBlock Narrowband Light-Pollution Filters | Orion Telescopes

Well, it may not make the night sky there as dark as it was in Alaska, but perhaps you could send "dark sky" literature to the local town officials and convince them of the importance of proper shielding on outdoor lighting.

IDAHome (International Dark Sky Association)

(at least you'll know they are then aware of a solution)

 

[Petacat]

I can't even get the nieghbor to shut off their flood lights. I can read a news paper in the back yard all night long. They'er afaid they will be raped and robbed. I tell people it has been show that robbers go to houses that are well lite, so they can see where to break in and don't have to use a flash light and sneak around which looks suspitious.
But nobody listens to me.

 

[AstroLaser]

I can't even get the nieghbor to shut off their flood lights. I can read a news paper in the back yard all night long. They'er afaid they will be raped and robbed. I tell people it has been show that robbers go to houses that are well lite, so they can see where to break in and don't have to use a flash light and sneak around which looks suspitious.
But nobody listens to me.

The main problem I had close to my home is there are two lights on my property on telephone poles (even though we didn't ask for them, they were there when we moved here, and we still have to pay a small fee each month for them), anyhow, since they are on my property and were not properly shielded, (clear glass enclousure open on the bottom to replace the huge bulb), I felt I had the right to correct the shielding so I took a very long pole with a paint roller attached and painted the outside black so now the light is only directed downward, that made a nice difference, and when they replaced a bulb they mentioned something about not seeing one like that before but did not seem to have any problem with it !

You are right about crime/light statistics, I had read in the past how lighting did not have any signifigant effect on crime levels.

Well, as far as your neighbour, one thing that might work is to try to get them interested in astronomy themselves, show them some sights thru your telescopes.

If they got even a casual interest in astronomy you might at least be able to convince them to have their outside lights turned off just during the times you plan observing if they won't keep them off all the time. (at least if they know you are outside observing when they have their lights off they should realize you could spot any prowlers during that time and could warn them)

Just a thought ! :thinking:

 

[Petacat]

Yea that might work with normal people, but not my neighbours.:crackup:

 

[AstroLaser]

Yea that might work with normal people, but not my neighbours.:crackup:

That bad, huh ? :undecided:

Well, it's a shame you would have to do it, but you could always consider building a high privacy wall on that side that would block their floodlight from your yard, or use some kind of temporary shield just for when you use your telescope. :umbrella:

 

[Petacat]

I have an self standing sun umbrella I use to block out a bad street lights folds up with it's on carring bag ready to go. Helps alittle.

 

[AstroLaser]

I have an self standing sun umbrella I use to block out a bad street lights folds up with it's on carring bag ready to go. Helps alittle.

Neat, so the "umbrella icon" umbrella I used in my previous post was very appropriate !