Laser Pointers

[Sconesbie]

I can't seem to find laser pointers anywhere in my home town. I'm looking for a red or green 5mw as these seem to have a great beam on them. It would certainly be good top have one to show my wife and children things in the sky. Is there a website where these can be purchased?

[Merlin66]

Scott,
You need to check the legal permit requirements for hand held laser pointers in Tassie.
Here in Victoria the power limit is 1mW. Above that you need a Police Permit ($168) to legally own, store and use a laser pointer.

[jenchris]

!miiiiilllliwatt????
do they even make them that low?
I reckon a torch would beat that.
They are daft - I picked up a 50mw one at my local Westfield - Asian guy who sells RC helicopters in the island stall. I don't shine it at planes and no one worries me about it -
I have 2 ploicemen living in my street.

[Merlin66]

Things are obviously "different" in Queensland.......

[Astro_Bot]

Yup. We can get drunk and drive, smoke anywhere and shine all the lasers we want. Senator "People Do Have a Right to be Bigots" Brandis would be right at home here ... Oh wait, he is from here ... ;)

(All of the above, is, of course, an attempt at good-natured humour. I say this, because some people wouldn't recognise a joke if they fell over it. And, by the way, none of the above is true! Lasers in Queensland are limited to 1mW, except for "genuine occupational reasons" (20mW), astronomers (20mW) and firearms licensees (10mW). The astronomers have to be members of a "recognised astronomical organisation", which effectively makes your astro society membership fee a laser tax. I doubt anyone will be coming 'round to measure your laser's output, though).

[MrB]

Jaycar used to have a green 10mW module. It's not a pen and would need a housing and a 3V power supply.
It's also not the cheapest option around at ~$79.
It looks like it is now a discontinued item but if you visit the Launceston store and they don't have one, ask them to check stock nation-wide for catalogue number ST-3117, they might be able to get one in for you from another store.

[PeterM]

5mw is more than adequate for regular instruction nights at say a school or for a business conducting sky tours, and by regular I mean you should have to justify this as the case.
My opinion on green lasers use for amateur astronomy has changed and I see no beneficial reason whatsoever to attach them to telescopes as finders or for occasional use. A telrad or finder will do the job much better.

It was a fad, its gone. It got out of control with "I have a a 5mw I have a 10mw I now have a 100mw ...." The mine is bigger than yours syndrome. In many states the laws prohibit large powered lasers and ownership and I say rightly so.
There are too many non astro dills who used them for stupidity and potential injury ie a green laser shone in your eyes while driving at 100kmh could have fatal consequences.

[Stardrifter_WA]

I get my GL lasers from Arctic Fox Optics, in Malaga, Western Australia.

website: http://www.arcticfoxoptics.com.au/l25-0/products/laser-torches/

These are usually for mounting on a rifle scope, but that mounting makes it easy for mounting on a telescope. I got the dovetail block and stalk from Stellarvue. The R-Y Axis adjustments make it really easy to align.

As far as I am aware, they are a wholesaler, although you can buy from him direct, but I think he supplies gun shops around Australia.

You may just want to check with your local gun shop, assuming you guns are still sold in Tasmania.

The photos below show the Arctic Fox 5mW laser on my WO 110 FLT.

Cheers Pete

[Stardrifter_WA]

Yes, they do make them that low, and if fact, that is all that they are allowed to sell in Western Australia, at least, without a weapons importation permit, as I had to get police approval to import a 40mW.

I wonder if you even have a 50mW, as I have seen these, Chinese models, being sold as 50mw, but in fact are only 5mW, but I don't know that for sure, having not seen it.

All I can say is that, I actually got caught with this when I bought my first laser at a market, it said it was 50mW, but I later discovered that it wasn't, it was only 5mW (and I still have it). It did the job though, so I was still happy with it.



Cheers Pete

[Stardrifter_WA]

:question:

[Stardrifter_WA]

interesting that everyone takes what Brandis, actually, said, out of context. :sadeyes: But, I guess that makes it easy for people to be able to sling mud. :)

[Stardrifter_WA]

Hi Peter,

Essentially, I agree with your comments, in general. However, wait until you have a serious neck problem, and then you may change your mind. Just because you don't see a legitimate use for it, doesn't mean there aren't any.

I suffer from serious neck injuries, and I cannot sight along a Telrad, or any similar device, without creating a great deal of pain. Without a laser, I would be screwed! Certainly in the initial set up stage, which is mainly when I use it, as the goto takes care of the rest, in most cases. I can only use right angle finders, for the same reason, and it still gets difficult for me, particularly given the small field of view. I would love to be able to use a Telrad. On my Lightbridge 16", the laser is a godsend and if I didn't have it, I would not be able to use the 16", at all.....simple as that!

It is a vital piece of equipment for me, and was the reason I fought so hard when they announced that they would be banned in WA. Fortunately, my local member of parliament was sympathetic and helped a lot in this regard, although I am no stranger to lobbying.

Fortunately, common sense ruled, for a change, and it was just listed as a prohibitive weapon, just like knives. You have to have a legitimate use, of which, astronomy is one.

Anything, in the wrong hands is dangerous. A car, in the wrong hands, at 100kph, is more likely to kill you than any laser will, as that is considerably less likely to happen, particularly given that they are prohibited, or completely banned in some states, whatever the case. Any idiot with a powerful torch could do the same too, so to single out lasers seems a bit naive. Seen some of the powerful tactical torches available today?

Your inference that only dolts use lasers is a little offensive, or, at least, rather myopic, sadly. :sadeyes:

Cheers Pete

[PeterM]

Your inference that only dolts use lasers is a little offensive, or, at least, rather myopic, sorry to say.

Cheers Pete[/QUOTE]

How you got "only dolts use lasers" is beyond me when I wrote "There are too many non astro dills "
I stated my opinion as you have.
My opinion remains unchanged, so its seems does the police and state authorities, sorry to say.
Genuinely sorry to read about your neck problems.

[Stardrifter_WA]

Dill, dolt, pretty much the same thing, that is just semantics!

You are entitled to have your opinion Peter, and I would defend your right to do so, but it still doesn't alter the fact, that there are those that have a legitimate need for such devices.

If that wasn't the case, the said government, would have pushed for a complete ban, which isn't the case, so your argument lacks credibility.

Obviously, pointing this out hasn't changed your view, which is okay, it wasn't my goal, but it does demonstrate a lack of empathy.

But then, who am I to suggest that you may be in ill informed?

Nevertheless, I did find your comments a little offensive, just as you will probably find mine to be so, but that isn't my intent either Peter, as I know yours wouldn't have been meant that way.

Cheers Pete

[RB]

Scott try this Australian ebay dealer.
I bought one from him, they are 1mW, legal in Australia and he offers fast free postage.
Green 1mW Pointer. (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/New-Stylish-532nm-Green-Laser-Pointer-Light-Pen-Lazer-Beam-1mW-High-Power-/161259050551?)

:)

[PeterM]

Hi Pete,
I meant I never said only
If yours helps with your neck then that is a valid reason and I would defend that, but for most amateurs it does not make sense to me - a GL will only put them in the approximate area - and at $89 a Telrad can do this and more, plus there is no $168 fee (is that annual?) or licence or gun cabinet needed and either way you will still need a finder for most faint objects.

Thanks, I don't think I am ill informed either. I had sold well over 100 green lasers to mostly amateurs with good intent. Many more non astronomers we turned away because we knew their intentions, infact they even told us - to point at planes, cars and to use as light sabres.

I agree with you to some extent re the power output but many that came in labelled 10,20mw were rated on their spec sheets as 50-100mw!
You can easily tell by pointing them at your palm and feeling them burn with in a second or 2 or pointing them to the case foam and watching the smoke pour off - a stupid thing to do yes.
Universe today have an interesting article worth a read.
http://www.universetoday.com/101171/a-look-at-the-hazards-of-green-laser-pointers/

I think fees and licences and new laws have self regulated most amateurs. The fact that they can be (in some if not many states) way to expensive to own, are almost impossible to import legally without customs licence, could get you into trouble (ie announcing on sites like this you have a banned/controlled item is not good) that many GL have short lifetimes and are poorly manufactured/quality controlled (the return rate from Asia was not insignificant) are almost certainly useless in the cold as finders, are banned/controlled at many star parties, are unwelcome around imagers - in effect an end user driven ban.

Anyway enuff said on this
Have a good Easter Pete

Peter

[Stardrifter_WA]

Agreed Peter. :)

Have a great Easter too.

Cheers

Pete

[Allan_L]

Agreed.
I have one of these and it is more than adequate for the purpose. :thumbsup:
(not to mention seriously Inexpensive!)

[Renato1]

Laser pointers are the best thing for binocular astronomy teaching.

If you have any number of novices with binoculars, you just aim the laser pointer at the Orion Nebula, the Jewel Box, the Eta Carina Nebula etc, and tell them to follow the laser light up to the object with their binoculars. It works extremely well, they have fun and always find the object.
Regards,
Renato

[axle01]

Scott you mentioned red or green, forget red it won't work you have to get a green one.

Alan

[MrB]

Red will work, just not at legal power

[jenchris]

I guess mine would be a 5mw then as it isn't very bright (bit like me really)

[Astro_Bot]

Don't be so hard on youself, Jen ..... that's my job! :evil2: :D

[Redshift13]

I have a 1mW green laser which I bought for $8 (delivered) from eBay.

It's perfectly adequate for pointing out the wonders of the night sky to my astronomically uneducated friends and relos.

[Stardrifter_WA]

Don't think that Jennifer, we all had to start learning somewhere. :)

My learning experience with lasers began a long time ago with industrial lasers, yet, I still didn't twig that my first, so called, 50mW GL laser was, in fact, only a 5mW, although it soon became apparent. However, it wotked just fine, for my requirements.

After that, I then imported my first true 40mW (rifle laser sight), and that was bright, in fact, a little too bright for my astronomy requirements. I now only use the 5mW, as they are adequate enough for me to point my scope towards the first alignment star.

Most of the lasers coming out of China are often labelled incorrectly, and fail regularly, so I tend not to bother with the cheap Chinese stuff.

Cheers Pete

[mithrandir]

Many cheap laser pointers do not produce the claimed output. They can be wildly above or well below the stated value.

Whether 1mW is adequate depends on how dark the site and sky are. Here in the burbs 5mW is often insufficient.

[jenchris]

Well it works and I can shine it through my scope and the beam comes out and points exactly where the scope is! I don't mount it -just shine it up the spout - it works a treat.
Just pop the EP back in to finalise the alignment.
Surprising how far the beam goes like a ghostly alien death ray

[ausastronomer]

Very true. I have a couple of glp's which I aquired at different times and actually use for legitimate astronomical purposes. Like highlighting naked eye targets, or defining constellations to visiting northern hemisphere observers at Ozsky etc. I also do a lot of outreach with children and social groups. I have a high quality 5mw unit which I purchased about 10 years ago. I can only assume its output is as stated. Under rural and dark skies its output is more than adequate. Under urban or partially moonlit skies (where and when most outreach groups want it to happen), I would consider its output inadequate. Enter the $8 1mw Ebay laser pointer. Its output is at least 3 times brighter than my 5mw unit and it works very well under poor sky conditions.

Cheers
John B

[RB]

John if you're ever in the area, drop in and I can measure it's output for you.
RB
:)

[KG8]

Yes you can buy them from the local flea market for $20. The guy says their 2mW or something but side by side on a dark night they are as bright as the $150 20mW one I bought years ago at a local astro shop.

[Sconesbie]

Thanks everyone. I got one of those off the link below. $7.95 for 1 mw.