Laser pointer alternative?

[gb_astro]

Given the controversy around the use of laser pointers
I was wondering if any one has found a usable alternative.
I was thinking of some of these narrow beam, high lumen LED flash lights that are appearing in the hardware shops.
With a red filter over the end....?

gb.

[nandopg]

GB,
Please, what controversies are those ? I have a serious problem on my back that every once in a while takes me to the wheel chair. You can imagine that for me it is totally impossible to be in certain postions to point the telescope using an optical finder, then the laser pointer came in my life to end this suffering. But I am not aware about any controversy regarding its use. Could you please to enlighten me.

Thank you,

Fernando

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

Laser pointers are all but illegal here in Australia.

[dannat (Daniel)]

Yes gb the newer bright focusable beam led torches, my ASV guide put me Onto them,I've got a LED lenser, jaycar do sell them also, the big advantage of them is they still Visible in th city with heavy light pollution, obviously not as narrow a laser beam though- what Did you wnt it for?
It's ok for night sky tour stuff, don't know how accurate it'd be for aligning

[5ash (Philip)]

Was getting interested in this post but am obviously too long in the tooth to understand Daniels abbreviations in the last reply. Can anyone translate for me ?
Philip

[OICURMT]

Originally Posted by 5ash

Can anyone translate for me ?
Philip

Fat fingers on a mobile, dim lighting and too much to drink?

[Merlin66 (Ken)]

I've just spent the last three month between Vic police and Australian customs trying to get approval to "import" three laser pointers I used in Belgium...I've now applied for a Chief Commissioner of Police permit ($170 for three years) to hold and use a laser pointer in Victoria...
I then have to re-apply to Australia Customs to release the pointers they current have confiscated...
onwards and upwards

[AndrewJ]

Gday Ken

I've just spent the last three month between Vic police and Australian customs trying to get approval to "import" three laser pointers I used in Belgium...I've now applied for a Chief Commissioner of Police permit ($170 for three years) to hold and use a laser pointer in Victoria...
I then have to re-apply to Australia Customs to release the pointers they current have confiscated...
onwards and upwards

If they do approve them, just make sure you dont get any speeding and parking tickets in your haste to go pick them up.
New numberplate logo
"Victoria, kept in the black by licenses and fines".

Andrew

[dannat (Daniel)]

iPad overcorrection is my problem, I've tidied the post up a it

[DavidTrap (David)]

20+ years ago, my high school teacher used a 2 cell torch on which you could focus the beam into a reasonable "pencil of light". You could see the beam and work out to which star he was pointing. Sure the laser is more defined, but it did the trick. Certainly helped if there was moisture or dust in the atmosphere so there was something for the light to reflect off. A dolphin torch is better, but more likely to blind those around you when you forget to turn it off as you point it downwards.

DT

[gb_astro]

Thanks guys.
I wanted it just for hand held sky tour pointing but able to be used at star parties. So I guess the question should have been is there one bright enough that it still gives a usable beam with a red (or green) filter over it?

gb.

[mithrandir (Andrew)]

Originally Posted by gb_astro

Thanks guys.
I wanted it just for hand held sky tour pointing but able to be used at star parties. So I guess the question should have been is there one bright enough that it still gives a usable beam with a red (or green) filter over it?

gb, NSW does not ban laser pointers but does restrict the power level and who is allowed to have them without an explicit permit. Read the NSW Police entry.

[gb_astro]

Originally Posted by mithrandir

gb, NSW does not ban laser pointers but does restrict the power level and who is allowed to have them without an explicit permit. Read the NSW Police entry.

Thanks for the info Andrew but I just don't want to use a laser.
We might know the rules but I doubt any of my neighbours do.
At star parties I think they are just light pollution (sorry).
The advantage of a flash light is that beam is usually only visible to someone
standing within a few metres of it, assuming the bulb end is shielded from direct observation and the air is not to polluted.

gb.

[Peteren (Peter)]

Laser pointers! take your pick

http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com....l-supplier.htm

Kick myself for not keeping the one I had at work, it would burn through 2m of steam to acquire it's target

[sil (Steve)]

You can also add a tube to a high powered LED torch with a washer in either end. The small holes in the washers will allow a more narrow parallel beam to be emitted. Basically baffles over a few cm will help to get a nice beam. Just don't use easily flammable materials, the high power torches I've got get very hot.

[Peter Ward]

Originally Posted by gb_astro

Given the controversy around the use of laser pointers
I was wondering if any one has found a usable alternative.....

Incendiary rounds work well.

That said, the hysteria (mostly from the media ) over the "dangers" of laser pointers is a sad indictment of the even more miserable understanding, our bureaucrats and legislators, have about coherent light.

[dannat (Daniel)]

GB I tried red film but it dimmed too much, green could work though if it's thin enough to let the light thru

[Jarrod]

g'day,

This talk of an alternative is interesting but really unnecessary.

Handheld green lasers under 1mW are legal Australia wide, which is more then bright enough for what we use them for.

With regards to being "noticed" using a green laser, the beam itself is invisible to anyone more than 5 to 10 metres away, so only the person holding the pointer and anyone standing next to him will see the green line. Neighbours won't see a thing unless you point it toward them.

If the green colour is a concern, red laser pointers do the trick, but have to be much brighter for the beam to be visible... but the law is with regard to "handheld laser pointers", ie the type that go on keyrings and fit in your front pocket. You can legally buy the laser modules (just a laser with out a casing) up to any power you like, so you can quite happily purchase a 150mW red module and mount it to your telescope.

There are some nice 1mW green pointers on ebay for around the $8 mark, again perfectly legal and ideal for astronomy. Just keep in mind that customs doesnt like individuals importing them due to the amount of people trying to import the overpowered ones, so try to go for an aussie seller.

anyway that's my 2c,

j

[gb_astro]

Originally Posted by dannat

GB I tried red film but it dimmed too much, green could work though if it's thin enough to let the light thru

Daniel thanks for testing that out.
I guess there is just not much red in LED light.

gb.

[gb_astro]

Originally Posted by Jarrod

g'day,

This talk of an alternative is interesting but really unnecessary.

Handheld green lasers under 1mW are legal Australia wide, which is more then bright enough for what we use them for.

With regards to being "noticed" using a green laser, the beam itself is invisible to anyone more than 5 to 10 metres away, so only the person holding the pointer and anyone standing next to him will see the green line. Neighbours won't see a thing unless you point it toward them.

If the green colour is a concern, red laser pointers do the trick, but have to be much brighter for the beam to be visible... but the law is with regard to "handheld laser pointers", ie the type that go on keyrings and fit in your front pocket. You can legally buy the laser modules (just a laser with out a casing) up to any power you like, so you can quite happily purchase a 150mW red module and mount it to your telescope.

There are some nice 1mW green pointers on ebay for around the $8 mark, again perfectly legal and ideal for astronomy. Just keep in mind that customs doesnt like individuals importing them due to the amount of people trying to import the overpowered ones, so try to go for an aussie seller.

anyway that's my 2c,

j

Jarrod thanks for the green 1mW info.
The only low wattage laser I have tried was in my laser collimator.
That was a red one quoted at 5 mW.
That did not work at all.
I just assumed anything else around 1 mW would be the same.

gb.