Laser pointers for stargazing

Str8upnub (Jake) · #1 09-01-2012, 01:41 PM

Anyone had any luck getting a laser into Melb.

jamiep (Jamie) · #2 09-01-2012, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Str8upnub

Anyone had any luck getting a laser into Melb.

Hi,

In theory to own, operate or import a laser above 1mw into victoria you need a licence as per the licencing document here at the vic police site...

http://www.police.vic.gov.au/retriev...&status=active

Laser pointers are allowable for us astronomy folk as long as you pay the fee, fill out the form, have it signed by a jp etc etc etc...

Jamie

Merlin66 (Ken) · #3 09-01-2012, 04:25 PM

There's also the Customs (B710) form if you want to bring it in from O'seas.

Str8upnub (Jake) · #4 09-01-2012, 05:00 PM

yeah i knew that , thats why i asked

.i managed to get a 100mw past customs last week...its good but not the brightest.i just orderd a 1000mw laser last nite "fingers crossed", its a shame some folks have ruined it for the rest of us.

barx1963 (Malcolm) · #5 09-01-2012, 07:27 PM

Whoa! 100mw and 1000mw. Way more than you need for astro purposes!
20 to 30mw should be plenty.

Malcolm

Shark Bait (Stu) · #6 09-01-2012, 07:28 PM

100mW to 1000mW....?

Sirius Optics (www.sirius-optics.com.au/laser%20pointer.htm) are selling 20 and 30mW Green Laser Pointers. Are these not bright enough to do the job?

I have not looked into green laser pointers yet. Some of the BAS club members use them as finders and to point objects out to the public. After being asked many times where in the sky the scope is pointing, I have started to toy with the idea of buying a GLP as well.

naskies (Dave) · #7 09-01-2012, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barx1963

Whoa! 100mw and 1000mw. Way more than you need for astro purposes!
20 to 30mw should be plenty.

Maybe he wants to burn a hole through the clouds?

Seriously though, what are the astronomy applications for a 1 W laser?

Erg · #8 09-01-2012, 08:34 PM

30mw, 532nm GLP= There’s no place to hide.

Must admit my Saxon GLP drinks 1.5v AAA Lithiums like Cottee's on a summers day, and it does like to be warm..physically warm, to be at its best. 10 minutes under a sleeping dog in winter..minimum.

Erg

Merlin66 (Ken) · #9 10-01-2012, 04:19 AM

Just interested....
If you buy a 30mw laser from say Queensland and use it in Vic...how do they track the permit requirements? Or do you just wait to be picked up by the police?
(May be easier than bringing back my gear from Belgium!)

skysurfer · #10 10-01-2012, 05:13 AM

Well, http://www.yourlasers.com/ are a lot cheaper. 50mW lasers for $50 or less. BUT: they do NOT ship to US or Australia.

For pointing to stars, a 1mW green or 5mW red suffices unless you point in an urban area.
50mW pointers leave a clear green trail and might attract police or others particularly in NSW or ACT where this stuff is prohibited.

In a dark environment for people close to the laser pointer you can still see the trail very faintly with 1mW green or 5mW red.
But also these rather dim ones can damage eyes or distract people so NEVER point at people or driving cars.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shark Bait

100mW to 1000mW....?

Sirius Optics (www.sirius-optics.com.au/laser%20pointer.htm) are selling 20 and 30mW Green Laser Pointers. Are these not bright enough to do the job?

I have not looked into green laser pointers yet. Some of the BAS club members use them as finders and to point objects out to the public. After being asked many times where in the sky the scope is pointing, I have started to toy with the idea of buying a GLP as well.

mozzie (Peter) · #11 10-01-2012, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Str8upnub

yeah i knew that , thats why i asked

.i managed to get a 100mw past customs last week...its good but not the brightest.i just orderd a 1000mw laser last nite "fingers crossed", its a shame some folks have ruined it for the rest of us.

wow iv'e a 40mw and it's way bright enough!!!!!!!!!! 1000 holly smokes!!!!!
there goes the o-zone

coldlegs (Stephen) · #12 10-01-2012, 05:35 PM

Never used one as I'm close enough to the local air force base to probably get a missile fired at me if I wasn't careful. Do these things accurately point at the star your aiming for? I mean, if you stand say a metre away from the scope and look at where it's pointing does the beam seem to end "exactly" on the target star? Just curious. 1Watt are you nuts!!!!
Cheers
Stephen

Str8upnub (Jake) · #13 10-01-2012, 06:30 PM

well my 100mw i bought from a cheap chinese site so its probly not true 100mw ,might be 20-30mw...it works i can slightly see the beam at night but i would prefer a nice solid beam...yeah i probs over did it lol.who knows i doubt ill get it passed customs.

Shark Bait (Stu) · #14 10-01-2012, 07:12 PM

Hi Stephen,

It seems that GLP's are still legal to own and use in QLD without a permit. I know a bloke who works in Customs and they are always on the lookout for illegal items being imported. He would not believe me when told that QLD Amateur Astronomers use them without permits and seemed to think we should not have them at all. So for the time being, I can legally buy a GLP from Sirius Optics but cannot import one without the permits

.

Quote:

Originally Posted by coldlegs

Never used one as I'm close enough to the local air force base to probably get a missile fired at me if I wasn't careful. Do these things accurately point at the star your aiming for? I mean, if you stand say a metre away from the scope and look at where it's pointing does the beam seem to end "exactly" on the target star? Just curious. 1Watt are you nuts!!!!
Cheers
Stephen

The 20 & 30mW GLP's work very well, even at light polluted Mt Coot-tha which overlooks the Brisbane CBD. The scope mounted 20mW GLP's do point exactly where the user wants to view once they have been aligned. These gadgets work so well I am tempted to buy one to assist in explaining where objects are in the night sky when the club does their monthly public viewings.

Regards,
Stu.

Merlin66 (Ken) · #15 10-01-2012, 07:30 PM

Yeah, that's fine in Queensland...
but what about "transferring them over the border" into States where they require a Police Permit? ie NSW, VIC and WA

mithrandir (Andrew) · #16 10-01-2012, 08:40 PM

NSW doesn't require a permit for members of astro societies on the police approved list (link current Jan 2012 - check the first link for updates.) where used for astronomy.

Shark Bait (Stu) · #17 10-01-2012, 08:49 PM

Hi Merlin66,

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merlin66

Yeah, that's fine in Queensland...
but what about "transferring them over the border" into States where they require a Police Permit? ie NSW, VIC and WA

I am not up to speed with interstate legal requirements. I would assume that NSW / VIC Police would be within their legal rights to take the Green Laser Pointer off a QLD resident as soon as they cross the State Border. I would like to know if the offending QLD resident would then be charged for having a 'prohibited weapon'?

I am curious too. Does anyone know the legal details surrounding this issue?

It is interesting to note that quite a few members of the public at viewing nights think that GLP's are banned in QLD. It will probably happen one day.

I am guessing that the odds of being caught and charged if using GLP's at a dark sky astro event in NSW / VIC are pretty slim.

Edit: Andrew got in just before I posted the original reply with some information that answers some of the questions raised. I should have waited a little longer before posting.....

brightstar · #18 11-01-2012, 12:35 PM

The Law in Qld states that it is illegal to use a GLP Illegally. It was design specifically that way so the Police have the power to decide what is legal and what isn't. The Australian Constitution forbids any State to interfere with free trade between the States so there are no problems for Sirius Optics to ship to any State. The onus is on the customer to check with local law enforcement as to the legality within their State. Sirius Optics asks specific questions when approached by customers trying to buy them and if Sirius Optics suspects that the customer is not an Astronomer, then the sale does not proceed.

It is time consuming to get the necessary approvals to import them through Customs. It is also costly as Sirius Optics does not import just one or two at a time and each one has to be tested by Customs to ensure that the labeling and output power is as stated. Unfortunately, Customs has detected several imports where the supplier overseas has shown on the Invoice that the power is less than 1mW where in fact it was over 100 to 250mW. Those people lost not only their money but are recorded by Customs for trying to import illegally. Is it worth it?

Ron
Sirius Optics.

icytailmark (Mark) · #19 11-01-2012, 12:44 PM

Just become a member of an astronomy club and only use the laser pointer when you have your telescope setup.The cops will see your telescope and will probably wanna have a look through it LOL

CarlJoseph (Carl) · #20 11-01-2012, 01:24 PM

I believe some astro clubs have banned the use of these lasers. I think ASV and MPAS (Mornington Pen) has too. Wouldn't be surprised if it happens elsewhere and is more prevalent.

Unfortunately it only takes a few people to do something stupid before more enforcement is put in place.

Having said that, JayCar has a "green laser module" which they sell. I think they can do this because it isn't encased and is considered a "module" or "kit" piece.

Cheers,
Af.