RE: [Utah-astronomy] Green laser backlash
Well, I just ordered one, so I hope not. :) I don't personally know anyone who does serious imaging at a public star party, that doesn't really sound very practical anyway. I can see how it might be a problem at private star parties, but public star parties are probably the only place I would ever use one. I can't think of a better way to show newcomers exactly where things are. I find a lot of the general public have a hard time looking through a telrad for the first time. Still, it's probably a good idea to just ask people's opinions at the beginning of the star party and obviously try not to intrude on areas of the sky other people are observing. It certainly wouldn't bother me for them to be in use at a public star party. ---------- From: Chuck Hards Sent: Sunday, August 10, 2003 10:11 PM To: Utah-Astro Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Green laser backlash I've read recently of a growing scorn of green laser pointers at star parties, due to their rapid proliferation and easily-seen beam. It seems that so many people are using them that other observers are beginning to speak out against them as light pollution on the field. Especially imagers & astro-photographers. I've been hankering for one of those for a long time, but if it's going to irritate people, perhaps I'd better not. Have any list members experienced this? Is this just at the large, regional star parties, or are camps pro & con forming up at the local level? Particularly would like feedback from owners & frequent users of green pointers. Thanks! Chuck __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy
Thanks Paul & Jim for your insights. Seems like this is just another variation on music at star parties. Some folks like it, some don't. The pointer would be appropriate for an outreach-type, public education star-party, scouting event, etc., but should probably be kept under wraps during dark-sky, "serious" (whatever that means) viewing or imaging sessions, club "dark of the moon" nights. In 1997, when I was going-out every clear night (and morning!) to shoot comet Hale-Bopp (images for the gallery coming SOON!), my biggest annoyance was airplanes. One-fourth of my frames were marred by jets passing-through the field; since my eye was glued to the narrow field of the guiding eyepiece for all of the 3-to-5 minuite exposures, I never noticed them until I had the rolls processed. Nothing can be done about jets, but if I had found several green laser "trails" on those exposures, there's a good chance I would have had a confrontation with the wielder. C. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com
I have heard about these and how effective they are for pointing out things in the sky, but I can see the conflict for astrophotography. Does anyone have an address and cost for these? I saw some at the May Riverside Telescope Makers Conference, but they were pretty expensive compared to the red laser pointers. Any help would be appreciated. Looking for best buy for the money and power. Thank you, Jim Stitley Paul Witte <paul@linkrealms.com> wrote: Well, I just ordered one, so I hope not. :) I don't personally know anyone who does serious imaging at a public star party, that doesn't really sound very practical anyway. I can see how it might be a problem at private star parties, but public star parties are probably the only place I would ever use one. I can't think of a better way to show newcomers exactly where things are. I find a lot of the general public have a hard time looking through a telrad for the first time. Still, it's probably a good idea to just ask people's opinions at the beginning of the star party and obviously try not to intrude on areas of the sky other people are observing. It certainly wouldn't bother me for them to be in use at a public star party. ---------- From: Chuck Hards Sent: Sunday, August 10, 2003 10:11 PM To: Utah-Astro Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Green laser backlash I've read recently of a growing scorn of green laser pointers at star parties, due to their rapid proliferation and easily-seen beam. It seems that so many people are using them that other observers are beginning to speak out against them as light pollution on the field. Especially imagers & astro-photographers. I've been hankering for one of those for a long time, but if it's going to irritate people, perhaps I'd better not. Have any list members experienced this? Is this just at the large, regional star parties, or are camps pro & con forming up at the local level? Particularly would like feedback from owners & frequent users of green pointers. Thanks! Chuck __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software
participants (3)
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Chuck Hards -
Jim Stitley -
Paul Witte