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Green Lasers and Cold Nights


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Hi Folks,

I bought a green laser pen finder cradle that I have fitted to my 10" dobby and it works really well. The problem I have is that the laser quite quickly dims to the point of not being of any use whatsoever within a matter of minutes on cold nights. This is very frustrating!

I have bought a few lasers over the years and one is very good but not of the right size to fit in the cradle and all others suffer from the cold.

Has anyone else got experience of this problem? Any suggestions how I can keep the laser giong? I thought I might be able to use my handwarmer but I can't due to obstruction by the cradle the laser sits in.

Short of using a blow torch, I've rapidly run out of ideas.

Many thanks,

Mark.

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In general they do not like the cold and fade, seems to be a "normal" problem.

Tnere is supposed to be one that does not fade, I read of it on CN occasionally when people ask. The name Howie Glatter comes to mind, but really not sure, so if you can be bothered ask over on CN. If not the HG one then someone will supply the correct manufacturer.

Then comes the problem of getting one (whatever the make is) over here somehow.

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This is exactly the problem with the laser-holding brackets on the market. When it's cold the laser dies. If the idea is to use a laser for quick, casual and approximate pointing to save your neck, etc, then you can keep the laser in your pocket and simply squirt it through your finderscope as a rough estimate of where you're pointing. The finder will direct it in roughly the right direction. This brilliant idea is not mine, it was hatched by a young Belgian guest of ours, Bernd Adams, who should be immortalized for it! It s so, so useful.

Olly

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This is exactly the problem with the laser-holding brackets on the market. When it's cold the laser dies. If the idea is to use a laser for quick, casual and approximate pointing to save your neck, etc, then you can keep the laser in your pocket and simply squirt it through your finderscope as a rough estimate of where you're pointing. The finder will direct it in roughly the right direction. This brilliant idea is not mine, it was hatched by a young Belgian guest of ours, Bernd Adams, who should be immortalized for it! It s so, so useful.

Olly

That is such a great idea. I bought a right angled finderscope for the dobby a couple of months ago. I've put it back on and tried your (Bernd's) suggestion. Brilliant! I am going to go one step further and make a plastic tube to put over the eyepiece of the finder that will extend up a couple of inches so that I can place the laser in it to make life a little easier.

Thanks for your help, Olly.

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I have been experiencing the same issue. I am using the disposable hand warmers and was just rubber banding them to the laser. It was not very handy, and a good deal of the heat was lost.

I fashioned a laser "cozy" to make better use of the energy. Seems to make a nice difference.

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I have been experiencing the same issue. I am using the disposable hand warmers and was just rubber banding them to the laser. It was not very handy, and a good deal of the heat was lost.

I fashioned a laser "cozy" to make better use of the energy. Seems to make a nice difference.

I like your style :-)

My cradle is a bit more awkward than yours. I think the pointing-it-through-the-finderscope option sounds favourite at the moment. I'll give this a go and if it doesn't work out then I'll try some pipe insulation thanks.

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Probably easier to switch over to a Telrad rather than use a laser. That way you don't get issues with the cold and you don't have to worry about air traffic.

Paul

I think we have a telrad at the observatory so I'll have a look at it but being as it's a dobby I'm using I'd need the mirror too. I'd like to keep the costs down if I can.

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