How do you stop laser pointers from freezing up?

[zainraza]

Been having clear nights most of the week but after a few seconds of the cold the laser just gives out and is nothing more than a small point, any way to keep it from doing that?

[mallorcasaint]

Wrap it in bubble wrap!

[Tinker1947]

Maybe a new battery....

[Telrad]

Tinker, you might be right - try with brand new batteries and see if it works?

[Bart]

I bought a cheap laser and though it isn't great, I bought some good rechargeable batteries and once charged, they allow the laser to get nice and bright. The cold weather is not good for them though, they must be kept warm, in a pocket or similar. If they're out in the open, I don't think they'll perform well.

Bart

[Telrad]

I bought a cheap laser and though it isn't great, I bought some good rechargeable batteries and once charged, they allow the laser to get nice and bright. The cold weather is not good for them though, they must be kept warm, in a pocket or similar. If they're out in the open, I don't think they'll perform well.

Bart

Bart, that's the best thing I agree. New batteries and prehaps wrapping it up like mallorcasaint suggests. It should allow it to function better zainraza.

[Tinker1947]

Rechargeable are 1.2 Volts, Duracells are 1.5 Volts, i would go with the Duracells for some out in the cold.

[ChrisThePuma]

sorry - excuse my ignorance - what's the laser pointer for?

[umadog]

Some people use laser pointers as a finder. You can place them in brackets and align them as you would a red-dot finder. The advantages are that if you have a short scope you don't have to crane your neck to awkward angles, and you can easily show others what you're pointing at (great for outreach). The disadvantages are that they cease working in the cold (as far as I know this isn't battery dependent), batteries last less long than conventional finders, and that you observing partners may be unhappy with their use if you're somewhere dark: they are banned in some locations for astrophotography reasons, dark adaptation reasons (if it's very dark, they're a pain), or airplane reasons.

[LukeSkywatcher]

These things hate the cold. If i use mine for any reason i usually stick it under my arm for a couple of mins to let it get warm.

[zainraza]

Thanks for the feedback, I doubt its batteries since I've bought it recently and once I bring it back inside its fine

Will need to find something decent to wrap it up in me thinks