Cloud investigations

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

As the pesky things have taken up permanent residence and I have a profound urge to shoot them, I thought I might get by just by doing it in the photographic sense of the word. Here are the plans, not even half baked, but its not something I know a lot about yet.

Plan A

Green laser strapped onto the 'scope piggy - back style. A high Mag. image should show the cloud range by parallax. A long distance cloud should put the laser dot closer to the CCD centre than a closer cloud. This way I can measure the cloud heights.

Plan B

Same green laser setup, but the camera has a prism in front of it. Using this kit I can measure the velocity of the cloud along the laser / scope axis as the dot will move according to the redshift of the cloud. This might not be readily noticeable, or at least thats what I anticipate, as the clouds are not moving anywhere close to the speed of light. I don't think they are moving at all, but it might be nice to see that they are, in fact, moving.

Any jokes, comments, Plans C through Z, derisive comments etc. would be welcomed.

Kaptain Klevtsov

[legion48]

My advice is to leave the darn things alone. Pay them the slightest attention and they may never go away. Don't embiggen them!

[George]

For static clouds a bigger laser might just burn a hole thru to enable viewing

[AstroTiger]

if you really want to do something useful, nevermind the height, speed (velocity) of the dam things.

Invent a giant fan to blow them away!

AT

[Vega]

Giant dehumidifier attatched to giant hoover and VERY LONG suction tube ?