finder Pointing at the target.

[8spokes]

I recently purchased a lovely set of binoculars by Orion,but while I was waiting for them to be made,I was looking at other equipment that's used by astronomical minded people,when I came across a laser pointer that was attached to the guys rifle... That gave me the idea to upgrade the 20x80s by using at weaver barrel attachment to mount a laser and a finder scope to the cross bar of the big bins tripod mount.

lol...I know laser are used on telescopes for pointing at the stars. But I haven't seen anything on attaching equipment to the big binoculars except a small finder (which was drilled into the side of his housing...crazy!).

anyway, I'm new to this and can only improve with help and advice from fellow star gazers... Clear skies all!!

[JimT]

I have not used a laser in years, it used to be attached to my telescope but with so much air craft around this area I decided to relegate it to a shelf and there it has stayed.  Looking back I don't quite know why I bought it as I did not have anyone to show what or where the target was.

Jim

[BXRO]

I have manufactured a bracket which attaches to the binoculars mounting post to which I attach a RDF, works quiet well

[8spokes]

27 minutes ago, JimT said:

I have not used a laser in years, it used to be attached to my telescope but with so much air craft around this area I decided to relegate it to a shelf and there it has stayed.  Looking back I don't quite know why I bought it as I did not have anyone to show what or where the target was.

Jim

I'll use it to align my binoculars to stars...it won't be a constant beam,just enough for my target...the chances of me hitting a pilot is pretty slim and my attitude is kind of like..."they don't own the sky!" ...sort of thing. ?

[8spokes]

33 minutes ago, BXRO said:

I have manufactured a bracket which attaches to the binoculars mounting post to which I attach a RDF, works quiet well

I just grabbed stuff off amazon...everything will fit perfectly...i hope ?

[BinocularSky]

14 hours ago, 8spokes said:

it won't be a constant beam,just enough for my target...the chances of me hitting a pilot is pretty slim and my attitude is kind of like..."they don't own the sky!" ...sort of thing. ?

For the sake of all of us, we all need to be darned careful with the use of lasers, or they'll end up getting banned. Several astronomical societies now have policies or risk assessments on this. I can make ours available if people want.

[JimT]

Well I did try and put it over in a gentle manner but a "they don't own the sky!" reply is not going to listen to reason.  I really thought this fad had died a death but obviously not.

Jim

[Davey-T]

I use an RDF on my big bin's, works perfectly, probably better than a laser pointer and you can leave it on continuously, don't think keep turning a pointer on and off is really practical.

Dave

[clarkpm4242]

Big fan of unit power finders.  Red dot, Telrad, Rigel etc.

Much less intrusive than lasers.

Have them for all my scopes & binoculars.

Paul

[8spokes]

careful is my real name ? I have no intention on creating trouble for myself or anyone else... It's more of a show for those around me that have no clue what's up there,maybe it will interest them in astronomy? Who knows.

[8spokes]

2 hours ago, clarkpm4242 said:

Big fan of unit power finders.  Red dot, Telrad, Rigel etc.

Much less intrusive than lasers.

Have them for all my scopes & binoculars.

Paul

ive got a scope finder that would be more at home on a AR-15...but will do the trick. I'm just having fun with what I can afford really.

[JimT]

8spokes, I do understand what you are trying to do, it was the intention to do the same when the lasers first came out but they ended up with a bad name and people shied away from them.

Jim

[8spokes]

15 minutes ago, JimT said:

8spokes, I do understand what you are trying to do, it was the intention to do the same when the lasers first came out but they ended up with a bad name and people shied away from them.

Jim

I remember it all in the news when kids had a hold of them and was hitting pilots,and at football matches blinding the goalie... It's a good job I'm sensible enough not to do such a thing. I'm more worried about the trend of calling a guy a perve for having his binoculars out ?

[trynda1701]

I'd only recently read of people using laser pointers on their scopes on a thread on Cloudy Nights, where people were talking about different mods made to their One Sky 130mm reflector (the US version of the Heritage 130P Flexitube), and remember thinking "is that legal?"

 

With all the fuss in the past of people misusing them, and just the simple fact of living between two major airports, plus under a Transatlantic flightpath, meaning extra care needs to be taken. It just makes it not worth the hassle.

 

Mark

[clarkpm4242]

Another aspect is that they are unnecessary light pollution.  Difficult to ask a neighbour to control their lighting when you keep flashing and waving a laser about the sky.

A great educational tool but otherwise, maybe not.

Cheers

[Paul73]

On 26 January 2017 at 21:42, 8spokes said:

I'll use it to align my binoculars to stars...it won't be a constant beam,just enough for my target...the chances of me hitting a pilot is pretty slim and my attitude is kind of like..."they don't own the sky!" ...sort of thing. ?

 

I nearly fired off a proper snotorant. But then saw the emoji? Boy do they help with tone! ? 

Laser pointers are useful for public events, or for those whose physical limitations prevent them from using more responsible pointing aids. Then great care will be taken in their use.

Otherwise, Red Dot Finders or TelRads type devices will do the same job. I have had a laser pointer hit my screen. It is painfull, disorienting and people are quite rightly prosecuted.

Paul

[JOC]

My Ex pointed me at an app. called Sky Map (he described it as the 'old' Goggle Sky).  On my phone, if I hold it up to the sky, it seems to know where it is pointed and near enough appears to overlay the stars on the sky with those on the screen as it is held up.  Now I know such a thing would not be an option for the OP with a set of binoculars, but for demo purposes I wonder if mobile phone holding brackets could be added to some big telescopes to hold such overlay displays from apps.  it might help show people on the ground where the telescope is pointing?  I haven't had the chance to use it on a fine night yet, but I'm going try waving my own version at the sky next time just to check that I've got Polaris absolutely right.  This is maybe a complete 'off the wall' idea, but 'hey, I'm an ideas person!'.

[Damo636]

Biggest problem I found with the laser pointer is that it didn't like the cold much. I tried one out on my 20x110 but after a while it refused to work until warmed up in my pocket again! Ditched it in favor of a Rigel Quickfinder.

[8spokes]

5 hours ago, clarkpm4242 said:

Another aspect is that they are unnecessary light pollution.  Difficult to ask a neighbour to control their lighting when you keep flashing and waving a laser about the sky.

A great educational tool but otherwise, maybe not.

Cheers

I'm beginning to feel like there's alot of worried people in this forum...what's the problem with it? I've no intention of pointing at people,animals or machinery. And as for my neighbours,they don't even speak English,so even if they came out moaning,I couldn't understand them anyway. All in all, I'm just having fun with what I have. Thanks.

[8spokes]

3 hours ago, Paul73 said:

 

Unbelievable!!!

Laser pointers are useful for public events, or for those whose physical limitations prevent them from using more responsible pointing aids. Then great care will be taken in their use.

Otherwise, Red Dot Finders or TelRads type devices will do the same job. I have had a laser pointer hit my screen. It is painfull, disorienting and people are quite rightly prosecuted.

Learn to use your telescope !!

Pau

lol...got big bins lad. ?

[Paul73]

G

33 minutes ago, 8spokes said:

lol...got big bins lad. ?

Two telescopes!!!

[8spokes]

48 minutes ago, Paul73 said:

G

Two telescopes!!!

LOL ?

[LukeSkywatcher]

I bought a green laser pointer a few yrs ago......."just because". I thought i'd have some fun with my dog, driving her nuts by getting her chasing the light around the place. Turns out dogs are not as easily amused as cats.

Cant even remember where the pointer is now.

P.S.~as a pointer for a scope or bins they are not ideal (in winter anyway) because the batteries really do not like the cold and die quickly. 

[trynda1701]

Out of curiosity, I have to ask this question. How obvious is a beam from the typical laser pointers people are using on scopes? The reason I ask, is as 8sokes said above, some neighbours find it odd when they see someone out at night with binoculars, so I have to think that it's even more odd there is a flashing red/green dot in a nearby garden, or even an obvious red or green beam flashing skywards!

 

I find I'm self conscious enough when out in the garden behind a seven foot tall solid fence on a cold night, holding my breath as the late night revelers head home from the nearest watering hole and walk directly past our garden. I just think if a beam is visible ( I thought at their low power, it would only show up through your cold breath, can anyone correct me if I'm wrong about this!), you are more than likely to attract attention. Reveler (good natured or otherwise) or the local constabulary, that is one conversation I never plan to have!

 

Mark

[LukeSkywatcher]

15 hours ago, 8spokes said:

I'm beginning to feel like there's alot of worried people in this forum...what's the problem with it? I've no intention of pointing at people,animals or machinery. And as for my neighbours,they don't even speak English,so even if they came out moaning,I couldn't understand them anyway. All in all, I'm just having fun with what I have. Thanks.

I feel the need to strongly disagree/contend with this comment (on one level).

I'll leave it there.