Lasers, in particular, those used as Astronomy Laser Pointers, have been rapidly developing over the past several decades. What used to be reserved to observatories as large boxed units requiring high levels of maintenance, power consumption, and cooling equipment, is now available in convenient and portable hand held form.
1. What is the brightest laser color frequency?
Lasers emit light measured in frequencies based on the wavelength of light called nanometers (nM). Within the visible light spectrum, 532nm green is the brightest laser color at the same output power. Meaning that 100mW coming from a green laser pointer will be up to 7X-10X brighter than 100mW of any other laser color, including red, blue, violet, and yellow.
2. What are good output powers to use for astronomy lasers?
Typically, you’d want to use something that is roughly 50mW or higher, most especially if you’re using a color that is not green. The higher the output power the more visible your laser beam will be, without need for fog, smoke, or moisture in the air.
3. Can I mount a laser pointer to my telescope?
There are a variety of different ways star gazers and astronomers, both professional and amateur, mount their astronomy laser pointers to their telescopes. It will depend mostly on the laser model you’re working with as well as the telescope model you’re working with. Anything from a designed mount to a crudely developed home made mount will work out fine.
If you’re looking to buy astronomy lasers, it’s important to do some research into the best laser brand, output power, and laser beam color for your needs specifically. Search the web, read reviews, and find the right laser provider for your specific needs.