With all of the advances that have been seen over the last year in the laser pointer field, its no surprise that as the weather gets warmer and more astronomy fans take to the outdoors, we see sales and improvements in various laser selections. If you are new to lasers or have been a seasoned pointer veteran, there are a lot of new things to be excited about when it comes to finding the best laser pointer you can buy.
No longer are we reduced to choosing from a few cheap laser pointers that tend to lack any type of real practicality, either the diodes burn out too fast, the beam is split, or they just plain old are a shoddy design. Today’s best laser pointers are available in a variety of different colors and output powers, from low power to high power, and if you know where to look you can find the best technology for great prices online. If you don’t have any laser experience, the trick is to do a little bit of research on any model before you decide to buy it. This does not mean spending hours online or in your local library, but simply a quick search on the model or power of the laser and see if it will meet your specific needs.
Because most of us don’t need military grade lasers that can be mounted to our weaponry, you’ll probably want something that is both portable as well as relatively powerful to produce a solid beam of laser light that can be used ideally for many applications including star gazing. So how can you determine what laser color (frequency) or power (mW) should you go for? Well, it can be a pretty simple choice. Green lasers produce a vibrant beam of light at a frequency of 532nm and will appear the brightest to the human eye, making them extremely popular for just about any application. The strength of the laser will have a bit more of a factor once you determine which color you prefer, an average 5mW green laser pointer is ok for night time use but will lack the strength to really see the entire beam. If you want to be able to see the entire beam of laser light you’ll want something around 40mW or higher, and if you want to take it a step further and have some burning capabilities you’ll want around 100mW or more.
Keeping safety measures in mind, like never aiming at any aircraft, people or animals, you can have a great time with just about any practical laser pointer you decide to buy. Remember that a few minutes of research can save you from a poorly designed laser and allow you to find the best laser value for the lowest price online. It doesn’t hurt to ask questions either, if you have a specific question ask the laser provider. This not only answers your questions but lets you know that you’re dealing with a legitimate laser retailer as well. Make the most of your laser pointer and enjoy the warmer weather with a new piece of hand held laser technology.
Laser pointers for astronomy