Green Laser Pointers: A call to common sense...

Jan 15, 2005

Recently, one person in the Northeast was arrested for pointing his new green laser pointer (GLP) at a plane while on approach at an international airport.  Because of the heightened security surrounding the possible usage of GLPs by terrorists, such arrests will likely become common place if lasers are misused, whether intentionally or by accident.

Of course, it was no accident in the case of the aforementioned incident.  After the arrest, the alleged airplane “flasher” first gave the excuse that he was just showing the stars to his daughter.  (!)

Now, those who have GLPs know that it’s not an easy thing to hit a target at the farthest range of the laser, which is normally between 5000 to 10,000 feet for the typical 5mw GLP.  Of course, for the astronomer, the GLP finds its value as a teaching tool to show others objects in the night sky.  However, when the person gets arrested for hitting a plane AS IT’S LANDING and then says he was just showing his daughter the stars, well…kinda gives astronomers a bad rap!

There have been other reports by airplane pilots being flashed while behind the controls of aircraft while at altitude, but I’ll bet you serious cash that all these events happened the first time somebody took their new GLP outdoors. Heck, I’ll admit it! The Azle, TX, watertower looked pretty cool when I nailed it from my home on “first light” night with the laser!

It’s human nature to try to paint everything that moves with it, until of course common sense kicks in.

Lasers can be “improved” from their normal 5mw outputs and purchased from certain vendors.  Mine is 19mw and it’s clearly a nice, bright laser.  Because public observing and teaching the sky is so important to me, it’s the greatest teaching tool I have. But still, although the laser is brighter than normal, people would have a difficult time seeing it unless they were in close proximity.

But ALL of us can see a mag -2 plane blinking across the night sky, and if we can’t, then perhaps astronomy isn’t the best hobby for us!  However, it doesn’t take much effort to make sure that we don’t intentionally aim at an airplane.  Chances are almost zilch that pilots will get hit by laser fire if our GLPs are used responsibly.  Heck, you’d have to be darn good to hit such a moving target on purpose.  But let’s not be careless with our laser tools!

Be courteous of others, especially those we are observing with who might have a problem with them.  Our eyes are important to us!  So, this is a call for the responsible use of GLPs.  If they get banned, let it be because of real terrorists or certain stupid idiots who live by airports, not because of astronomers.