Re: Paint the Moon

[brian whatcott <inet@INTELLISYS.NET>]

At 13:13 10/25/01 -0400, you wrote:
> It seems to me that a major problem with the idea (other than the
> other major problems of beam spreading and low total luminosity) is
> that hand held laser pointers do not come equipped with a sighting
> scope so they cannot be properly aimed at a target of small subtended
> angle without relying on the person holding it looking at the
> reflected beam spot to provide the necessary visual feedback so an
> accurate pointing can be converged on.
>
> David Bowman

A pointing aid which takes a minute or two to arrange requires a
plastic ball point pen, with the refill removed, so that the slender
barrel can be taped on a laser pointer. The sight is adjusted on a
nearby wall then taped securely.
The more ambitious might choose a meter stick and a bic sight at
both ends - call it a bic-stik.
 This reminded me for some reason of Tycho Brahe, whose astronomical
readings were all obtained before the telescope was available.



brian whatcott <inet@intellisys.net>  Altus OK
                Eureka!