Astrophotography with DPSS 5mW Green Laser Pointer

Just a couple of nights ago, I realized I could actually put the newly acquired DPSS 5 mW green laser pointer to good use. Since it is not a toy and I am not in a teaching position to be using any laser pointers in any presentations, I might as well use it with photography as I have much interests in both star-gazing and photography. (NOTE: Never point lasers at drivers or pilots or cyclists or anyone manning a vehicle or machine! You can be criminally liable for their mishaps that could result in loss of life (-ives)!

No lights were switched on and the room I was in was totally in darkness. The laser beams were captured with a 4-6 secs of exposure at f/5.6 with a Canon 350D. I was holding the pointer, hence the multiple streaky beams. Too bad they're not light sabres from Star Wars!

Because it is dangerous to look into laser beams directly, I wanted to take pictures of them just to look at the bright and powerful beams... to study laser behaviors too... for the heck of it.

Atfer much fooling around, I realized something. An idea. I thought to myself "why don't I just stop shooting the laser beams (I mean, how much more interesting can they get after twenty shots?), and start shooting the night skies?! Below are the results.

Intensity of the beam #1: Experimenting refractions and reflections of laser beams. In layman's term, I was making a laser show of my own!

Intensity of the beam #2: Got all excited with the artistic results when the beam was reflected off the mirror 4 times against another mirror.

Intensity of the beam #3: My excitement levels gradually diminishes as I began to realize how dangerous it could have been had I accidently beamed into my eyes! It could cause temporary blindness -- scotoma.

Intensity of the beam #4 and then an idea struck me.

Wielded the laser pointer onto the shaft of my Canon EF 70-300mm IS USM lens to act as guide. This picture is the first to illustrate my idea and I think I can say it was a success!

After much trial and errors, I have managed to re-adjust and re-positioned the laser pointer and began shooting some stars (and the constellations). The laser saves me from neck pains. No more squattings and tilted heads just to look through the viewfinder to shoot a particular area or star!