Laser Telescope

[Beerman411]

I am not a Physicist so I am curious if it would be possible to view a distant planet through a laser beam?  I was just thinking how light travels through a piece of fiber optic wire and wondered if the same principle could be used?

 

[MeteorWayne]

Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>I am not a Physicist so I am curious if it would be possible to view a distant planet through a laser beam?&nbsp; I was just thinking how light travels through a piece of fiber optic wire and wondered if the same principle could be used? <br />Posted by Beerman411</DIV><br /><br />Not sure what you are asking. A laser is outgoing electromagnetic radiation. A telescope sees&nbsp;electromagnetic radiation coming at us. A distant planet is already illuminated by it's parent star. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[vogon13]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Not sure what you are asking. A laser is outgoing electromagnetic radiation. A telescope sees&nbsp;electromagnetic radiation coming at us. A distant planet is already illuminated by it's parent star. <br /> Posted by MeteorWayne</DIV></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>I am not sure what the poster is getting at, but something like this would be interesting to try;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Take a laser pointer, and scan a distant object with a raster pattern.&nbsp; Watch the scanning of the object with a lens/photocell combination, and arrange for the pixel size equivalent of the photocell gadget to be vastly larger than the diameter of the beam impinging on the target.</p><p>&nbsp;(assume we do this in the dark, BTW) </p><p>Record the brightness of the beam as it scans the target, and then convert the point by point brightness levels back into a picture.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>It seems this scheme would generate a recognizable photo of an object with an optical reception arrangement of vastly lower resolution than you paid for.&nbsp; (save big $$)</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>How does this help us ??</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>If the laser spot was visible from ~50 miles away, one could, in theory make photos of small regions on the lunar dark side (for instance) from orbit.&nbsp; This might be how we get a picture of a potential landing site in a permanently shadowed polar crater.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Refinements of the technique might employ a tunable laser for color pictures. Maybe someday someone uses an IR variation of this to image Huygens on Titan . . .</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Interesting&nbsp; . . .&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff0000"><strong>TPTB went to Dallas and all I got was Plucked !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#339966"><strong>So many people, so few recipes !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>Let's clean up this stinkhole !!</strong></font> </p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>&nbsp;I am not sure what the poster is getting at, but something like this would be interesting to try;&nbsp;Take a laser pointer, and scan a distant object with a raster pattern.&nbsp; Watch the scanning of the object with a lens/photocell combination, and arrange for the pixel size equivalent of the photocell gadget to be vastly larger than the diameter of the beam impinging on the target.&nbsp;(assume we do this in the dark, BTW) Record the brightness of the beam as it scans the target, and then convert the point by point brightness levels back into a picture.&nbsp;It seems this scheme would generate a recognizable photo of an object with an optical reception arrangement of vastly lower resolution than you paid for.&nbsp; (save big $$)&nbsp;How does this help us ??&nbsp;If the laser spot was visible from ~50 miles away, one could, in theory make photos of small regions on the lunar dark side (for instance) from orbit.&nbsp; This might be how we get a picture of a potential landing site in a permanently shadowed polar crater.&nbsp;Refinements of the technique might employ a tunable laser for color pictures. Maybe someday someone uses an IR variation of this to image Huygens on Titan . . .&nbsp;Interesting&nbsp; . . .&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <br />Posted by vogon13</DIV><br /><br />That is pretty much exactly how laser altimetry works on earth as well as on Mars (and I believe the moon).</p><p>IIRC, it has also been used as a transport method on a few Outer Limits episodes and "My Stepmother is an Alien" </p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[why06]

Sorry dude guess someone's already claimed that idea :/ <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div>________________________________________ <br /></div><div><ul><li><font color="#008000"><em>your move...</em></font></li></ul></div> </div>