Guy at the star party killed the vibe with his laser pointer

Last month at the dark sky site near Marfa, this one dude kept pointing his green laser at satellites saying they ruined his photos. He even scanned across a nearby scope while someone was stacking 30-second exposures. Can we just agree to keep lasers off the tripod cameras?

3 comments

3 Comments

oliverhernandez6d ago

Guy sounds like a real piece of work. I once accidentally knocked over my own tripod while fumbling for a red flashlight, sent my camera crashing into the dirt. Ended up spending the next hour trying to figure out if my lens was scratched or if it was just dirt. At least I only embarrassed myself that night, not scanning folks' scopes with a laser.

jamie9406d ago

is it really that big of a deal though? i mean yeah it's annoying but people get way too worked up over stuff at star parties. one guy with a laser ain't gonna ruin your whole night.

gibson.avery6d ago

A fellow at my local club once spent twenty minutes setting up his brand new telescope, only to have someone walk by with a red flashlight and shine it directly into the eyepiece. That one little moment wiped out a half hour of dark adaptation for everyone nearby. It's not about one guy with a laser, it's about the chain reaction that follows. People start muttering, others pack up early, and before you know it the whole energy of the night is shot. A star party is a fragile thing, built on patience and darkness. One careless moment can undo hours of work for a dozen people.