Is it possible to use high-powered lasers to project video games onto the bottoms of clouds?

Answer 1

Not really. There are several technical issues that would make the whole thing not worth while.

1. Dispersion. Lasers, like all light, diverge as they move away from the source. You can put a lens in front of the beam to reduce this, but at the altitude of clouds -- which is several thousand feet, typically -- this becomes a huge issue.

2. Image. Video games are, well, video. That means three colors in each pixel, each color balanced to typically 1 part in 256. No laser light show out there works this way. The laser light shows in stadiums can have three colors, and the mirrors do a great job of bouncing the beam around to make pretty shapes. But they don't scan a whole rectangle of pixels, and they don't modulate the intensity of the beam. You need something like a video projector to do that. The good news is, there are video projectors on the market. The bad news is below ...

3. Focus & shadowing. Clouds are not projection screens, and are not flat. So if you dump the laser idea bought a video projector instead, and projected the image upward, you would find that parts of the image would be shadowed by parts of clouds in the foreground. Also, since parts of the clouds are at different distances from the projection lens, parts of the image would inevitably be out of focus, and you couldn't correct that unless you put other parts of the image out of focus.

4. Image brightness. Clouds are, like I said, several thousand feet high. That means that your actual projected image would be several thousand feet across. It takes a HUGE amount of light to illuminate an area that size. (Think football field at night, and multiply by ten.) Good news: there are projectors on the market that just might actually work to do this, at the limit of visibility, if the clouds are particularly low. Bad news: such large projectors cost over $100,000.

In spite of all this, some people have used video projectors to make ultra-huge game-playing screens across a whole wall, for example, when the wall is flat and painted white. It's pretty cool, but you MUST pay attention to the light output of your projector, and size it correctly to the size of your screen. Otherwise the image will be too dim to view.

Answer 2

Yes, it is very possible. There is even commercial-grade equipment 'out there' right now that can do it -- this equipment is used for laser light shows in large stadiums and auditoriums. This equipment could easily be adapted to point to the sky (clouds) for simple video games. But, like the guy above says, it would be illlegal.

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Answer 3

It is possible, however, projecting laser beams into the sky is against FAA laws. You could be subject to penalties, sans 9/11 laws in place. It would be fun, but dangerous and against the law.

Answer 4

Dont you remember the guy who was pointing a green laser at a helicopter and was in severe trouble not only with the FAA but the FBI as well? I wouldnt think of it. They found him, they will find you.

Answer 5

Atheists are actually not "averse" to the belief of god, we purely don't sense the would desire to have faith in god devoid of a few form of info. we are actually not "averse" to the belief of a more suitable ability, purely the belief of gods interior the sense that maximum religions carry. Given the dimensions of the observable universe it form of feels surprisingly probable that we are actually not the only existence. That being the case and Earth being an exceedingly youthful planet, there may be existence obtainable whose mind and powers are, by ability of our standards, god like. that does no longer lead them to deities as would be understood by ability of any faith i.e. it form of feels no longer likely that they might pay attention to or answer our prayers, are actually not creators of this universe and actual did no longer make womankind out of a guy's rib. the belief of a mystical writer and protector presented convenience to those that did no longer understand the way the universe operates. we've a greater ideal understand-how now of the universe (regardless of the actuality that it truly is lots from finished) and the will for a god to describe why stones fall to the floor or seasons come and pass is as out of date through fact the will for a greater ideal form of stone arrowhead to seek our food.

Answer 6

Actually, high power would not really be needed. The dispersion of the beam to create the image would be the factor that determines the amount of power that you need.

Answer 7

No, because the lasers would go straight thru
to the moon and the kids would say, "look
mommy, what are they doing NOW on the
moon.

Answer 8

Yes, and you can pull some realy cool UFO hoaxes that way too.