5 ms·

I always wondered how lasers could be precisely aimed by hand at the distance a typical plane flies given it is a moving target.

• stephengillie 11y ago
  It's the same math as circle-strafing, just reversed. Since the plane is moving relative to you, it's the plane's transverse velocity against your rotation rate and accuracy. Basically it's 2 questions: - Can you turn your wrist faster than the plane can fly? - Can you hold your hand extremely steady?
  • pkaye 11y ago
    At the typical distance and speed of a flying plane and size/angle of cockpit window and obstruction of nose, what is the arc-seconds of accuracy needed to target the window?
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  • JulianMorrison 11y ago
    Because the laser has a very narrow beam, no, you can't hold it steady enough for a deliberate aim, but, you can end up wiggling it around enough over the targeted area, that one or more glints get in someone's eye, and a laser can harm an eye with an instant's exposure.
  • ascorbic 11y ago
    I love the fact* that it is theoretically possible to move the dot from a laser pointer faster than the speed of light, as it carries no information. *Please correct me if I'm wrong. IANAP
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