[ATM] Time for a "new standard" ATM telescope project?

[Gil McFarlane <gilboastro@yahoo.com>]

I have been thinking for some time about ways to
spread the experience of ATM.  I have settled on the
thought that a new standard telescope project might be
needed.

The ubiquitous 6" f8 telescope project of years past
had the following positive attributes:  1) there were
many examples to see at any club, 2) it was easy to
find plans, 3) it could be built without extraordinary
mechanical knowledge 4) it did not require a machine
shop (lathe and mill), 5) it was an excellent all
purpose telescope 6) and it could be built for a
fraction of buying one new.  

The Dobsonian era brought a basic telescope plan that
met these same criteria - even the last one about cost
if you compared your scope to manufactured ones with
quality optics.  The Dobsonian has been a very
successful ATM design and I suspect it is still the
primary telescope made by amateurs.  I expect there
will continue to be many Dobsonians built for many
decades to come.

The advent of digital imaging, however, has created a
demand for a type of telescope system for which most
amateurs must go to a manufacturer to obtain:
1.  Wide flat field optical system.  (Thus the many
small APO scopes showing up - even one at my house -
ACK!)
2.  Precision Equatorial mount.
3.  Auto-tracking.

Currently putting this together costs at least 2,000
and easily soars to 5,000+.  (Otherwise known as "what
I pay for my cars.")

If we could collectively (or with good natured
competition) produce a set of detailed plans that
would leave a mildly skilled but highly motivated
amateur with such a scope while having the qualities
mentioned above (1-6), economics alone might bring
people into the hobby.  Plus, it might be fun to see
the best way to do it!

What do you think?

- Gil
Ventura, CA



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