Re: ATM Astronomy Club's Choice: Big DOB or CCD?

[Bill McHale <wmchal1@umbc.edu>]

On Thu, 9 Jul 1998, Wagner,Rick [NCR] wrote:

> 
> You mean like a 10" or 12.5" was a big scope 20 years ago? ;-)  But yes
> I agree - a large dobsonian to start with and in a few years upgrade to
> alt-az tracking is the way I would recommend to go.  The smaller scope
> with a CCD can really only be used by one person at a time, doesn't
> bring people together for observing, is limited as to what it can do -
> for instance novices will be unlikely to ever use it.  The dob can
> always have CCD added later, or members supply their own. 
>

Ah, but that jump in size was prompted by the Dobsonian Revolution.  If we
were still mounting all scopes on Equatorial Mounts things likely would
have stayed much the same.  I think it is a fairly safe bet that a 20" or
24" scope will remain a large scope for some time to come.
 
> Unfortunately, I haven't seen CCDs getting much cheaper.  The ST-6 has
> been out for years and I don't think has dropped in price at all.  In
> general they seem to increasing in capability but not coming down in
> price - much like computers though much more slowly.  I sure hope you're
> right and they will drop - I would like to be able to afford one...
> someday.

Well the problem with CCD's is that they are a rather specialized device,
particularly the black and white ones.  Though as Digital Camera's are
gaining in popularity, there is a chance that something will shake up the
world of electronic immaging in Astronomy.

BTW Computer have come down considerably in price, 10 years ago a top of
the line PC cost $10,000 and was a 386 running at 25 Mhz.  Today a top of
the line machine is a Pentium II running at 400 Mhz and costs $3000, and
you can 300 Mhz machines for under $1500, and Pentiums for under $1000.


Bill

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