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

["Michael P. Lindner" <mikel@worldnet.att.net>]

Bill McHale wrote:
> 
> On Thu, 9 Jul 1998, Wagner,Rick [NCR] wrote:
> 
> > You mean like a 10" or 12.5" was a big scope 20 years ago? ;-)
> 
> 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.

Ah, but the big hurdle is the weight of the assembly.  WIth composite
telescope structures and composite mirrors, we see the possibility of
meter class portable scopes.  Now, if only someone would start making
those mirror commercially!

--
Mike Lindner