RE: ATM Re update of web page, 32" dob

["Andersen, Clark R." <clanders@utmb.edu>]

That's a nifty idea :)  How about a binocular telescope based on a pair of
F/5000 mirrors spaced 10 kilometers apart (easily achievable in the mountain
states)... might be enough to give a 3D perspective on the moon.  Of course
the trick to increasing resolution seems to be interferometry; I doubt that
there would be any improvement in binocular format beyond depth perception,
perhaps monocular style (multiple mirrors with a common focus) would
benefit, but then there's the calibration and stabilization issues; probably
best tried from the moon or in orbit.

Around 15 years ago I experimented with terrestrial stereo photography:  I
used my 6" scope to take a picture of a cave ten miles away, then moved
about a hundred feet to the side and took a second picture.  The pictures
through 10 miles of air of a region about 20 feet across were a bit fuzzy,
but as a stereo pair there was still a distinct 3D effect (bushes & rocks
stood out clearly).  The moon would be a bit trickier I think :)

Clark

>Binoscopes also reflect one of the more recent pursuits in `big time
>astronomy' -- the combination of multiple scopes into arrays that gain
>resolution from their separation distance.

>A binocular scope achieves the difficult interferometric combination
>in the viewers brain, rather than by more costly and difficult means.

>I wonder what amount of additional separation between the two primaries
>is necessary to achieve a noticeable gain in resolution.