AAS 195th Meeting, January 2000
Session 122. Small, Networked and Robotic Telescopes
Special Session Oral, Saturday, January 15, 2000, 10:00-11:30am, Regency VI

[Previous] | [Session 122] | [Next]


[122.06] Some Thoughts on the Future of Small Telescopes in the Age of `Big Glass'

T.D. Oswalt (NSF)

At the dawn of the new millenium the small (< 2-m) telescopes at national facilities and many of those operated by universities or private individuals face an uncertain future. Ironically, many of these facilities could enter the 21st century as state-of-the-art resources for research and educational projects through relatively modest investments in off-the-shelf technology and the willingness of primary users to assume a larger role in their facilities� operation and funding. Here we outline some of the reasons why and how these smaller telescopes should play an increasing rather than decreasing role in the era of 8-m class telescopes.


The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: toswalt@nsf.gov

[Previous] | [Session 122] | [Next]