However, a report has come in from the Shoalhaven Astronomical Society that the Society Laird of telescope design and construction, Eugene McConnor, has made a significant technological breakthrough.
Having noted the increasing use of multiple mirror telescopes by the great observatories of the world as a means of achieving hitherto unattainable light-gathering power, Eugene explored ways and means by which amateurs could get a piece of this type of action.
Recognising the technical difficulties in choreographing a whole nest of mirrors in a backyard telescope, he reasoned that something simpler like “extending” your main mirror might somehow be possible. Long days and nights of experimentation in his garage and backyard later, Eugene was finally ready to trial the new “Extendascope”.
He had taken a 15” diameter sheet of aluminium foil and baked it at 350°C in a pottery oven along with a small bowl of commemorative polymer for one hour, after which the foil's exposed upper surface had been impregnated by the polymer.
Using regular oven mits, he then removed the foil from the oven and carefully centred and laid the disc of foil on the surface of a 10” f/6 mirror and found that, when the foil had cooled to below 100°C, the outer fringe adopted the memory of the same curvature as the inner 10 inches, making it in effect a rather thin 15” f/4 mirror.
Fortunately, when the central 10 inches was supported by the underlying mirror, the outer fringe retained amazing stiffness, while electrostatic attraction kept the two aluminised surfaces in close and permanent contact, thus producing a very usable 15” mirror.
Society members have nominated Eugene for the Society's Bronze Medallion, and plan to display the finished telescope at the 2009 South Pacific Star Party, while the society has received an approach from Coprolite Optics Ltd for marketing rights of a modified version of Eugene's invention.
Early in March 2009, the Eugene's 15” f/4 Extendascope had revealed 6 tails in Comet Lulin and 12 stars in the Trapezium.
Who knows what lies ahead?