Basic Ideas for Very Large Aperture Telescopes the case for continuing groundbased astronomy
Goals
- Establish a framework for discussing the science case for a Very or Extremely Large Aperture Telescope
- Examine the challenges for 8m - 10m groundbased telescopes in an “NGST era”
- Look at how a 21st Century groundbased telescope could extend and compliment the capabilities of an 8m NGST
- Highlight some of the very real technical and cost-benefit challenges that have to be overcome
- Make the case, that in an NGST era, with our current science interests, a groundbased 30m - 50m telescope is the necessary (if somewhat daunting) “next step”