[Rob_K]

Oh for a crystal ball…….

I think amateur astronomy will prosper as the night sky will always be a source of wonder, but light pollution will continue to make inroads into people’s enjoyment. Clubs/forums will also prosper, as humans require this form of social interaction – it’s more than just astronomy.

Two things I do see in the not too distant future though – cheap large mirrors made of new materials that can be accurately cast, taking away the need for glass & grinding. And astonishing viewing (and imaging) created by linking large amateur scopes across the world to form arrays, acting as a vast ‘interferometers’ aided by improved enhancement techniques. This will be the point where astronomy science will actually become reliant on amateur networks for a significant percentage of their data…….

Or not!

Cheers -