  Astronomical images and datasets are increasingly high-resolution and
multi-dimensional. The vast majority of astronomers perform all of their
visualisation and analysis tasks on low-resolution, two-dimensional desktop
monitors. If there were no technological barriers to designing the ultimate
stereoscopic display for astronomy, what would it look like? What capabilities
would we require of our compute hardware to drive it? And are existing
technologies even close to providing a true 3D experience that is compatible
with the depth resolution of human stereoscopic vision? We consider the CAVE2
(an 80 Megapixel, hybrid 2D and 3D virtual reality environment directly
integrated with a 100 Tflop/s GPU-powered supercomputer) and the Oculus Rift (a
low- cost, head-mounted display) as examples at opposite financial ends of the
immersive display spectrum.
