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Mirror rattling around in Meade ETX90EC tube


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I bought a used Meade ETX90EC a couple months ago. It's history is unknown. I bought it from a friend of the family, who bought it from an estate sale.

The first couple nights using it were uneventful. I figured out how to use it well enough that I could spot a handful of the major stars and was pretty happy about that.

There has always been a rattling inside the main tube that I worried about, which has now revealed itself to be the little mirror in the photo. I pulled it out through the eyepiece hole with a pair of tweezers. The mirror is in the round lens cover and is about 1.5" x 1.0", with one side silvered and both sides heavily scratched. Can anyone identify it and clue me in what purpose it serves? And whether it actually belongs inside the tube somewhere?

I've been wanting to try the telescope a since I was able to extract it, but I keep getting side tracked with other things.

Thanks for any insight.

IMG_8850Hmmm, image didn't show up originally, let's try this

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Hi Mike. Looks like the flip mirror in the back part of your ETX has become detached.

It's purpose is to allow the image to be directed 90 degrees to the eyepiece port, or

flipped out of the light path and straight through the rear port (the cap at the back unscrews) to allow a camera to be attached.

Options -

1. Contact Meade or dealer for repair.

2. DIY fix, lots of ETX info here - Weasner's Meade ETX/DS TechTips

( The mirror is glued to its mounting )

3. You can obtain an adaptor that screws to the rear port that allows the use of a star diagonal that will take eyepieces. No need for the flip mirror then, just use the

flip mirror control to move the mirror mount out of the light path.

HTH, Ed.

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Well, I found a brand new ETX90EC online for a good price and ordered it. I'll be able to use that and some of the extra eyepieces and better GoTo controller from the used one until I can get it fixed up. I'm not exactly sure what I'll do with two, but I have a good idea what I can do with one that is working correctly.

If I don't find a good use for the (repaired) one at home, I'm sure one of the local schools would enjoy the donation. Any other, better ideas?

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