Hi! Just inherited a scope, so I'm brand new to this - please be patient!

[ben83]

My name is Ben, and I'm new to SGL.

I recently acquired a Meade ETX90 from my in-laws (inherited, in a fashion). I've long been interested in photography (bacoombs.com), and now armed with this fantastic little telescope i'm itching to do some astro-photography...

I know my telescope is a reflector; what I don't know is what kind of astronomy this is suited towards. I assume that galaxies/nebulae etc require a different type of scope to planetry imaging, but I'm not sure what goes with what.

Can anyone point me in the right direction as to what sort of astroimaging I should first try?

Luckily, I know the chap behind urban-astronomy.com; i work with him! He's hooking me up with a T-mount for my canon 400d; but I don't want to be bugging him all the time (also it would be nice to show off to him!).

Any direction from SGL would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers!

Ben

[VigdisVZ]

Hi Ben, that's a nice scope you got there.

Do you have a wedge for it? Otherwise you'll get field rotation when you try long exposure. However you should definetly start out by going for the moon and Jupiter when you get the chance. That can be done very cheaply with a webcam, and stacking the frames in Registax. Your Canon will also work marvels on the moon.

First step in case you want to try your hand at deep sky /long exposure is to grab a copy of Steve Richards book "Making Every Photon Count". It's a great guide to all the basic steps.

[JamesF]

I'll second the recommendation for Steve's book. It's really the first place to start.

James

[ben83]

Hi Vigdiz,

What is a wedge and what does it do?

My friend (responsible for the website I mentioned earlier) told me about using the webcam... any suggestions? And how much is Registax?

And thanks for replying!!

Ben

[JamesF]

You can use a suitable webcam for some planetary imaging, or imaging Moon craters. Not all are really suitable though, or are only suitable if you chop them about a bit.

Registax is free, so no worries there.

James

[ronl]

Hi Ben welcome to the lounge,

good luck with the imaging, I am an observer myself so I

know nothing about A P. Enjoy!

Good Luck and Clear Sky's

[VigdisVZ]

What is a wedge and what does it do?

A normal ETX90 works in altitude-azimuth mode. It doesnt rotate on the same axis as the earth, so the image of the object will twist (field rotation). But you can convert an alt-az mount to work like an equatorial one with a wedge. This means when the sky rotates, the telescope tracking it will rotate in a similar fashion with the sky.

The setup looks like this: http://www.metropolitanskies.com/images/ETX-90.jpg

Honestly I have no idea what brands and manufacturers there are, but there should be several options.

[ben83]

You can use a suitable webcam for some planetary imaging, or imaging Moon craters. Not all are really suitable though, or are only suitable if you chop them about a bit.

Registax is free, so no worries there.

James

Cheers for that - will track it down!

[Bizibilder]

Hello Ben and welcome to SGL!!

[ben83]

A normal ETX90 works in altitude-azimuth mode. It doesnt rotate on the same axis as the earth, so the image of the object will twist (field rotation). But you can convert an alt-az mount to work like an equatorial one with a wedge. This means when the sky rotates, the telescope tracking it will rotate in a similar fashion with the sky.

The setup looks like this: http://www.metropoli...ages/ETX-90.jpg

Honestly I have no idea what brands and manufacturers there are, but there should be several options.

Ok, the tripod I have allows me to tilt the whole thing - I think maybe this would mean I don't need this? What is the camera you have attached?

[carastro]

Yes the attached photo in the last post is the ETX in polar mode (propped up by the wedge. I did some nice Moon and planetary imaging with the ETX and it is certainly a lovely scope for visual.

Carole

[michigander]

Welcome to SGL, Ben!

Dana

[VigdisVZ]

Ok, the tripod I have allows me to tilt the whole thing - I think maybe this would mean I don't need this? What is the camera you have attached?

Sorry, not my picture, just something I grabbed off the net. Maybe you have a wedge in the kit you got, any chance of you snapping a picture so we can inspect it?

[ben83]

Sorry, not my picture, just something I grabbed off the net. Maybe you have a wedge in the kit you got, any chance of you snapping a picture so we can inspect it?

Ok, will snap one tomorrow and post it back here (hopefully you could check it then?) It does say something about angling it for polar mode or terrestial mode... assume this is what Carole was alluding to?

[ronin]

How much information do you want or need to set it up and use it?

What have you got - manual ??

Did the previous people actually use it ?

How far from you do they live ?

Is the finder present and set up - can you set the finder up ?

[Chris]

Hi Ben welcome to SGL

The first image I ever took was of the Moon with an ETX90. I would also recommend Steves book that can be bought here:

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/books/making-every-photon-count-steve-richards.html

They are a lovely little scope with Maksutov-Cassegrain optics which are better suited to planetary imaging with a webcam as previously mentioned. The book will explain all and I hope you enjoy your new hobby as much as we all do

Chris

[JamesM]

Hi Ben and welcome to the forum

Clear skies

James

[JamesF]

Looks like it should be possible to put a DSLR on the back of the ETX too, which should make decent opportunities for lunar and (with a suitable filter on the front of the scope) solar imaging.

James

[Chris]

From what I remember of mine (a decade ago) it had a flip up mirror at the back so you can indeed attach a DLSR although it doesn't give a lot of room for alt adjustment. I don't know this from doing this just from what I can remember of mine. My Moon shot with this scope was afocal with a cheap Vivitar compact, I still have the pic somewhere

[ben83]

Hi - and thanks for all the welcomes!

Attached (i hope) is a photo of the top of the tripod/mount that came with it. It's not a great image but batteries in my 400D (!) were dead so had to use my phone.

(i don't know how to rotate it?! argh)

I focused the image on this dial with degrees, which is just below the mounting plate - like I said yesterday, according to the manual/some googling, this allows for 'terrestial or polar' set-ups. I assume this negates a separate wedge?

I'm going to order a copy of that book today, and hopefully not sound like such a newb soon!

Cheers all

Ben

[ronin]

That is not a Meade Tripod.

Don't like to disagree with James but attaching a DSLR is not a great idea on the ETX's, the DSLR is bulky and the fork mount gets in the way. Safest option is stuff a webcam in and image planets for now.

How much have you played with the scope so far?

[ben83]

How much information do you want or need to set it up and use it?

What have you got - manual ??

Did the previous people actually use it ?

How far from you do they live ?

Is the finder present and set up - can you set the finder up ?

It came with everything (I think!) apart from the accessories tray for the tripod! We think it may still be in their attic - have asked them to have a look. Manuals galore etc; I have checked the inventory page and it all seems here - also had a look through some of the extra componentry (eye pieces/prisms etc) - I have a PhD in physical chemistry (photophysics) with quite a lot of experience dealing with optics so it was quite familiar territory - and they were quite grubby so I gave them a light clean with some non-linting tissues and lens cleaner from my camera kit (just IPA). Also, the thread on one of the accessories seems to have worn away/been split, so I may have to get a replacement tube.

They didn't use it - it was my wife's grandad's. I have managed to get a good look at the moon out of it, and with help from another member of the family we have seen the moons of jupiter through it some years ago (and assumedly Jupiter itself), and once Saturn (could see the rings as ears on it!).

By finder, do you mean the Autostar computer? It is here, but it isn't set up - I haven't had a good clear night to do it. It works though - lights up and scrolls through the warnings about sun light etc. As I have to move it from its storage place to where I'll be using it (house is too small to leave set up) I assume I'll have to set up the tracker every time I want to use it?

My main concern is the RACKET the mount makes when moving. How noisy is the movement supposed to be? It sounds almost as if there is a problem! Anyway for me to know/check?

Cheers

Ben

[ben83]

That is not a Meade Tripod.

Don't like to disagree with James but attaching a DSLR is not a great idea on the ETX's, the DSLR is bulky and the fork mount gets in the way. Safest option is stuff a webcam in and image planets for now.

How much have you played with the scope so far?

Apparently it is - got a piece of paper labelling everything; calls it the Meade ETX Field Tripod.

Which webcam would you recommend, and how do I go about mounting this - will the book tell me? I have an old USB microscoft webcam knocking about somewhere... would that do the trick?

Cheers

Ben

[ronin]

Yep, noisy little sod.

Think it is quieter then the ETX 70, and that is smaller.

Not sure about the options but there may be the option to set Max Slew Rate, if there is change it to 8 or 80%. It is the idea of go to the next object as fast as possible that causes the real noise.

I suspect it sort of "grumbles" while it tracks the object.

On a personal preference I would set it for Alt/Az operation and have the handset, mount, base and OTA horizontal at start and the OTA aimed NORTH (get this as accurate as possible). Up to you however.

The finder is the small right angle scope that attaches to the main tube.

Oddly may be worth a fair proportion of the scope, they get lost and are difficult to replace.

Other things learnt (I have the 105) - get a 40mm eyepiece, you will want all the field of view possible when doing the alignment, even if you use the finder.

Photocopy the manual page that has the menu tree on it, that diagram is very useful to set things up.

Amazing how useful the Reset option is, mine changed mount types once and tried to ram itself into the base unit once. The mantra "When all else fails press Reset" come into it's own at times.

Not sure but if the base has a DC input get a Maplins mains converter, one of the multi end variety, about £15. I think however that there is not a DC input on that one.

[ronin]

My Meade tripods are tubular legs, the one with legs like yours was not a Meade item, it was one I picked up long time back to get me over not having a Meade tripod for the ETX 70.