Comments Invited

[Top Cat]

Dear All,

First of all I would like to wish you all a very happy, healthy & prosperous 2011.

I am currently deciding on what type of scope to buy and have gone through all of the usual threads covering scope types, mounts, manual, tracking or goto etc. However, I am still deliberating over the age old question of technology versus aperture!

I would like to have some technology but would also like to enjoy the aperture of something such as a 10" manual dob.

However, I recently read the following promotional blurb on a Meade ETX 125AT GOTO

At low to medium power, the ancient landscape of the Moon becomes a fabulously intricate panorama of craters, rays and rills. At higher powers, individual crater systems can be explored. The planet Mars will show many details on its surface, and the polar cap can be seen during ideal observing conditions. At good observing times, when observed at just 50x or higher magnification, the planet Jupiter will appear as a banded disc larger in size than you normally see the full Moon with the unaided eye! The cloud belts of Jupiter will show ever changing detail that will show drift across the planet's face in just a few minutes. The four main moons of Jupiter can be seen orbiting the giant planet, sometimes casting shadows onto Jupiter's dense cloudy atmosphere. The planet Saturn will show its magnificent ring system and its bright famous moon Titan. These are just a few of the things that can be seen in our own solar system with the Meade ETX125AT Special Edition computerised telescope.

Can I really expect to Jupiter and the rings of Saturn as large they say or is this just typical marketing tripe?

Someone must have had experience of this scope so an honest opinion would be welcomed.

Regards & Clear Sky's

Tony

[nightfisher]

i have never used this scope but i would tend to think marketing tripe, but please dont take my word, get some other opinions

[Psychobilly]

Optically the Meade ETX Maks are usually very good... the mounts on the other hand can be a bit of a PITA....

My ETX105 is out on extended loan....

Billy...

[CGolder]

They do mention ideal conditions etc a few times. the Scope is a very capable little one and are very similer to all other 5" maks in the range.

I have found that a smaller scope in better condition with darker skys will outperform a scope twice its size in lesser conditions. on bright targets the performance of a 5" mak will be competative with much larger scopes, they do suffer with problems with Field of view being restricted to 0.87 degree's in the f15 125. this will just about fit m81 and m82 on the edges of a 32mm eyepiece. so it can frame most objects but its greater strength is solar system objects.

As for the mounts, i think that the mount on the ETX is the strongest in the class having owned all the AZ goto mounts from competitors, the duel fork design and improved clutches on the AT and PE models make for very little wobble

[rowan46]

If you have your heart set on a go to mak why not this one its cheaper Maksutov - Skywatcher Skymax 127 SynScan AZ GOTO Maks are good on planetary bodies as they take magnification well. but not as good at dso's for those you need apparture

[CGolder]

Knowing what i no now about the mounts on the AZ goto's i would avoid the Skywatcher AZ with a 127, i think its pushing the mount to its limit and some, the 102 would be safer on the mount. The eq3-2 is a good partner to the 127, although lacking the goto and tracking

[Psychobilly]

It might be worth spending some time browsing...

Weasner's Mighty ETX Site

Billy...

[Astro_Baby]

A 5" scope will sow more or less what they say I would guess. With the following riders, moon wil be impressive through almost anything, you will see Jupiters cloud belts but these will appear as two tray bands, don't expect swirling majestic clouds a'la Voyager close approach pictures, yo will see Saturns rings for sure and maybe under good conditions the cassini division and you will easily see Titan, the largest moon but only as a White dot.

Mars is always tough going and seldom appears as much more than a reddish/orange dot, I have only ever seen the polar cap once and that might well have been my imagination and that was with a scope twice the size of the 125

Can't speak for the. Quality of the Meade scope though as I have never used one, just looking a posts online it sometimes seems their mounts are less than reliable, with that said I would agree the skywatcher alt/az mounts can be a bit wobbly.

[Capricorn]

As A-B says a 5" scope should show what they say, I can see Jupiter, moons and banding on a 70mm refractor at 60x so a 125mm at 80-100x should do it easily.

Saturn will need 120x but this should be within the capabilities of the scope, 15mm eyepiece. A 12mm eyepiece will give 160x.

The scope will need a 32mm eyepiece, simply for use when aligning the thing. I have the 105 and I bought a 40mm to get the tiniest bit more field of view.

The initial alignmnet can be a pain owing, as CGolder says, to the narrow field of view. Fit the finder and align it accurately.

It should be easy on eyepieces, 12, 15 and 32 being most use with a 20mm for bits in the middle. Even a 20mm will give 95x however, which may be more then you need a lot of the time.

Get a mains power supply for it, and a bubble level.

Alignment is straight foreward. Level it, mount and tube, and point it North, NOT magnetic north and point it North accurately. After that it takes care of things. Basically it slews and tells you what to do.

If you get one then find out where Arcturus is, Meades like Arcturus as an alignment star. If you can see it then the scope can also.

Decision time!:evil6::evil6: