We are all in the gutter ... but some of us are looking at the stars!
Posted by: quincy on 21 February 2004
I am considering buying a Meade ETX 125 scope before 29 February ... the eyepiece offer expires then. I was just reading a thread that was on the forum a few years ago but I would like to ask some of our astro buffs with Meades are they still satisfied with the scope's performance?
AQD
AQD
Posted on: 21 February 2004 by Martin D
Just had a look at their interweb, dont know much about this subject but the kit looks superb.
Martin
Martin
Posted on: 21 February 2004 by ejl
quincy,
I'd encourage you to consider getting a larger aperature scope. You can keep the price close to the Meade by buying used. Good buys on used scopes are available here:
www.astromart.com
Most of the scopes for sale here are owned by amateur astronomers who know how to take care of their gear (unlike many ebay sellers).
Recent Meade and Celestron 8" goto SCTs (like the Nexstar 8) usually sell for around $800-$1000 used on Astromart. That's a hell of a lot of scope for the money; the 8" SCTs are powerful enough to let you see some really cool stuff, but still portable and easily set-up. If you don't need goto ability you can get an even larger dobsonian for the same money (or an 8" dobsonian for less than the Meade new), and a shorter focal length too -- often a plus.
The fact is that 125mm aperature is small -- the primary mirror area is less than half that of the 200mm (8") scopes). Remember that Schmidt-Cassegrain scopes like the Meade have a central obstruction (the secondary mirror) that sucks up a lot of that aperature. It will take you about one night to start wondering what things would look like through a bigger scope.
Don't get hung-up on those $99 starter sets. I bought Celestron's starter eyepiece set when I started a couple years ago, and quickly sold it on. Two or three good quality plossls or orthos, plus a barlow, will give you 4-6 different magnifications and much higher quality viewing. You can buy these EPs used on A-mart too.
Clear skies,
Eric
P.S.: I just remembered that Orion has just released a new 80mm Apochromat for $429 (scope only; no mount). I haven't looked through one, but this has a lot of amateur astronomers very excited because it's supposedly very good, and the price is unbelievable (Apochromats are the most expensive, and best, type of scope. In the past a scope like this would top $1200). Anyway, although it might seem implausible because it's smaller, for a variety of resons this would demolish the 125 ETX.
I'd encourage you to consider getting a larger aperature scope. You can keep the price close to the Meade by buying used. Good buys on used scopes are available here:
www.astromart.com
Most of the scopes for sale here are owned by amateur astronomers who know how to take care of their gear (unlike many ebay sellers).
Recent Meade and Celestron 8" goto SCTs (like the Nexstar 8) usually sell for around $800-$1000 used on Astromart. That's a hell of a lot of scope for the money; the 8" SCTs are powerful enough to let you see some really cool stuff, but still portable and easily set-up. If you don't need goto ability you can get an even larger dobsonian for the same money (or an 8" dobsonian for less than the Meade new), and a shorter focal length too -- often a plus.
The fact is that 125mm aperature is small -- the primary mirror area is less than half that of the 200mm (8") scopes). Remember that Schmidt-Cassegrain scopes like the Meade have a central obstruction (the secondary mirror) that sucks up a lot of that aperature. It will take you about one night to start wondering what things would look like through a bigger scope.
Don't get hung-up on those $99 starter sets. I bought Celestron's starter eyepiece set when I started a couple years ago, and quickly sold it on. Two or three good quality plossls or orthos, plus a barlow, will give you 4-6 different magnifications and much higher quality viewing. You can buy these EPs used on A-mart too.
Clear skies,
Eric
P.S.: I just remembered that Orion has just released a new 80mm Apochromat for $429 (scope only; no mount). I haven't looked through one, but this has a lot of amateur astronomers very excited because it's supposedly very good, and the price is unbelievable (Apochromats are the most expensive, and best, type of scope. In the past a scope like this would top $1200). Anyway, although it might seem implausible because it's smaller, for a variety of resons this would demolish the 125 ETX.
Posted on: 21 February 2004 by ejl
Ouch! I just looked at the online price for a new goto ETX 125: $995 ($1225 if you get the UHTC coatings). That's insane for this little scope -- I honestly thought it was about half that.
Seriously quincy, whatever you do don't pay full price for one of these. Either buy a nice used one and save $$$ (a used Nexstar 5 is also fine -- probably better optics), or spend your $1000 on something good.
A guy on Astromart is selling his near-new Nexstar 8 with some quality extras like a dew heater* for $900. It's in the cassegrain section. Significatly bigger and better scope for less.
Eric
*You'll need one of these in Tenn.
Seriously quincy, whatever you do don't pay full price for one of these. Either buy a nice used one and save $$$ (a used Nexstar 5 is also fine -- probably better optics), or spend your $1000 on something good.
A guy on Astromart is selling his near-new Nexstar 8 with some quality extras like a dew heater* for $900. It's in the cassegrain section. Significatly bigger and better scope for less.
Eric
*You'll need one of these in Tenn.
Posted on: 21 February 2004 by J.N.
Oscar Wilde?
Posted on: 22 February 2004 by quincy
Eric
Thanks for the sound advice ... I really only need the scope for planet and planetary moon observations etc. In particular, the Cassini Division and the red spot.
Regards
AQD
Thanks for the sound advice ... I really only need the scope for planet and planetary moon observations etc. In particular, the Cassini Division and the red spot.
Regards
AQD