I am trying to find a good quality telescope to view the planets, but I am not sure which is best. I was looking into the Meade ETX-80AT-TC Astro Telescope; does anyone know if this is a good one or can anyone suggest another. I am looking to spend between $300-$500.
2007-10-09 07:38:32 · 6 answers · asked by deathdealer99 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Meade Instruments ETX-90AT
this is a sweet telescope for the money
2007-10-09 07:44:24 · answer #1 · answered by AlCapone 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well - I have had 3 telescopes. One is Orion, and two are MEADE. The problem with MEADE is "service". They are there to sell it for you but when you need them they are no where to be found.
One scope is a refractor. The best view you can get of Deep sky objects. Please buy 6" or more and no less. Pay the price for it but you will never regret it. Refractor quality surpasses reflectors and Newtonians.
The reflector is good too and I use it mainly for planets, etc it is good too for deep sky objects. One draw back is "calibrating the focus" on this baby. It’s called Columniation (sp?) Good luck with that.
I recommend ORION scopes; for one they are there for you during a time of crisis... You will connect to California, and not India and 2 their telescopes is not that expensive. If it is below $400, don’t buy any telescopes unless you can afford a Takahashi. Then forget about everything I said and go for it.
Let me know how it went...
www.telescope.com
www.meade.com
2007-10-09 15:09:51 · answer #2 · answered by RC 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Meade you're looking at is a short-focal length refractor. They're quite good quality, but better as wide-field scopes. The ETX-90 and larger are Maksutov-Cassegrains, with longer focal lengths in a very short tube. If you know it's planetary work you wnat, then they are fine, among others. But the best general purpose scope for lower cost is the 8-inch (or so) Dobsonian.
2007-10-10 22:07:15 · answer #3 · answered by Choose a bloody best answer. It's not hard. 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you're just looking for something to look through (as opposed to taking pictures), then trade off tracking system cost for aperature size. That is to say that the size of the primary mirror is more important than the sophistication of the mount system.
Try a Dobsonian at least 6" (preferably 8-10"). A 10" dob will give you some really nice viewing of deep sky objects...
2007-10-09 14:46:17 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
This telescope has too small a lens to show you satisfying detail on the planets. I'd recommend instead a Dobsonian reflector such as these:
http://www.telescope.com/jump.jsp?itemType=CATEGORY&itemID=9
http://www.skywatchertelescope.net/swtinc/product.php?class1=1&class2=106
Get the largest size you can afford and transport. These have much greater light gathering power and resolution, and will all give very fine views of all the planets, plus all kinds of deep space objects (star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies).
2007-10-09 14:54:49 · answer #5 · answered by GeoffG 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Besides what the other answers above offer, this is what I have to add. For planet viewing (as opposed to nebula, or other deep-space object viewing), get a longer focal length (F6 or above) as opposed to a shorter (F5, F4, etc.) focal length scope.
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2007-10-09 15:05:51 · answer #6 · answered by tlbs101 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋