Hi just want to know if the meade etx 70 is a good starter telescope to buy.?

Answer 1

No, I would not recommend it. It has lots of electronic gadgetry, but the telescope itself is so small that it will soon frustrate you with its inability to show you anything.

Instead, I'd recommend a Dobsonian reflector. No fancy elesctronics, but a solid mount and a large enough mirror to resolve detail on the planets and show you faint deep sky objects. Here are some examples. I'd recommend at least a 6" aperture:
http://www.telescope.com/control/category/~category_id=dobsonians/~pcategory=telescopes/~VIEW_INDEX=0/~VIEW_SIZE=1000000
http://www.skywatchertelescope.net/swtinc/product.php?class1=1&class2=106

Answer 2

I agree with the last 2 answers, it is too small and all the money is going to pay for the electronic gadgets. A larger Dobsonian will be better IMO. That will require you to point it by hand, which means you need star charts and need to recognize the constellations and be able to "star hop"; where you point the telescope at a star bright enough to see without the telescope and then move from star to star while looking through the telescope until you get to the place in the sky where the thing you want to see is. Of course for the Moon and planets, you just point the telescope.

Answer 3

Yes! But.... learn to set it up and align it in the daylight. It is darn hard to run a goto scope in the dark. Running one is almost as hard as driving. You probably would not attempt to drive the first time at night.

The "autostar" is a capable goto computer, but it has a confusing set of menus that must be navigated without ques to where you are. The manual has those menus printed out. Use that list to practice going up and down and sideways in the menu system until you are comfortable finding your way around the menus and around the sky.

Hope this helps. good luck with your new telescope.

[edit] While some scoff at electronic goto as fluff, you can learn a lot more sky a lot faster with the computer guide. It is like doing math with a pencil or with a calculator. If you are in the correct learning mode, the calculator will show many relationships of math that are not apparent until you do a volume of problems. It is just faster with the electronics.

Answer 4

There are better choices. If you or your giftee is really starting out, you are not doing him any favors by paying for the GoTo electronic features of the scope. You are better off spending less on doodads and more on aperture. I think the best choices for a beginner are either the Orion Starblast or a straightforward Dobsonian - 6 inches is OK, 8 inches is better. See links below. Also, instead of the computer, buy a good astronomy guide book like Nightwatch by Dickinson.

http://www.telescope.com/control/product/~category_id=reflectors/~pcategory=telescopes/~product_id=09814

http://www.telescope.com/control/product/~category_id=dobsonians/~pcategory=telescopes/~product_id=09182

http://www.telescope.com/control/product/~category_id=dobsonians/~pcategory=telescopes/~product_id=09183

Best of Luck and Happy Holidays.

ADDED: Sorry - Didn't mean to scoff! I'm a lousy scoffer (scofflaw?)!

Answer 5

size isnt everything.

keep in mind that you could go either way.

if you do the etx70 you may end up with a massive 12" dob someday. (but be a lot smarter about what to look at)

Or if you start with a dob now, someday you may be in the market for a smart scope for the backyard to entertain friends.