Instruction Manual ETX-90EC Astro Telescope ETX-105EC Astro Telescope ETX-125EC Astro Telescope Meade Instruments Corporation
CONTENTS WARNING! Never use a Meade® ETX® Astro Telescope to look at the Sun! Looking at or near the Sun will cause instant and irreversible damage to your eye. Eye damage is often painless, so there is no warning to the observer that damage has occurred until it is too late. Do not point the telescope or its viewfinder at or near the Sun. Do not look through the telescope or its viewfinder as it is moving. Children should always have adult supervision while observing.
QUICK-START GUIDE 1 A 4 B G Remove the ETX from its packaging and place it on a sturdy surface. Place the eyepiece (A) and viewfinder (B) into their appropriate positions on the telescope and tighten their respective attachment screws to a firm feel only. 2 E Slide the Power Switch (E) on the Computer Control panel to the ON position. The lights flicker on the Electronic Controller. Press any key and the motors briefly move the telescope. The Electronic Controller is now operational.
TELESCOPE AND ELECTRONIC CONTROLLER FUNCTIONS 18 1 4 3 2 5 Features of the ETX-90EC, ETX105EC, and ETX-125EC are identical, with the exception of the size of optical tube and the type of viewfinder included as standard equipment. 17 19 16 6 (on left fork arm) 15 7 14 8 13 9 12 10 11 20 E Fig. 1: The ETX-90EC Astro Telescope. B C D A B Fig. 1 (Inset): Computer Control Panel. (A) On/Off switch; (B) Auxiliary ports; (C) Handbox port; (D) 12v connector; (E) Power indicator light.
ETX: Your Personal Window to the Universe The Meade ETX-90EC, ETX-105EC, and the ETX-125EC are extremely versatile, high-resolution telescopes with features similar to those once available only with larger and more specialized imaging systems. With pushbutton controls, automatic tracking of celestial objects (with one of the optional tripods), and diffraction-limited imaging, an ETX telescope may be all the telescope ever required by many terrestrial and astronomical observers.
Computer Control Panel A. ON/OFF Switch - Turns the Computer Control Panel and Electronic Controller ON or OFF. Note: Always remove the batteries if they are not to be used for a long period of time. B. Auxiliary (AUX) Ports (2) - Provide connection for current and future Meade accessories, such as the Meade “AstroFinder Software with #505 Cable Connector Kit,” which allows you to control your ETX from a PC. See OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 20. C. Handbox (HBX) Port handbox into this port.
Electronic Controller Functions Fast Medium Moderate Slow Fig. 3: Electronic Controller. (1) Arrow Keys; (2) Indicator Lights; (3) SPEED Key; (4) Coil Cord; (5) MODE Key; (6) OUT Key; (7) IN Key. The Electronic Controller provides you with the means to control the telescope motors from a compact handbox. The Electronic Controller (Fig. 3) has soft-touch keys designed to have a positive feel, even through gloves.
GETTING STARTED Parts List ETX telescopes are assembled virtually complete at the Meade factory. Getting the telescope ready for first observations requires only a few minutes. When first opening the packing box, note carefully the following parts: • The ETX Astro Telescope with forkmount system. • Electronic Controller with attached coil cord. • Viewfinder. • Super Plössl (SP) 26mm eyepiece, packed in a plastic storage container. • Hex-wrench set (2 wrenches), packed with the manual.
Using The Viewfinder As with most astronomical telescopes, the ETX model telescopes present a fairly narrow field of view to the observer. As a result it is sometimes difficult to locate and center objects in the telescope’s field of view. The viewfinder, by contrast, is a low-power, wide-field sighting scope with crosshairs that let you easily center objects in the eyepiece of the main telescope’s field of view.
2. Point the main telescope at some easy-to-find, well-defined land object, such as the top of a telephone pole. Center the object, as precisely as possible, in the SP 26mm eyepiece's field of view, then tighten the vertical and horizontal locks (6 and 9, Fig. 1) so that the tube cannot move and the object remains centered (1, Fig. 7). 3. While looking through the viewfinder, turn one or more of the three front viewfinder alignment screws (4, Fig.
Understanding Magnification The magnification, or power, at which a telescope is operating is determined by two factors: the focal length of the telescope and the focal length of the eyepiece employed. Telescope Focal Length is the distance that light travels inside the telescope before reaching a focus.
gh t ce ns io n cli Ri As De ris la Po morning hours, before the ground has built up internal heat, results in better viewing conditions than during the lateafternoon hours. na tio n If you wish to observe a distant land object, such as a mountain top or a bird, you can observe by merely pointing the telescope and looking through the eyepiece. Set the telescope on a table top or tripod, loosen the horizontal and vertical locks (6 and 9, Fig.
Light 1 (top LED): The fastest speed. Use to move the telescope quickly from one point in the sky to another. Light 2: Best for centering an object in the viewfinder. Light 3: Best for centering an object in the field of a low-to-moderate power eyepiece, such as the standard SP 26mm. Light 4: The slowest speed. Use to center an object in the field of view of high-power eyepieces, such as the optional 6.7mm or 12.4mm.
applications and for casual astronomical observation. The telescope may be placed on a rigid tabletop or on the optional Meade #883 Deluxe Field Tripod (see OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 20) to provide a secure, variable-height, altazimuth observing platform. To manually track objects with the telescope in the altazimuth configuration, press the Arrow keys of the Electronic Controller as necessary to keep an object centered.
configuration the observer does not need to press the Arrow keys of the Electronic Controller in order to track celestial objects. However, the Arrow keys of the Electronic Controller are useful in this configuration to enable the centering of objects within the telescopic field or, for example, to move the telescope over the surface of the Moon or through a large star field.
LO HI 22° 33° 23° 34° 35° 24° There are two mounting methods available to polar align the telescope depending on whether you use the optional #883 Deluxe Field Tripod or a table tripod (specific to your model of ETX telescope). Little Dipper To polar align using the #883 Deluxe Field Tripod (Fig. 17), follow the instructions provided with the tripod. To polar align using the #880 (ETX-90EC) or #881 Table Tripod (ETX-105EC or ETX–125EC, Fig. 16), use the following procedure. 1.
CAUTION! When using the #880 Table Tripod with the ETX-90EC, the optional #1422 LowLatitude Balance Weight is recommended if the telescope is to be polar aligned below 30°, or if heavy accessories are attached to the eyepieceend of the telescope. The low-latitude balance weight is recommended for the ETX-105EC or ETX125EC at all observing latitudes and is included as standard equipment with the #881 Table Tripod. and horizontal locks.
Format 2 utilizes both sections of the #64 T-Adapter threaded together to form a rigid unit. In this configuration there is no field vignetting: images are illuminated to the edges of a standard 35mm frame (see Fig. 20). To frame an object in the viewfinder of the 35mm camera body, slightly loosen the knurled attachment ring (3, Fig. 18), which threads the #64 TAdapter to the telescope’s photo port; rotate the camera body to achieve proper framing of the object; then retighten the knurled ring.
OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES A wide assortment of professional Meade accessories are available for the for ETX telescopes. Meade accessories greatly extend many important applications to the telescope, from low-power, wide-field terrestrial viewing to high-power lunar and planetary observing. The premium quality of these accessories is well-suited to the quality of the instrument itself.
#825 8 x 25mm Right-Angle Viewfinder: Included as standard-equipment on ETX-105EC and ETX-125EC models, the 8 x 25mm Right-Angle Viewfinder (Fig. 25) permits a comfortable 90° viewing position with 90mm ETX models as well. The #825 fits into the same bracket as the 8x21mm viewfinder supplied with ETX-90EC telescopes. The viewfinder’s wide-angle 7.5° actual field facilitates object location. Precise focusing of the image is accomplished with a helicoid mechanism. Fig. 25: #825 RightAngle Viewfinder.
GENERAL MAINTENANCE Your ETX model telescope is a precision optical instruments designed to yield a lifetime of rewarding observations. Given the care and respect due any precision instrument, the telescope will rarely require factory servicing or maintenance. Use the following guidelines: 1. Avoid cleaning the telescope’s optics: a little dust on the front surface of the telescope’s correcting lens causes virtually no degradation of image quality and should not be considered reason to clean the lens. 2.
Inspecting the Optics A Note About the “Flashlight Test:" If a flashlight or other high-intensity light source is pointed down the main telescope tube, the view (depending upon the observer’s line of sight and the angle of the light) may reveal what appear to be scratches, dark or bright spots, or uneven coatings, giving the appearance of poor quality optics.
• If inside a warm house or building, move outside. Interior air conditions may distort terrestrial or celestial images, making it difficult, if not impossible, to obtain a sharp focus. For optimal viewing, use the telescope outside in the open air instead of observing through an open or closed window or screen. • If viewing a land object on a warm day, heat waves will distort the image (see TERRESTRIAL OBSERVING, page 12). • For clear viewing of objects, turn the focus knob (8, Fig.
Slow-Motion Controls . . . . . . . . . electric, 4 speed, both axes Optional Autostar Capability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . yes Hemispheres of operation . . . . . North and South, switchable Bearings: Altitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ball bearings Azimuth . . . . PTFE thrust bearing and radial ball bearing Materials: Tube body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . aluminum Mounting . . . . . .
Appendix A: ADVANCED ELECTRONIC CONTROLLER FUNCTIONS Tracking Motor Speeds In the polar mode the Electronic Controller normally tracks objects at the sidereal rate (see SIDEREAL RATE, page 13). For most observing sessions (once the telescope has been polar aligned and the tracking motor activated), there is little need to change this speed. For objects, like the Moon or a comet, that move at slightly different rates, the Electronic Controller Arrow keys (1, Fig.
Appendix B: HELPFUL CHARTS Latitude Chart for Major Cities of the World Star Locator To aid in the polar alignment procedure (see page 16), latitudes of major cities around the world are listed below. To determine the latitude of an observing site not listed on the chart, locate the city closest to your site. Then follow the procedure below: Following is a list of bright stars with their R.A. and Dec. coordinates, along with the Northern hemisphere season when these stars are prominent in the night sky.
Appendix C: PRECISE POLAR ALIGNMENT; SETTING CIRCLES If desired, you may obtain more precise polar alignment by first accomplishing basic polar alignment as detailed in POLAR ALIGNMENT PROCEDURE, page 16, then returning to this procedure: Important Note: For almost all astronomical observing requirements, approximate settings of the telescope’s latitude and polar axis are acceptable. Do not allow undue attention to precise polar alignment of the telescope to interfere with your enjoyment of the instrument.
Appendix D: YOU AND THE UNIVERSE OBJECTS IN SPACE In the early 17th century, Italian Scientist Galileo, using a crude telescope considerably smaller than the ETX-90EC, turned it to look towards the sky instead of distant trees and mountains. What he saw, and what he realized about what he saw, forever changed the way mankind thinks of the universe.
Fig. 34: Jupiter and its four largest moons. The moons can be observed in a different position every night. Fig. 35: Saturn has the most extensive ring structure in our Solar System. Jupiter (Fig. 34) is the largest planet in our solar system, with a diameter 11 times that of Earth. Jupiter appears as a disk with dark lines stretching across the surface. These lines are cloud bands in the atmosphere.
MEADE LIMITED WARRANTY Every Meade telescope, spotting scope, and telescope accessory is warranted by Meade Instruments Corporation (“Meade”) to be free of defects in materials and workmanship for a period of ONE YEAR from the date of original purchase in the U.S.A. and Canada. Meade will repair or replace a product, or part thereof, found by Meade to be defective, provided the defective part is returned to Meade, freight-prepaid, with proof of purchase.
ADVANCED PRODUCTS DIVISION Meade Instruments Corporation World’s Leading Manufacturer of Astronomical Telescopes for the Serious Amateur 6001 Oak Canyon, Irvine, California 92618 ■ (949) 451-1450 FAX: (949) 451-1460 ■ www.meade.com © 2001 Ver. 0501 Part no.
