meade etx 125

[dennisjames1]

well i have an 8 inch SCT and just getting a little tired of lifting it about, i heard some nice reports about these scopes, and i must admit i am a meade fan, your thoughts on these scopes guys..cheers Dennis

[matt]

Hi Dennis.

I'm a little confused as to what your post title has to do with your question regarding an 8" SCT?

But... to your question. From everything I've read and the comments from owners of the same scope as yours it should be a good one.

How much does it weigh and how long have you owned it?

I'm guessing it's either an LX90 or LX200 model. Which means you have to move the unit as a whole? (tube and forks)

That's why a lot of us buy the tube (or OTA) and place them on separate mounts rather than have them "tied" to fork mounts and tripod.

Maybe you could consider buying a scope buggy? That way you could wheel the unit in and out of a garage or shed if you have one.

[ballaratdragons]

I think Dennis means that he has an 8" SCT but is tired of lugging it around and wants to know about the ETX 125 so he can get one of them instead of using the 8" :lol:

[matt]

:lol:

Ahhh... OK... I get ya

Bit of a trade downward in aperture though, hey Ken?

[dennisjames1]

sorry matt i am having a senior moment, what i have is an 8 inch schmidt and its it getting a little heavy to lift for me, so i was thinking about a meade etx 125 scope,thats the one i would like some feed back on....

[matt]

Would depend on what you want to use it for?

[ballaratdragons]

Just a weeee bit :scared:

But it would certainly be a lot lighter than the 8", that for sure.

Dennis, here is a review on the ETX 125: http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=963&pr=2x6x20

[dennisjames1]

yeah i realize the aperture trade off,but i believe the mak-cass of the etx may provide a superior image to a standard 8 inch SCT, is my understanding of that correct ken, matt ?

[matt]

Well. The general rule of thumb is aperture rules. You'll be trading off light gathering ability and resolution.

I've never looked through a 5" mak-cass but the extra aperture of an 8" would definitely give you something extra on DSOs and resolve greater detail on planets when the seeing allows.

Otherwise we'd all get rid of our 8s... 9.25s... 10s and 12s etc and race out and get a 5":shrug:

Although the optics of the smaller mak-cass are less affected by factors such as seeing etc and most probably offer more contrasty views?

I'd recommend getting along to a viewing night of a nearby astro society to get a look through a variety of scopes for a comparison

[RB]

Dennis if the 8 inch is getting a bit too much to lift, then that's a good enough reason to go down to the ETX 125 in my opinion.
Of course the drop in aperture is not desired but if in the end it'll mean you use and enjoy your smaller scope more then that's what matters.

I've heard the ETX 125's are great scopes and you won't need to collimate.

If possible then try one before you buy but I'd say yes go with the ETX 125 for portability.

[matt]

Very true.

If buying the 125 means it'll get used more often, then go with that:)

As the truism goes, the best/right scope is the one which gets used most often.

[ballaratdragons]

I dunno, but ETX125 reviews always seem favourable.

[MakMan]

Hi Dennis

Rather than post a lengthy response here, I have PM'ed you a copy of my response to a similar question recently asked of me by another IIS member.

I would add just one thing. Because you are used to a bigger scope, try to get a look through the ETX before you decide which is more important to you, i.e. aperture or portability.

Cheers

[AstroJunk]

How about a 10" dob and a 25 buck trolley from Super cheap auto to shift it about. More aperture and easier to move - win win!

I had an ETX 125 and whilst it was a fine instrument, it's something you have on the way up rather than the way down.

[Sinus Iridum]

Hi Dennis

A few years ago I did much the same -
swapped from a Celestron Celestar 8 (SCT) to the Meade ETX 125.

Here are my personal observations -

The loss of aperture is quite obvious - bit of a shock at first.

The ETX is much lighter, smaller, portable and fits in the car with other stuff etc.

I find the GOTO capability a lot of fun even though I know my way around the sky.

Finderscope is tiny and could be better located.
(not a lot of room though anyway)

Focuser knob feels flimsy.

Mount is slight and doesn't feel too balanced in polar configuration.
(but it is light)

You can get a better mount for it later.

You can get a large dob if you really miss the aperature.
(Once you have gone from 8" to 5" you will want
something larger than 8" next.)

Take note of the long focal length at f/15 1900mm.

In summary I'd say yes it will fix 'being tired of lifting the 8" SCT about'
but you will really notice the loss of aperture.

If you are not interested in the GOTO aspect of the ETX then you might want to rethink your options. (A portable refractor and keep the 8" SCT)

Hope this helps

Jon

[dennisjames1]

Thank you all i am staying with the Meade 8 " sct i had a look through a Celestron 4"se nextstar, a nice little scope but too much drop in light gathering for me, so its off to the gym to build the muscles! thank you again for the advice. cheers and a happy new year!!