The 90mm (3.5″) Meade ETX is a fantastic little telescope that I use mainly for eclipses or piggyback tracking. It has an electric RA motor drive for tracking objects. The scope is easy to set up and operate. I have the older “RA” version of this scope that doesn’t have the Go-To functionality or object database controller. So to use it you manually you find an object and lock down the RA drive to track that object. I have taken great quality images with this telescope by digiscoping, using a Meade T-Adapter #64 for prime-focus imaging with a DSLR and also piggy-backing a DSLR such as seen in the images above. Here are images taken with the ETX via digiscoping. Here you’ll find images taken using the prime-focus method. Finally, here are images taken while employing the piggy-back method.
Meade ETX 90RA Specifications and Features
- Optical Design: Maksutov-Cassegrain
- Aperture: 90mm (3.5″)
- Focal Length: 1250mm
- Focal Ratio: f/13.8
- Resolving Power (arc secs.): 1.3
- Optical Coatings: MgF2; standard aluminum/SiO
- Limiting Visual Magnitude: 11.7
- Maximum Practical Visual Power: 325X
- Secondary Mirror Obstruction (dia.; %): 1.1″ (27.9mm); 9.6%
- Telescope Mounting: fork type; double tine
- Primary Mirror Correcting Lens: Pyrex ® glass, BK7 optical glass, Grade-A
- Finder Scope: 8 x 20mm right-angle viewfinder
- Tripod: Deluxe field tripod
- Total Net Telescope Weight: 19 lbs.