Meade 90mm ETX Maksutov-Cassegrain

The 90mm 3.5 inch Meade ETX is a fantastic little telescope that I use mainly for eclipses or piggyback tracking, and it has proven to be one of the most versatile small instruments I own. Its Maksutov Cassegrain optical design gives it a long focal length in a very compact tube, which makes it especially good for lunar and solar work, close up views of the Moon, and tighter framing on eclipse phases. The built in electric RA motor drive handles tracking smoothly once aligned, so after I center a target and lock the axis, it will stay put in the field without constant adjustment. The scope is easy to set up and operate, and because it is self contained and portable, it is simple to carry into the field for quick sessions or time sensitive events.

I have the older RA version of this scope that does not include Go To functionality or an object database controller. I manually find a target, center it, and then engage the RA drive to follow it across the sky. A couple of years ago I started having having tracking issue with the RA mount and so I removed the telescope from it’s forked mount and drive base. I typically use it on a Skywatcher Star Adventurer 2i star tracker these days. 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 by piggybacking a DSLR on top of the tube for tracked wide field shots. It is a small telescope, but it consistently delivers sharp, contrasty results, and it continues to be the scope I grab when I need something portable, reliable, and quick to deploy.