USER OBSERVATIONS Last updated: 16 February 2004

Subject: Planets feedback on Etx-90 EC
Date: 2/15/04, 07:40
From: Irwan Adinatha (adinatha@msu.edu)
I finally left USA and stay here for good in Surabaya, Indonesia. I've
been using the etx for deep sky purpose and Mars back in Michigan in
2003. When I got back here and look at the sky, I was actually amazed
because we got some very bright star ( I never paid attention to the sky
when I left for USA). So when my tripod finnaly arrived ( I shipped it
along with all my stuff), I gave the clear night sky a shot.

I didn't know about the constellation here so I did a one star aligning,
from the home position, the etx pointed to a bright star that I have
selected randomly and I aligned it. I take shot at the orion nebula and
it wasn't too bad ( I was lucky with the one star aligntment :D), with
20mm eyepieces, I can see the edge of the nebula on the first shot then
I thought...

hey why don't Jupiter, who knows I could see something.

Then It pointed to Jupiter and when I held my breath and took a peek
into the eye pieces and whoaaaaaaa... never did I thought that I would
see Jupiter that clear !!!!! Way better than Mars !!!

I could see the two brownish bandsss !!!! and the moons too !!!! ( I
confirmed that by winstars software) Do I have a chance for the red spot?? 
I gotta try that :D

The following night, I tried Saturn and I was equally amazed !!!!! I
Could see the Ring, I SAW SATURN !!!!!

Now I just remembered about tha Cassini division but it was too faint
for that since I was peeking right from my backyard in a big city.

Do I have a shot at Cassini if I took the telescope to darker place out
of town ?

Overall, I was really pleased and this is the best $600 I have spent in
my life !!! This telescope is satisfying for planets even though bigger
always better :D But not every one has $15000 pocket money to spent for
an Obsession.

Currently I have 10" mirror and I plan to build a dobsonian, I hope I
can see more stuff up there !!!

Regards,
Irwan Adinatha

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