USER OBSERVATIONS Last updated: 21 January 2005

Subject:	ETX 125 vs Homemade Dob
Sent:	Wednesday, January 19, 2005 07:11:54
From:	Nesmith, Shawn (snesmith@Group1Auto.com)
I recently bought myself an ETX 125 as a late Christmas present.  (Of
course, my wife got an equally priced ring from the jewelry store)  I'm
very pleased with the scope so far.  I've wanted a goto scope for a long
time.  Interestingly, I built a 8" truss dob last year according to the
design by Barry Leger in an old Sky & Telescope issue.  I was pleased
with the construction, but was never pleased with the views, as there
was a lack of contrast due to stray light, I believe.  The first time I
looked in the ETX, I was surprised to notice that I could tell very
little difference between the 5" and the 8" at low power.  I set them up
side by side for comparison just to be sure and found that the views
through the ETX of M31 and M42 were very similar to the 8".  I was
originally planning to get rid of the 8" but have decided to convert it
to a tube dob for my kids to use while I'm playing with my ETX.  That
should take care of the stray light issues and make a little better deep
sky scope.

I plan to do some of the tune ups listed on this site, but overall I'm
very pleased with this little scope.  This web site convinced me to go
125 over a 105 or 90.  Thanks! 

Shawn Nesmith
Houston, TX 77024 

I got the UHTC coatings as well as the autostar suite.  I also bought
the Meade dewshield, ac adapter/car cord, and a Vector PowerPak.  I plan
to get into some astrophotography using the LPI to start with, then
maybe some more advanced stuff down the road.

Shawn Nesmith

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