USER OBSERVATIONS Last updated: 26 August 2003

Subject:	Awesome initial ETX-90 experience!
Sent:	Monday, August 25, 2003 07:15:39
From:	kwoods@ramchargers.com (Keith Woods)
I would first like to thank you Mike for this website, it helped me to
make a decision on my new purchase as well as learn as much as I can
about it before hand. So I thought I'd write to make my contribution to
the website as my thank you. I took my new ETX-90 without UHTC out for
the first time last night and was overwhelmingly happy with my first
experience. I am though by no means a pro, however I had a couple
telescopes in the past and my interest in astronomy comes and goes with
the wind so that's one reason I choose a portable inexpensive telescope
with great optics and a GoTo. My last scope was an 8" LX-10 which was
really nice but it didn't get used that often because it was so huge so
I sold it on eBay. Also I don't live in the darkest area, only about 15
miles away from downtown Detroit in the suburbs and smaller scopes
aren't affected as much by unfavorable seeing conditions as larger
aperture scopes. I was getting a little worried reading about some of
the problems that people have with the Autostar. After a few minutes of
messing with it I found it to be rather easy to figure out. So I trained
the drive which was easy and did the 2 star alignment (easy align mode)
which was also easy despite the site I was at. I didn't do it perfect
because I was in my back yard and much of the sky is blocked by houses
and trees. Autostar picked Arcturus as the first star, but unfortunately
my house was in the way to where it pointed. So I took a few steps back
to see what star it could be pointing at and saw a pretty bright star so
I figured that was it. Then I remembered from my astronomy class the
constellation Bootes which I saw and Arcturus was right there in it so I
was pretty darn happy. So I picked up my telescope and moved it to a
place where I could center Arcturus in the FOV. Then the next star it
picked was Altair and only missed it by a smidge. It was in the view
finder but I really couldn't line it up because of a giant tree branch
in the way. So I decided that getting it perfect tonight was not gonna
happen so I just picked it up and moved it to where Altair would be in
the FOV view. I knew this would throw off everything I just wanted to
see if the GoTo would be close to any object I choose or if it was off
by 180 degrees or something, so I finished my hack job alignment. I
choose an easy target, Mars as the first object. Needless to say it was
off but not by that much considering my sloppy alignment. So I was very
happy and I am confident when I get to a better viewing area that
Autostar will work great. I haven't bought any extra eyepieces or even a
barlow lens yet, but after seeing Mars through just the supplied 26mm SP
I was can't wait to get a barlow lens, which I will be getting in the
next day or so. I was however very impressed from what I saw of Mars
using just the 26mm eyepiece. It is definitely a disc, not a point of
light. Mars was low on the horizon when I started viewing it so seeing
wasn't the greatest. I studied it for about 20 minutes and I tell you I
definitely saw some contrast on the surface, it may have been faint but
it wasn't just a flat color so I can't wait to get my barlow lens for
Wednesday Aug 27. Also that little view finder, it isn't so bad and my
motor wasn't as loud as people claim it to be. Maybe I just got a good
one. Well anyway I am very happy with my ETX-90 and it will be getting a
lot of use.

Thanks, 

Keith

Return to the top of this page.

Go back to the User Observations page.

Go back to my ETX Home Page.