Product Description

One year after their introduction, Meade ETX-Series Astro Telescopes, like this 105AT, became the most popular modern telescopes in the world. All the ETX's are stunningly beautiful, ultraportable, and highly versatile telecope systems with unprecedented optical resolution and performance. The included Autostar Computer Controller is one of the important advances in telescope aiming control in the past 25 years, allowing you easy, automatic viewing access to thousands of celestial objects.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #13188 in Camera & Photo
• Brand: Meade
• Model: 0105-03-20
• Dimensions: 12.60" h x 25.30" w x 32.10" l, 36.00 pounds

Features

• Includes AutoStar controller and deluxe field tripod
• 4-inch aperture
• Electronic controller for slew speeds and built-in clock drive
• Maksutov meniscus corrector lens of Grade-A BK7 optical glass
• Includes a Meade Series 4000 Super Plvssl 26 millimeter eyepiece for 48 times magnification

Amazon.com Review
The ETX105EC is the newest model in Meade's popular ETX series. Independent reviewers have consistently praised the ETX Maksutov-Cassegrain telescopes for their excellent optics but questioned some of the ergonomic features, especially the finder scope. The optics fully live up to the hype, and the ergonomic problems can generally be surmounted with the right eyepiece.

How good are the optics? In a word, superb. On one of those rare winter nights with perfect viewing conditions, the included Autostar computer's guided tour of "tonight's best" showed me one beautiful view after another. The Double Cluster in Perseus showed off the subtle colors of its red, yellow, and blue-white stars. The faint glow of NGC 2158 was plainly visible just west of colorful star cluster M35. With a magnification of 150X, the Cassini division in Saturn's rings was obvious all the way around Saturn, as were cloud bands and the dark polar region on the planet itself. When I boosted the power to 200X, the stars in the heart of M42, Orion's trapezium, were a beautiful sight. I saw little diffraction rings around the four brighter stars, and the fifth star "E" was glimmering on the edge of visibility.

The model 884 tripod is a big improvement over the model 883 that was designed for the original ETX90. I especially like the spring loaded captive mounting screws that pop into place when you get the base lined up with the mounting holes. The tripod comfortably handled the ETX105 in the straight up Alt/Az position. It's probably a little light though if you want to use an equatorial alignment for photography.

The Autostar controller delivered excellent pointing accuracy. My usual set up routine starts with centering Polaris in the scope, then leveling the optical tube. This automatically sets the telescope's 'home position' within one degree of true North and level. After a careful setup the other night, the 'easy align' routine put the first alignment star, Rigel, inside the field of view. And the second star, Procyon, was just outside the edge of the field. Easy as pie. (Nightwatch by Terence Dickinson will introduce you to these brighter stars by name.) Even without precise alignment to North, the alignment stars were close enough that I had no trouble with the setup. The guided tour still placed every object but Saturn in the low power field of view, and Saturn was just outside the field.

Now about those ergonomics. The finder scope is a problem because it is so close to the eyepiece that my nose gets in the way when I use eyepieces smaller then the included 26mm Super Plossl. If you're inclined to peer through the eyepiece with your left eye, it may not be an issue. I'm right eye dominant, so I can't use smaller eyepieces for higher magnification. I got around this problem by using my Celestron Ultima 2X barlow to raise the eyepiece for high power viewing. The Ultima barlow introduces a little extra reflection on bright objects, but the views are still fabulous. If I were to spring for just one more good eyepiece to go with this telescope I'd try an Orion 10.5mm Lanthanum. About 150X seems to be a sweet spot with this scope, a magnification that offers great views of the planets without the diffraction rings around stars becoming very noticeable. The other well known ergonomic issue is the small and hard to reach focus knob. Meade would be happy to sell you a #1244 Electric Focuser. I found a third party Flex Focus adapter worked just fine. --Jeff Phillips

Pros:

• Superb optics
• Autostar computer
• Small and portable

• The finder is too close to the eyepiece

Amazon.com Product Description
The Meade ETX-105EC is among the most advanced electronically controlled telescopes. Manufactured with an aluminum fork mount dedicated specifically to its size and aperture, the ETX-105EC Astro telescope moves effortlessly across the skies on ball-bearing axes, in either manual or electronic modes.

The Autostar controller turns the ETX-105EC into an automatic celestial-object locating system. Just plug the Autostar into the telescope's HBX port in place of the standard-equipment electronic controller, do a quick telescope alignment, and you're ready to observe any object in the Autostar's 30,000-object database.

The ETX-105EC yields 36 percent more light-collecting power than the ETX-90EC. The entire range of celestial objects--the eight major planets, the Moon, galaxies, nebulae, star clusters--as well as terrestrial objects, may be observed with a significant, and immediately apparent, increase in resolution and image brightness. At the same time, the ETX-105EC maintains most of the compactness and ultraportability of the smaller-aperture ETX-90EC.

Use the standard pushbutton electronic controller at any of four dual-axis speeds: 8x sidereal for image centering in the main telescope at high power; 32x for image centering at lower powers or for pushbutton object tracking in the altazimuth mode; slow mode for image centering in the viewfinder or for terrestrial tracking of nature and sightseeing; or medium speed for fast slewing across the sky. The observer can instantly select any of these speeds simply by depressing the speed button on the controller.

The telescope’s ultraportable design allows the viewer to view from any flat surface, be it a window sill, car hood, or picnic table. The optional tripod will raise the telescope to any comfortable height.

Customer Reviews

Excellent telescope
The ETX105EC is definitively much better built than the ETX90 although it is in the limits of portability because is fairly heavy. It is incredible silent while tracking objects and it obviously gathers more light than the ETX90. Want proof? The 105 shows one of Saturn's moons whereas the 90 doesn't (at least my friend's ETX90 didn't).
Another advantage over the ETX90 is the viewfinder. The 105's right angle viewfinder is great when looking for overhead objects.
I really liked the tripod (deluxe field tripod). Solid, not like the junk shipped with the ETX70 or the DS2114.
Finally, if you add Meade's eyepiece package ("a little bit more" for 7 super plossl eyepieces) and the Autostar, I think you get a terrific deal.

Wonderful little scope!
I've had the ETX 105 for over 3 weeks now. I've taken it out 4 times already (weather permitting) and viewed the moon once and Jupiter 3 times. This is my first scope and I think it is great.
I would only recommend it to newbies if they are not intimidated by the electronics. So far, I've just used the AutoStar controller to slew and manually track Jupiter. I haven't even
tried aligning it and using the GoTo functionality. In time, I will figure it out, but I'm keeping my outings as simple as possible. The 105 is definitely better built than the 90. But I'm still very careful with the 105, as it still has a plastic
base, and I'm not sure how durable the electronics/gears are.
Also, I keep the AutoStar plugged in all the time, so you have to
watch the cable and not get it caught on anything.
I think the ETX series will keep anyone happy for many years. Although it is relatively portable (compared to say the LX200GPS series), I still want more portability! My next scope will probably be a small 70-80mm refractor on a tripod. Total
simplicity and durability.

etx 105 initial impression
OK i'm 2 weeks into discovering this little scope.
i read and read for weeks and decided this was a great deal for a mak-cassegrain with autostar or "go to" feature. this is my first scope, so take that with a grain of salt. i live in the mountains in a new home, hence the eagerness to get a good scope. upon opening it i rushed to local photog store and picked up a barlow 2x and moon filter. another $65 total but suggest you get these at once.

first impressions:
good quality on scope. proud to keep in on display in the great room. guests notice it and can't wait for it to get dark!
finderscope is a bear to align, but with practice should be easier.
tripod is sturdy and no complaints thus far
autostar is NOT user friendly on first test drive...takes time to get comfortable i hope.
it does take 8 AA batteries. buy NiMH rechargeables.
the slow autostar display is enough to make me drink too much red wine waiting for it to finish! thank goodness i figured out the "enter" key or "mode" key lets me bypass the excrutiating slow scrolling text. (fyi mode functions as "back" or "escape")
figuring stuff out takes a lot of time...be patient.
now i am technically versed as i work for software company and this is giving me a bit of a challenge....why? poor autostar documentation.
if the user manual for autostar was more detailed with a quickstart tutorial, it would go quick. reality...i have the mind to call Meade and ask for their technical writer and scream obscenities at them :}

nonetheless, i plan on keeping the scope and am excited to learn more and get to know my way around the night sky. get the book Nightwatch - great for a newbie like myself

would like to post a final review once my neighbor gives me an autostar tutorial with his LX200...just waiting on clear skies in Utah! i do hope to give this scope a 5 star rating once i figure out autostar.