fizzy123 wrote:Hi guys,
8) I recently bought a second hand ETX60. I got some questions though.Can all type of eyepieces be used on it, or is there a need to use eyepieces specially for ETX60?Is there a function that filters out objects that cannot be seen? What happens if I choose an object that cannot be seen at that point of time?Is there photo tripod available to mount the ETX60 on?How to aim the scope at north when doing alignment? Hope to learn more from the old bird that use the ETX. :roll:
wah...the original etx king himself, cc , has answered you.
but if you have any queries, can also ask me as I am his first disciple
the meade etx autostar manual can be improved greatly but alas, they don't seem too keen. there is actually a meade field tripod for the etx series but unfortunately, its not sold in singapore and its really not worth it to import it in. I think the tripod is in the range of around US$160 excluding shipping. the only other method is to get yourself a manfrotto tripod like the 190 ($110), and have an adapter plate made to connect the scope base to the tripod.
I made mine at the following place :
Aftech Engineering Pte Ltd
Address : Blk 3007 Ubi Rd 1 #06-420
Telephone : 6747 1608
Fax : 6846 1316
Email :
steven@aftech-engineering.com.sg
cc tells me the place may have closed down but it is still listed in the yellow pages...so you can try your luck. before you go, take down all the dimension of the holes you need to drill , etc. if necessary, bring your tripod there as sample. the plate cost around $20 but if you want fancy holes for eyepieces, it jumps to $40. takes 2-3 days to make.
btw, any of the standard tripod including the manfrotto has a small head, so vibration is quite significant at high magnification which constrast with the Meade field tripod that has a large flat head, so more stable. however , with the low mag focus on your etx60, this should not be a problem.
but a really cheap solution, buy one of those cocktail chairs and place your etx on it as chris yeo has done (but beware that it does not fall off!)....
rich
:? he problem now I face is that the ETX seems to be a great energy consumer and the it has a great weight of 5.4 Kg thus small cheap tripod cannot be used. Further more the instruction book does not show the list of alignment stars or the DSO thus veri troublesome. Worst, the autostar got no number key thus must keep pressing the scroll key. It is also ridiculous as it contain quasars in the 1400 objects, bearing in mind a small 60mm refractor cannot see a 16 mag object 
"The universe is composed mainly of hydrogen and ignorance." 
