Meade ETX90 AT 90mm GoTo Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope
MSRP: $849.99
- 90mm (3.5") f/13.8 telescope optics with Ultra-High Transmission Coatings (UHTC) for extremely bright images with high contrast and clarity
- A full Go-To computerized telescope in an extremely compact form (weighs just 17 lbs. assembled!) - perfect for both the backyard and when traveling to dark sky locations!
- The ETX telescope is internally powered via 8x AA-cell batteries (not included), and includes 12v input jack for use with an optional external 12v power source
- Includes 26mm Super Plössl telescope eyepiece, Red-dot Viewfinder, eyepiece accessory tray and chrome plated tubular steel tripod
- Bonus accessories include a 1.25" moon filter, the MoonMap 260, and a smartphone photo adapter. A $50+ value!
Where To Buy?
The iconic Meade ETX90 AT (f/13.8) GoTo Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope offers optical quality that has made it a standard in the industry. The telescope features include Meade's best Ultra-High Transmission Coatings (UHTC), an advanced Meade AudioStar GoTo computer handbox and an easy-to-use red-dot viewfinder along with a solid mount and tripod. Use your smartphone or other dedicated astrophotography camera to take high quality solar system images including the rings of Saturn, cloud bands of Jupiter, and extremely high resolution details of the lunar surface. Or simply attach the included eyepiece (or other optional eyepieces) for a jaw dropping look at the universe around you. If you are looking for a high-quality portable telescope with exquisite optics and absolutely loaded with features and the performance you desire, look no further!
Designed in the USA.
The optical path and components of the ETX telescope design
Key Features of the ETX Telescope
The Meade ETX series includes features that have allowed it to stand out and remain an icon in the industry for many years now. First and most importantly is the optical quality. The advanced Maksutov-Cassegrain design provides pinpoint stars to the edge of the field, and extraordinarily high contrast. This high contrast comes from several sources, including a small secondary mirror and no diffraction from spider vanes (thanks to the f/13.8 focal ratio and floating secondary that uses no spider vanes to hold it in place), as well as small baffles running the length of the primary baffle tube, ensuring minimal internal reflections. The secondary mirror is not a separate mirror and holder attached to the corrector plate — it is a silvered surface on the inside of the meniscus lens with a light baffle around it. Because it is part of the corrector lens itself, there is never any misalignment of the secondary mirror. Collimation will remain spot-on, ensuring the highest quality image and sharpest views possible especially at high power.
Speaking of high power, the focal length of the ETX90 AT is 1250mm (f/13.8). This allows even moderate focal length eyepieces to show a wealth of high resolution detail on both lunar and planetary surfaces. And thanks to the UHTC coatings, the telescope pulls in an incredible amount of light for its aperture, helping to provide beautiful views of many deep-sky objects. Open star clusters, globular clusters, and many of the brighter nebulae and galaxies are within reach of the ETX90 AT, using the included AudioStar telescope hand controller.
The Meade AudioStar features audio files and an internal speaker.
This computerized celestial object locating system plugs into the telescope's handbox port allowing a quick telescope alignment. Once aligned with the sky, the AudioStar is ready to take you to any object in the over 30,000 object database. In addition to GoTo and tracking capability, the AudioStar permits a wide array of fascinating and educational functions such as multiple Guided Tours, digital positional readouts, the ability to link with a PC using optionally available software and cord, and much more.
The Audiostar telescope hand controller database includes over 30,000 objects that you can view with a simple press of a button! AudioStar Astronomer Inside technology features a built-in speaker that plays over four hours of educational content about the celestial objects you are viewing! This computerized celestial object locating system plugs into the telescope's handbox port allowing for a quick and easy telescope alignment. Once aligned with the sky, the AudioStar is ready to take you to any object above the horizon in its database. In addition to GoTo and tracking capability, the AudioStar permits a wide array of fascinating and educational functions such as multiple Guided Tours, digital positional readouts, the ability to link the telescope with a PC using Meade's #505 connecting cable, and much more.
The optical tube design incorporates a clever flip mirror mechanism, allowing light to either go to the comfortable 90 degree observing position of the eyepiece or the built-in camera attachment port at the rear of the telescope tube. Optional adapters are available for many popular camera models.
Mechanical Advantages of the ETX Telescope
The ETX90 AT optical tube sits inside a dual fork mounting system. Other telescope systems of this size might use a single fork arm to carry the weight of the tube, but the ETX is designed for maximum stability so you can push the magnification to the limit, while still enjoying a stable view. And even though it is a dual fork system, the total weight of the optical tube, fork arm, and motor base comes in at a mere 7 lb., ensuring this telescope is incredibly portable, perfect for taking on the road to a dark sky site, eclipse chasing, or simply setting up quickly in your own backyard, with a minimal amount of effort required.
The included tripod features chrome plated tubular steel legs, and for the astrophotographer conveniently has a built-in wedge which can be used for polar alignment of the telescope. In polar aligned fork mode, field rotation is eliminated, so when shooting multiple short exposures of a deep-sky object and stacking them in post processing in order to bring out the details, you won’t have to worry about field rotation between the first and last image in your series. For shooting individual exposures or just a short series of lunar/planetary images, the wedge mode is not required so you can quickly and easily convert between modes depending on your needs.
And though it may be obvious, it's still worth noting: the EXT90 AT telescope features dual-experience functionality, meaning that you can attach a camera and capture stunning images or you can pop in an eyepiece to visually study a celestial object — like Galileo, Herschel, Messier, and other astronomers both professional and amateur have done for centuries. The rewards of astrophotographic endeavors with the ETX lie in the high contrast and impressive resolution offered with the ETX optical design, especially when imaging the lunar surface, the cloud bands of Jupiter, or the magnificent rings around Saturn. The visual experience is equally breathtaking: the real-time sight of an astronomical object through the eyepiece engenders a powerful, almost spiritual connection with the heavens. The view is ethereal and immersive, 3D-like, and made all the richer by the knowledge that you're looking back in time — millions of years in the case of some distant galaxies, to when they emitted the photons that are now just reaching your retinas. With a Meade ETX as your gateway to the night sky, you can experience the sheer amazement of exploring its diverse treasures in both ways — astrophotographically with your camera, or visually with your eyes wide open.
Standard equipment includes a Meade 26mm Series 4000 1.25" Super Plössl eyepiece (48X), Red-dot Finder, Smart Phone Adapter, Moon Filter, and Moon Map. The ETX telescope is internally powered by 8 (user-supplied) AA batteries which will run it for approximately 20 hours under normal usage. An AC adapter is also available for separate purchase.
The ETX90 AT is the ultimate portable GoTo telescope, and a world class performer in its size range. With the ETX, you can enjoy the beautiful views of the universe around you, whether it be when you're out camping or simply exploring the night sky from the comfort of your own backyard.
Please note this product was not designed or intended by the manufacturer for use by a child 12 years of age or younger.
- Best for viewing
- Lunar & planetary
- Best for imaging
- Lunar & planetary
- Astro-imaging capability
- Lunar & planetary
- User level
- Beginner
- Optical design
- Maksutov-Cassegrain
- Optical diameter
- 90mm
- Focal length
- 1250mm
- Focal ratio
- f/13.8
- Coatings
- Fully multi-coated
- Optics type
- N/A
- Eyepieces
- Super Plossl 26.0mm (1.25")
- Magnification with included eyepieces
- 48x
- Resolving power
- 1.29arc*sec
- Highest useful magnification
- 180x
- Highest theoretical magnification
- 180x
- Limiting stellar magnitude
- 12.5
- Optical quality
- Diffraction limited
- Finder scope
- Reflex sight
- Focuser
- Internal
- Secondary mirror obstruction
- 31mm
- Secondary mirror obstruction by diameter
- 34%
- Secondary mirror obstruction by area
- 12%
- Mount type
- Altazimuth
- Computerized compatibility
- Go-To included
- Alignment procedure
- Easy (Two-Star) Align
- Number of objects in database
- 30,000+
- Motor type
- DC Servo motors with encoders
- Power requirement
- 8-AA batteries
- Backlash compensation
- Yes
- Setting circles
- Yes
- Tube material
- Aluminum
- Tripod material
- Steel
- Tripod leg diameter
- 1.50 in.
- Length of optical tube
- 11.5 in.
- Weight, optical tube
- 7.0 lbs.
- Weight, mount/tripod
- 10.0 lbs.
- Weight, fully assembled
- 17.0 lbs.
- Additional included accessories
- SmartPhone camera adapter, 1.25" eyepiece moon filter, Meade MoonMap 260
- Other features
- Ultra-High Transmission Coatings (UHTC), AudioStar Controller with multiple guided tours, Equatorial
- Warranty
- Two year
