TXPhysicsteach
member
Reged: 01/11/08
Posts: 77
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I am interested in getting a couple of EPs for my etx60BB (walmart special). With that in mind what would be the best sizes and values for this particular scope, I know that its magnification is limited due to its size and short (350)focal length. Open for ideas...
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Meade Etx 60 bb -walmart special-
Meade 70az-a
Zhumell EP and filter kit
Astronomy on a super small budget.
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LLD
Lucky so far
Reged: 11/14/05
Posts: 2077
Loc: MASS.
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I've only had this scope for a short time but i have used my celestron plossl and meade super plossl EP's i like the Ultima 12.5, 10mm plossl and 7.5mm plossl ep's. I have an vixen LV 5MM that i haven't used yet but any good quality plossl Ep will be a improvement over the MA Ep's that came with this scope!
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LLD. Meade 16 inch dob. Meade 60mm Polaris refractor 76mm Bushnell reflector
Meade ETX60-BB,Meade 70MM / USB color camera
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Janak
member
Reged: 01/09/08
Posts: 47
Loc: Knoxville, TN
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There is a Zhumell eyepiece kit you can get on telescopes.com for $ 95. They are all Plossl eyepieces which are pretty good and they also come with a few nice filters which are very useful for planetary viewing (this scope is mainly a planetary scope). In the future, if you decide to get a bigger scope, then this kit will still be very useful. Overall in my opinion it would be a pretty good investment.
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Janak
Celestron 10" Dobsonian reflector
Meade ETX 60AT GOTO refractor
Zhumell 20 x 80 supergiant binoculars
4, 6, 12.5, 32 mm plossl eyepieces, 2x barlow, all Zhumell
4, 9, 12, 25 mm, all Meade
20 mm Burgess Optical eyepiece
32 mm 2 inch Celestron eyepiece
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Rainbow
professor emeritus
Reged: 08/27/04
Posts: 662
Loc: Norfolk, UK
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Get youself a decent barlow
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Meade ETX 90 UHTC, 497 Autostar, 884 tripod, right angle finder.
CALIBRATE MOTORS and TRAIN DRIVES!
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TXPhysicsteach
member
Reged: 01/11/08
Posts: 77
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looking at the zuhmell... Do they have rubber eye cups? I have some bad lights around here and am looking for something that will help limit the glare off of the street lights. Also does the barlow work with the etx60bb?
Thanks for the info, I think the zuhmells would be a good affordable way to get started (even though it is twice what I paid for the scope and then some). But I hear good EPs are the best way to get the most out of any scope.
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Meade Etx 60 bb -walmart special-
Meade 70az-a
Zhumell EP and filter kit
Astronomy on a super small budget.
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Janak
member
Reged: 01/09/08
Posts: 47
Loc: Knoxville, TN
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Yes the zhumells have eyecups.
The inbuilt barlow on the etx 60at is not good but the 2x barlow that comes in the zhumell eyepiece kit is pretty good.
Though the kit is twice what you piad for the scope, still it would be very useful even when you upgrade to a better scope. Also the plossls are definitely much better than the MAs provided with the scope.
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Janak
Celestron 10" Dobsonian reflector
Meade ETX 60AT GOTO refractor
Zhumell 20 x 80 supergiant binoculars
4, 6, 12.5, 32 mm plossl eyepieces, 2x barlow, all Zhumell
4, 9, 12, 25 mm, all Meade
20 mm Burgess Optical eyepiece
32 mm 2 inch Celestron eyepiece
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TXPhysicsteach
member
Reged: 01/11/08
Posts: 77
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Went ahead on the zhumells, I will get them Thursday. Weatherman says clear skies (I just cursed myself didn't I). Hope to see what a difference these make and try out some of the filters. Mars and saturn are easy targets lately.
Thanks for the input.
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Meade Etx 60 bb -walmart special-
Meade 70az-a
Zhumell EP and filter kit
Astronomy on a super small budget.
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Janak
member
Reged: 01/09/08
Posts: 47
Loc: Knoxville, TN
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great...have fun with the new eyepieces!
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Janak
Celestron 10" Dobsonian reflector
Meade ETX 60AT GOTO refractor
Zhumell 20 x 80 supergiant binoculars
4, 6, 12.5, 32 mm plossl eyepieces, 2x barlow, all Zhumell
4, 9, 12, 25 mm, all Meade
20 mm Burgess Optical eyepiece
32 mm 2 inch Celestron eyepiece
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TXPhysicsteach
member
Reged: 01/11/08
Posts: 77
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Just got the EPs. Worked well last night with my meade 70az-a wallyworld special, best views of saturn yet. I was wondering though what filters from this set do you use and how. Are any of them useful for cutting down on Light Pollution?
FYI the filters are #12 Yellow, #21 Orange, #23A Light Red, #56 Green, #82A Light Blue, Polarizing and Crystalview Moon filters. and I have an etx60bb and a meade 70az (the W. specials)
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Meade Etx 60 bb -walmart special-
Meade 70az-a
Zhumell EP and filter kit
Astronomy on a super small budget.
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Janak
member
Reged: 01/09/08
Posts: 47
Loc: Knoxville, TN
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None of these filters will cut down light pollution as those filters are significantly pricier. But here are two links which tell you the use of each color filter. Enjoy with your new kit!
http://www.telescopes.com/telescope-accessories/filters/125inchfilter.cfm
http://www.telescope.com/control/product/~category_id=filters/~pcategory=accessories/~product_id=A0003
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Janak
Celestron 10" Dobsonian reflector
Meade ETX 60AT GOTO refractor
Zhumell 20 x 80 supergiant binoculars
4, 6, 12.5, 32 mm plossl eyepieces, 2x barlow, all Zhumell
4, 9, 12, 25 mm, all Meade
20 mm Burgess Optical eyepiece
32 mm 2 inch Celestron eyepiece
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Rainbow
professor emeritus
Reged: 08/27/04
Posts: 662
Loc: Norfolk, UK
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A friend of mine bought a Baader light polution filter for his 4" f10 achromat - he hated it!
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Meade ETX 90 UHTC, 497 Autostar, 884 tripod, right angle finder.
CALIBRATE MOTORS and TRAIN DRIVES!
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Veridian
sage
Reged: 07/17/06
Posts: 478
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Regarding your question on filters, I am assuming that you are in a light polluted area. Under these conditions, our viewing list is going to be limited with a small aperture scope, which is better suited to bright objects. Although,, not to despair as I never run out of things to look at during a two or three hour session. The area I live in has considerable 'sky-glow' and while this limits viewing to planets, Luna and the brighter star clusters, nebulae and double stars, I still have plenty to look at and my interest continues to expand.
For visual use, light pollution/band filters generally work better with wider aperture scopes. Using a band filter in my largest refractor (5 inch) seems to darken the image enough that whatever gains may come from filtering appear to be lost due to loss of light transmission. For photography/imaging it's a different story.
The least expensive LPR (light pollution reduction) filters are going to be around $70 (1.25 inch). For this money, a person would be better off getting a good Barlow, as 'Rainbow' suggested above.
Just another opinion,
Mark J.D.
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TXPhysicsteach
member
Reged: 01/11/08
Posts: 77
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Thanks for the information. I wasn't sure about the light pollution, but just wanted to see what everyone knew. Really enjoying my little scope. I will get as much out of it as I can. I am loving Saturn right now and m42 never gets old. Looking forward to going camping this summer and seeing what there is to see out side of the city. It will be a while before I can afford a larger scope and this is a nice size for around the house and quick grab and go stuff.
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Meade Etx 60 bb -walmart special-
Meade 70az-a
Zhumell EP and filter kit
Astronomy on a super small budget.
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Veridian
sage
Reged: 07/17/06
Posts: 478
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Glad to see that so many are getting so much enjoyment out of these small refractors. The scopes I use the most often are the small apertures: 60, 70 and 80mm. They are light weight, easy to carry out and set-up and break-down afterwards.
Also,, with the few good 'seeing' nights here in these parts, the bigger scopes get used less and less. Why go through all the trouble of making 4 & 5 trips out to set-up, when only one trip will do - especially when turbulence won't allow me to 'see' anymore with the bigger scope? I can carry this little ETX-60 & tripod out with one hand,, and a folding stool & eyepiece case in the other - all in one trip.
This is one cool, slick, really neat little scope! All for $49.99 on top of it all!!  Did we get lucky,, or what?
Mark J.D.
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KWB
Postmaster
Reged: 09/30/06
Posts: 9268
Loc: Westminster,Co Elev.1646Meters
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These little scopes are the most fun for me to use with smaller eyepiece designs that don't overtax the goto. With my ETX-70 the 11T6 Nagler gives me an almost 2.5º TFOV at 27X,which is great for getting the big picture and has decent edge correction at F/5. The 7T1 Nagler really finds a nice home in this little scope when trying to detect M81/M82/M51. I try to keep magnification low and my fun factor higher. A 32mm plossl gives you an almost 4.5ºTFOV and is an almost binocular type view of the sky come the annual Perseid meteor shower. To me these little scopes have their purposes and it ain't hi power vieweing,much like the ST80's which I also like a lot but with tracking and goto
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Kenny
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe." - Albert Einstein
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TXPhysicsteach
member
Reged: 01/11/08
Posts: 77
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Following along on this thread. What is your favorite EP for the etx 60/70/80?
I am liking having more choices, but I think I want to get something between my 12mm and 25mm. I find the smaller fl to be not ecompassing enough and the really large fl to have too long eye relief, I can't seem to get the whole image in my eye either it goes blurry/black (my eye too close) or some of it seems to be obsured by the EP itself (my eye to far away). I wear glasses, but I take them off to look into the EP (only have very minor astigmatism, but major near sightedness).
I am glad I bought the zhumell set to get a feeling for all the EPs and I will use them. The set seems to be a bit heavy on the small fl side of things.
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Meade Etx 60 bb -walmart special-
Meade 70az-a
Zhumell EP and filter kit
Astronomy on a super small budget.
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cnstarz
professor emeritus
Reged: 12/22/07
Posts: 549
Loc: Kentucky, USA
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TXPhys,
I've got the exact setup you have with the ETX/AZ/Zhumell Kit.
I've not been able to really use it, but for short periods, due to the cold weather. I did kinda splurge and ordered the William Optics binoviewer on top of it all.
So far I like the wider field EP's in this scope. What's cool is the ability to have two EP's installed and flip between them. I'm feeling pretty good about this Scope too 
Cheers
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Matt
Apogee 50mm BB scope
ETX-60 BB
Meade 70-az
5" DIY Newt (wip)
C6-N on CG-4 GEM
Gallery
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generalpatton
member
Reged: 01/14/08
Posts: 16
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I'm waiting on my kit to ship from them right now. Does anybody have any updates on this set and the 60ETX/70/80.
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cnstarz
professor emeritus
Reged: 12/22/07
Posts: 549
Loc: Kentucky, USA
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I assume you're talking about the Zhumell plossl/filter kit. I've been using mine a lot and they're way better than the Meade MA's that came with the ETX-60. The filters are good too I've only used the moon and purple one so far and they fit the barrels well. I don't have anything else to compare to but for the price the quality is there. I got the 32mm 12.5mm 6mm and 4mm with a 2x barlow (all fully coated) and 7 filters for around 90 dollars. I'm sure that once I get more experience I'll find eyepieces that are better but for just starting out the kit covers a great swath of magnifications and filter needs at a great price. I really like the big 32mm for widefield viewing it's a hefty eyepiece, throw in the barlow and the moon fits just inside the FOV.
Let us know what you think of the set when you get a chance.
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Matt
Apogee 50mm BB scope
ETX-60 BB
Meade 70-az
5" DIY Newt (wip)
C6-N on CG-4 GEM
Gallery
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Rainbow
professor emeritus
Reged: 08/27/04
Posts: 662
Loc: Norfolk, UK
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The Meade MA eyepices are essentially kellners so any half decent plossl will give a nice improvement
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Meade ETX 90 UHTC, 497 Autostar, 884 tripod, right angle finder.
CALIBRATE MOTORS and TRAIN DRIVES!
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generalpatton
member
Reged: 01/14/08
Posts: 16
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Thank you very much for the feedback. I hope my order ships soon and that it arrives on a clear warm night. 
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generalpatton
member
Reged: 01/14/08
Posts: 16
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Well I'm bummed I was told the set won't be back in stock until May 1. 
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KWB
Postmaster
Reged: 09/30/06
Posts: 9268
Loc: Westminster,Co Elev.1646Meters
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These 3 simple eyepieces and barlow are what I most generally use with my ETX70 and should do alright with the 60mm version. They are a noticeable overall improvement to the stock MA's. This scope is going outside tonight.
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Kenny
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe." - Albert Einstein
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justabob
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 05/05/07
Posts: 1676
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Quote:
I did kinda splurge and ordered the William Optics binoviewer on top of it all.
Wow! how does the motor drive handle the weight of the bino viewer?
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http://www.pbase.com/rkn/astro&page=all
Vixen Sphinx SXW
Meade sn6
Canon EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM Lens
Hutech 1000d
Self modded 350d
ST8300c on order
DSI PRO II
Bob
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cnstarz
professor emeritus
Reged: 12/22/07
Posts: 549
Loc: Kentucky, USA
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I've not used them in the ETX-60, yet. They were on back order and when they came I sent them back replaced with the SV BV3 which are heavier. I have a pier that I use the AZ-70 w/binoviewers and barlow, that's really fun with 23mm ep's. If I do use them in the ETX-60 I won't be slewing with them installed as they are pretty heavy. I have the AC adapter and it makes the motor really humm. I'd say the motor can take them but the gears would have me concerned.
I've since picked up a 6" reflector which has to be barlowed to work with the BV3's but works well 
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Matt
Apogee 50mm BB scope
ETX-60 BB
Meade 70-az
5" DIY Newt (wip)
C6-N on CG-4 GEM
Gallery
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