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TomJoe
member
Reged: 08/08/08
Posts: 32
Loc: SC, USA
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... buying a Meade ETX-70. I offered the guy $125 (never been used) and he's thinking about it. Is that a fair offer, or am I offering too much?
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Thomas Joseph, Newbie
Own
Celestron 15x70 SkyMasters
Saving Up For
Orion Skyquest XT10 Dobsonian
(It's a ...) Micro World (... after all)
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turndalightsoff
super member
Reged: 06/24/08
Posts: 172
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If it's never been used, your getting a good deal. Though you have look at everything the telescope has to offer before you commit to a purchase. 
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The names M, Mr. M
Proud Owner of a 6 Inch Hardin Deep Space Hunter Dobsonian Telescope
32mm, 25mm, 9mm, 7.5mm, 4mm plossls
Meade 4000 series 2X Barlow
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jeffchap
sage
Reged: 04/17/05
Posts: 222
Loc: Edmond, OK
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That's probably not a bad price for the ETX-70. But from your signature, I gather that you understand the importance of aperture. It's still just a 70mm scope, which is incidentally no larger than the binos that you already own. If you're expecting this to be something to tide you over until you've saved up for that 10", I'm afraid you may be disappointed.
I would suggest that for a scant $50 more, you could pick up an Orion Starblast, which would be just as portable as the ETX, yet provides 165% more light gathering capacity. And I suspect when you are ready for the XT10, the resale value on the Starblast will be higher, should you decide to part with it (which I doubt you will!) Just my humble opinion.
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Jeff Chappell
Orion XT10
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Protheus
Vaguely offended
Reged: 09/01/07
Posts: 4660
Loc: Illinois, US
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My wife has the etx-60, and the etx-80. They're not bad for what they are. They do have a tendency to chew through batteries, but they're pretty convenient little telescopes. That's also a good price on a relatively "fast" achromatic refractor. All depends on what you want to do with the scope, really.
Chris
Edit: I also should mention, these do tend to be kind of a pain to get to focus, so flipping the barlow on or off, or even switching eyepieces, is more trouble than it should be.
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"To tread the sharp edge of a sword;
to run on smooth-frozen ice,
one needs no footsteps to follow..."
"Well, people sometimes ask me 'how did you get involved in astronomy?' I said 'I got born, what's your problem?'" -- John Dobson
"In discussing the large-scale structure of the cosmos, astronomers sometimes say that space is curved, or that the universe is finite but unbounded. Whatever are they talking about?" -- Carl Sagan
Edited by Protheus (08/14/08 10:20 PM)
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TomJoe
member
Reged: 08/08/08
Posts: 32
Loc: SC, USA
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Thanks for the comments and recommendations. The guy accepted the offer but I think I'm going to back out. I really have scope fever right now. I like my binocs, but I want something more! This seemed like a good little scope for a good price, could give me more magnification than my SkyMasters (or am I mistaken?) and might be something that I could eventually use when I move into astrophotography (which kind of rules out the StarBlast I think) ... but for a few extra ducats, if I want an ETX I might go with the 80 ... or just seriously hit the surrounding flea markets, garage sales, and pawn shops and see if I can't get something that way. I probably should have slept on it before I made the offer. Oh well.
Anyways, I think I'll pass on this scope ... but if anyone is interested and lives in the Columbia, SC area, let me know and I'll give you the details so you can buy it yourself. Thanks for the help.
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Thomas Joseph, Newbie
Own
Celestron 15x70 SkyMasters
Saving Up For
Orion Skyquest XT10 Dobsonian
(It's a ...) Micro World (... after all)
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xfile101
professor emeritus
Reged: 12/08/07
Posts: 739
Loc: Ocean Gate, NJ
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Quote:
My wife has the etx-60, and the etx-80
Speaking of Avalon, where has she been? Haven't seen a post from her in quite some time. Anyway, about the OP, personally I would hold off on the ETX. Save the $125 and put it towards the 10". The binos should keep you busy until you have the cash for the light bucket, I know it may be difficult to wait but in the end it will be worth it. Try really pushing the binos to the limited ie. How many Messiers can you find with the bino's, how many NGCs etc. I do this quite often and it really does become a lot of fun. Also, look at it this way, the $125 is one quarter of the price of the 10", only 3 quarters to go. And trust me on this, the DSO's, planets etc. will still be the same 6 months from now. 
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Orion XT8I
Celestron 114EQ Firstscope
Meade 70mm
Astroscan
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Protheus
Vaguely offended
Reged: 09/01/07
Posts: 4660
Loc: Illinois, US
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Quote:
Speaking of Avalon, where has she been? Haven't seen a post from her in quite some time.
She's very often too busy for my own good...
Chris
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"To tread the sharp edge of a sword;
to run on smooth-frozen ice,
one needs no footsteps to follow..."
"Well, people sometimes ask me 'how did you get involved in astronomy?' I said 'I got born, what's your problem?'" -- John Dobson
"In discussing the large-scale structure of the cosmos, astronomers sometimes say that space is curved, or that the universe is finite but unbounded. Whatever are they talking about?" -- Carl Sagan
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