Thanks for the video Thomas. I've been looking for the right case for my new EXT 125. I really wanted to create a "backpack observatory". This will meet my needs perfectly. Just ordered Outlander Extreme 80L as you suggested from eBay. $42 US, free shipping. No sales tax in Oregon.
Side straps are for hiking poles. Quick question, is it possible to fit small amount of clothes as well? Maybe some part of the foam being replaced by clothes? The part right next to your back?
Great video. Any thoughts on this setup 2 years later? I’m thinking about getting a telescope for backcountry viewing and was wondering if you would do anything differently or consider a different telescope?
Hi James, well I just sold it a few days ago to make room for a bigger 8“ Meade... possibly the LX90 series... However, I still recommend the ETX-125 big time; especially for beginners! And I just learned that this older version of the ETX that I got from approximately 2005 was a better build than the more recent versions... So kinda keep that in mind if you are considering a purchase... new isn’t always better. If you have any further questions; glad to help!
Dear Thomas, at 8:03 in the video the 30mm eyepiece... i was wondering if i wanted to view 6km at this clarity... are there more eyepieces which i could buy.. im a total newbie and its been a month im getting intrested in a telescope/binoculars , after a found my dads 50 yr old binoculars from the store... please help.. your videos.. and your way of talking and personality is really helpful.
Ok well, at 6 km distance keep in mind that you have to be farely high up to actually look beyond the horizon (I believe at sea level your line of sight reaches out to about 5 km). And a quick rule of thumb: this telescope has a focal length of 1900 mm. The smaller the eyepiece (in this case 13 mm, not 30 mm) you simply divide the focal by the sice of the eyepiece: 1900 mm / 13 mm = 150 times magnification. Meaning if you want more, just get a 10 mm or smaller. But beware: you really need excellent atmospheric conditions in order to see more than just a big blurr. I tried an 8 mm version (1900 mm / 8 mm = 240 times magnification) but it really wasn't that great. The guys at the store said for this telescope that is really the highest, recommended magnification, but you can only get something out of it, when the air is extremely clear. That's why took the 13 mm because you can use it more often and still get one heck of a lot of magnification out of it.
@@agermangineer thanks a lot ... a million...i guess ill ask some more questions... im planning to buy 1 but before that i wanna do my homework... 13 mm.. ill remember
@@agermangineer hi once again, ive been sitting all day researching...need 5 mins of your time to watch this video, what do you think about LX series... any guidance, good or bad.. 3 reasons i came up so far to buy this.. 1. terrestrial viewing, field trips, photography as far as i can.. i would be buying the kind of eye pieces, barlow, connectors required to hook up my nikon or canon 2. i could view the moon for sure, and what else.. hopefully some planets .. 3. educate my daughter who is in class 3 and recently started learning about the solar system. i have a 25x70 vintage binoculars from the 60's which has really inspired me and my daughter from distant terrestial and lunar viewing. im just confused that how high my next jump should be. thanks. my budget is around 1k usd but i can jump to 2k max if its really for a good reason, like buying accessories.. etc thank you so much.. i hope im not a annoying you in any case with my questions.. im feeling extremely guilty and sorry about that. thank you. link to the LX65 video ruclips.net/video/LDhR3H1wOFM/видео.html
Well the LX series is really really cool, BUT!!!!!!: to just CARRY something so large, unhandy and HEAVY this is very annoying. Believe me! A friend of mine actually wanted to trade his 12" Dobson telescope (much bigger, wider and heavier) which enables you to see the orion nebula even with a light blue glare (due to its width), but it weighs like a ton! And ironically you don't even see that much more than with this 5" scope, because they both provide the exact same focal length!! Wider is generally better (for all scopes), but keep in mind that the weight goes up dramatically the wider the scopes get. And the mobility is what keeps you motivated to go out more than just once a year. That friend of mine is now getting a smaller scope, just to be able to go out more often with less hassle - and without a second man to carry all the heavy gear. (Quick rule of thumb: beginner scopes: 1"-3" width - no good; in order to see deep sky objects such as Galaxies, nebulae and other cool stuff - like saturn rings) 4"-8" width; Expert scopes: 8" to 14". Beyond that is like buying a BMW for a 3 year old. And yes, you can see the Saturn rings very clearly with the Meade ETX 125. And the moon is so big, you can get lost in the craters! Just be sure to get a good moon filter, otherwise you'll really hurt your eyes.) That's why I never got around to get anything bigger than this 5" scope because it does collect a fair amount of light, but it's just light enough to be carried in the Rucksack. Howerver, this glass/mirror tube is already the limit for a 1-3 mile hike. Anything beyond that with all this equipment would be a military bootcamp exercise. My advice would be to get a brand new ETX (which is already almost 1000USD). Why? Because NEW you get a warranty and don't have to worry about dislocated mirrors or anything like that. I got mine really cheap for 440 Euros used - fortunately in good condition, but that was just luck. And repairs are bound to come at some point. Those will be at a cool 100 - 200 bucks Euro or USD; so keep that in mind. Also: the telescope is just the beginning: to really enjoy it, you HAVE TO buy a thorough amount of accessories - ESPECIALLY concerning the eye-pieces. The standard Plössl Eyepieces which come in the starter kit are fine and good; but if you really want to enjoy a good watch: get a wide-angle eyepiece of over 60-70° for almost all sizes (30 mm to 8 mm). Otherwise you'll just be able to see a small dott expanded. The wide view lenses enable you to see a comfortable big picture. Those cost between 100 and 200 USD each! But trust me: it's absolutely worth it! I have cheap ones, but looking through those is like looking through your fist: literally - make a small tunnel with your hand (like a fist) and hold it in front of your eye. That's what looking through a cheap - narrow angle eyepiece is like. Those things suck all the fun out of scoping - both day and night. (Example: imagine the seal in the video without any of the surrounding landscape. Of course you see the seal... but since your field of vision so small and restricted due to a small viewing angle, chances are you'd never find it in the first place, because you only see so little) Getting 2-3 good eyepieces is already gonna cost 300-500 USD, so kinda keep that in mind as you are also wanting to buy the camera tools. With all that, you'll have spend 2k quickly. So... instead of maxing out on the scope itself, you might wanna be a little more generous to yourself with the eyepieces and the other accessories. However it's your call. I'm no expert... just sharing my experience from the last 24 months with this lovely, travel-friendly, friend-impressing, mobile observatory. :-) So keep me posted on what you decided on. Have fun - and as always: clear skies!! Wow, that was thorough. But since I have time today due to my ongoing flu... what the heck. :-)
Is it ok to have an ETX on the beach like that? I'm asking because I just bought one and really want to take it to the beach, but not if there is danger to the scope.
I love my etx 125. I got a hard case and modified the inside to fit everything I need
Thanks for the video Thomas. I've been looking for the right case for my new EXT 125. I really wanted to create a "backpack observatory". This will meet my needs perfectly. Just ordered Outlander Extreme 80L as you suggested from eBay. $42 US, free shipping. No sales tax in Oregon.
Awesome!! You won’t regret it! Thanks for sharing that!!!
Excellent video. I am building one for my EXT 125. I look forward to your Part 2 *Note: your wife made an awesome support cushion......
That is highly appreciated!! I’ll be sure to pass that on immediately! 👍🏻😬
Side straps are for hiking poles.
Quick question, is it possible to fit small amount of clothes as well? Maybe some part of the foam being replaced by clothes? The part right next to your back?
Snehan Shourya I would say yes; there is a lot of room in this back. Unless you try to fit a whole coat 🧥 or something... that would be too much.
Great video. Any thoughts on this setup 2 years later? I’m thinking about getting a telescope for backcountry viewing and was wondering if you would do anything differently or consider a different telescope?
Hi James, well I just sold it a few days ago to make room for a bigger 8“ Meade... possibly the LX90 series...
However, I still recommend the ETX-125 big time; especially for beginners! And I just learned that this older version of the ETX that I got from approximately 2005 was a better build than the more recent versions...
So kinda keep that in mind if you are considering a purchase... new isn’t always better.
If you have any further questions; glad to help!
Dear Thomas, at 8:03 in the video the 30mm eyepiece... i was wondering if i wanted to view 6km at this clarity... are there more eyepieces which i could buy.. im a total newbie and its been a month im getting intrested in a telescope/binoculars , after a found my dads 50 yr old binoculars from the store... please help.. your videos.. and your way of talking and personality is really helpful.
Ok well, at 6 km distance keep in mind that you have to be farely high up to actually look beyond the horizon (I believe at sea level your line of sight reaches out to about 5 km).
And a quick rule of thumb: this telescope has a focal length of 1900 mm. The smaller the eyepiece (in this case 13 mm, not 30 mm) you simply divide the focal by the sice of the eyepiece: 1900 mm / 13 mm = 150 times magnification. Meaning if you want more, just get a 10 mm or smaller. But beware: you really need excellent atmospheric conditions in order to see more than just a big blurr. I tried an 8 mm version (1900 mm / 8 mm = 240 times magnification) but it really wasn't that great. The guys at the store said for this telescope that is really the highest, recommended magnification, but you can only get something out of it, when the air is extremely clear. That's why took the 13 mm because you can use it more often and still get one heck of a lot of magnification out of it.
@@agermangineer thanks a lot ... a million...i guess ill ask some more questions... im planning to buy 1 but before that i wanna do my homework... 13 mm.. ill remember
I know the feeling, was the same for me. Feel free to do so. :-)@@aceaquascapes
@@agermangineer hi once again, ive been sitting all day researching...need 5 mins of your time to watch this video, what do you think about LX series... any guidance, good or bad.. 3 reasons i came up so far to buy this..
1. terrestrial viewing, field trips, photography as far as i can.. i would be buying the kind of eye pieces, barlow, connectors required to hook up my nikon or canon
2. i could view the moon for sure, and what else.. hopefully some planets ..
3. educate my daughter who is in class 3 and recently started learning about the solar system. i have a 25x70 vintage binoculars from the 60's which has really inspired me and my daughter from distant terrestial and lunar viewing. im just confused that how high my next jump should be. thanks.
my budget is around 1k usd but i can jump to 2k max if its really for a good reason, like buying accessories.. etc
thank you so much.. i hope im not a annoying you in any case with my questions.. im feeling extremely guilty and sorry about that. thank you.
link to the LX65 video ruclips.net/video/LDhR3H1wOFM/видео.html
Well the LX series is really really cool, BUT!!!!!!: to just CARRY something so large, unhandy and HEAVY this is very annoying. Believe me! A friend of mine actually wanted to trade his 12" Dobson telescope (much bigger, wider and heavier) which enables you to see the orion nebula even with a light blue glare (due to its width), but it weighs like a ton! And ironically you don't even see that much more than with this 5" scope, because they both provide the exact same focal length!! Wider is generally better (for all scopes), but keep in mind that the weight goes up dramatically the wider the scopes get.
And the mobility is what keeps you motivated to go out more than just once a year. That friend of mine is now getting a smaller scope, just to be able to go out more often with less hassle - and without a second man to carry all the heavy gear.
(Quick rule of thumb: beginner scopes: 1"-3" width - no good; in order to see deep sky objects such as Galaxies, nebulae and other cool stuff - like saturn rings) 4"-8" width; Expert scopes: 8" to 14". Beyond that is like buying a BMW for a 3 year old. And yes, you can see the Saturn rings very clearly with the Meade ETX 125. And the moon is so big, you can get lost in the craters! Just be sure to get a good moon filter, otherwise you'll really hurt your eyes.)
That's why I never got around to get anything bigger than this 5" scope because it does collect a fair amount of light, but it's just light enough to be carried in the Rucksack. Howerver, this glass/mirror tube is already the limit for a 1-3 mile hike. Anything beyond that with all this equipment would be a military bootcamp exercise.
My advice would be to get a brand new ETX (which is already almost 1000USD). Why? Because NEW you get a warranty and don't have to worry about dislocated mirrors or anything like that. I got mine really cheap for 440 Euros used - fortunately in good condition, but that was just luck. And repairs are bound to come at some point. Those will be at a cool 100 - 200 bucks Euro or USD; so keep that in mind.
Also: the telescope is just the beginning: to really enjoy it, you HAVE TO buy a thorough amount of accessories - ESPECIALLY concerning the eye-pieces. The standard Plössl Eyepieces which come in the starter kit are fine and good; but if you really want to enjoy a good watch: get a wide-angle eyepiece of over 60-70° for almost all sizes (30 mm to 8 mm). Otherwise you'll just be able to see a small dott expanded. The wide view lenses enable you to see a comfortable big picture. Those cost between 100 and 200 USD each! But trust me: it's absolutely worth it! I have cheap ones, but looking through those is like looking through your fist: literally - make a small tunnel with your hand (like a fist) and hold it in front of your eye. That's what looking through a cheap - narrow angle eyepiece is like. Those things suck all the fun out of scoping - both day and night.
(Example: imagine the seal in the video without any of the surrounding landscape. Of course you see the seal... but since your field of vision so small and restricted due to a small viewing angle, chances are you'd never find it in the first place, because you only see so little)
Getting 2-3 good eyepieces is already gonna cost 300-500 USD, so kinda keep that in mind as you are also wanting to buy the camera tools. With all that, you'll have spend 2k quickly. So... instead of maxing out on the scope itself, you might wanna be a little more generous to yourself with the eyepieces and the other accessories.
However it's your call. I'm no expert... just sharing my experience from the last 24 months with this lovely, travel-friendly, friend-impressing, mobile observatory. :-)
So keep me posted on what you decided on. Have fun - and as always: clear skies!!
Wow, that was thorough. But since I have time today due to my ongoing flu... what the heck. :-)
Is it ok to have an ETX on the beach like that? I'm asking because I just bought one and really want to take it to the beach, but not if there is danger to the scope.
W A well make sure you don’t get any sand into the gears... other than that... why not? 😀