Meade ETX-125AT (f/15) Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope

by Meade

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 25 x 17 x 34 inches ; 46.3 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 48 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B002LV6NOS
• Item model number: 0515-03-60
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,666 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
  • #25 in Camera & Photo > Binoculars, Telescopes & Optics > Telescopes > Catadioptric
• Date first available at Amazon.com: June 17, 2003

Product Description

Aperture: 127mm(5.0-Inch). Focal Length: 1900mm. Focal Ratio: f/15. Ultra High Transmission Coatings (UHTC). Meade Blue Optical Tube. For over 30 years, it’s been our passion to create the finest telescopes available for the astronomy enthusiast. The revolutionary ETX series is just one example. Designed to be the ideal, ultra-portable telescope, the ETX marries Meade’s unsurpassed optics with industry-leading electronics to deliver a truly exceptional viewing experience. Meade’s unmatched Maksutov-Cassegrain optics provides high resolution and contrast for more detail and the ability to see fainter objects than with comparable systems. Combine that with the easiest alignment system available and the Autostar controller, and you have simple, immediate access to over 30,000 celestial objects…all at the push of a button. And with the ETX’s classic styling and advanced engineering, your telescope is ready for a lifetime of use. FEATURES #884 Deluxe Field Tripod The #884 Deluxe Field Tripod strikes the perfect balance between stability and portability. And the stainless steel legs add durability to the list. With height adjustable from 25 to 43 inches and elevation adjusts from 25 to 90 degrees, this tripod allows you the flexibility to use your telescope in either equatorial or alt-az configurations. The Deluxe Field Tripod comes complete with a padded carry bag to make getting to the perfect stargazing spot simple and easy.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Meade ETX 125 AT, May 8, 2011

By 

Lowell F. Goodwin (Las Vegas, NV USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Meade ETX-125AT (f/15) Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope (Electronics)

I am a person that is confined to a wheelchair. The weight of the telescope is so light that I have no problem working with them. The optics are just wonderful and I was extremely surprised with the clarity I had with this telescope. The setup of the unit is very simple and the setup of the Autostar computer system was very easy to setup. This telescope will provide me with many years of enjoyment with this system. I am looking to be able to do some astrophotograpy in the future. Meade ETX-125AT (f/15) Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still the best telescope in the view of cost-performance, December 5, 2011

By 

Je Y. Park "jelong" (VA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Meade ETX-125AT (f/15) Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope (Electronics)

I've been owned this telescope for last 3 years, and recently was looking for something else to replace this telescope. But soon realized this telescope is one of the best that compared with others in the view of cost-performance.
Cannot find better Aperture/Focal Length/Focal Ratio and the Goto objects database product in the same range of price.
Meade telescope product has stability in quality, ease of use and bunch of accessories.

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Great product, disappointed in the seller and Meade, January 13, 2012

By 

D. A Smithwick (Colorado Springs, CO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Meade ETX-125AT (f/15) Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope (Electronics)

First of all, let me say that I am to blame for most of what I am to write here, but I also feel that some blame lay on Beach Camera and Meade for what I'm about to write.

I bought a Meade ETX-125AT from Beach Camera, and before I did I checked out the online reviews for the scope, and I checked Meade's website. The problem I have is that the scope is discontinued, and I cannot get a lot of the accessories for it. Beach Camera made no mention the scope was discontinued. I will be upgrading to a 10" or bigger scope this Summer or Fall, and you can bet that I won't be purchasing from a company that let me buy a discontinued item without any notice. But shame on Meade as well for not indicating on their website that the scope had been discontinued, at least not in a location that I could find while researching the scope itself. Only when you go to buy accessories do you find that you cannot, which I admit is something I should have checked, but I didn't assume that either business would be secretive about a discontinued product.

The scope itself is fantastic. I cannot imagine why Meade discontinued the scope, I got very good clarity in horrible conditions when I used the included 26mm eyepiece to view Jupiter. By horrible, I mean horrible. The first night I got my telescope, I sat it up in my living room, looked West to the Rocky Mountains and checked out the terrestrial features. Amazing! I could easily see the struts on a radio tower I know is 7 or more miles away. That night I turned the telescope skyward toward Jupiter, it was in the NW sky and bright. Very bright. While I couldn't make out any surface details on the planet, the disc was there and so were three of the Jovian satellites. It was beautiful, and I was looking at it over the light polluted city of Colorado Springs, through a glass window, and out over my own yard where the garage lights were active due to the photovoltaic switches. The views of the moon were of astounding quality despite the same limitations. I can't wait to take this thing up into the mountains and see what is to be seen there. But I guess I won't be taking pictures or electronically focusing my scope.

My next telescope will be a Celestron. I bought this Meade with the intention of learning astrophotography on it and then moving up to the LX200 10" or 12" and handing this one over to my teenage daughter. It is hard to learn astrophotography, however, when you cannot buy an electric focuser, as well as virtually all other accessories.

So Meade, you've lost a customer for life. Beach Camera, you have too. I simply do not do business with companies that sell a product as new without labeling it as discontinued, and if I were another user reading this, I would be quite nervous about giving you my business as well.

Last note: I have not taken this up with Beach Camera or Meade. I have not asked for resolution, so I cannot speak to what they would do if I were to do so. But the fact remains that if I weren't giving this to my daughter soon, and if I had no more money to spend later for a scope that actually still has products available for it, I'd be completely outraged. Instead, I'm just disappointed enough to write this review. Great scope, bad business on the part of both companies.