What Is Difference Between a Meade ETX-90/EC & ETX-90/PE?

Meade ETX-90EC Features

• The Meade ETX90EC is a 3.5-inch f/13.8 Maksutov-Cassegrain designed telescope that provides great portability for users who want to travel to different locations to view objects. The telescope's images are clear and its relatively low price makes it particularly attractive for the new telescope user. The telescope includes an eyepiece, finder scope, a dust cap that can be screwed on, a fork mount, with an adjustable tripod. In addition, the telescope has a built-in computer that will find and track objects in the sky. The push button electronic control makes the telescope very easy to use. With the purchase of a@T-Adapter, the telescope can be converted to use as a photographic lens.

ETX-90PE Features

• The ETX-90PE telescope is very light. It weighs less than 20 pounds -- including tripod -- which makes it very compact. This telescope will not need to be adjusted, which makes it immediately ready for use. With a built-in computer, the user can select from the menu what he wants to see in the sky, and the scope will point to it automatically. Once the power is turned on with the handheld computer controller, the telescope will align itself and begin the process of automatically finding objects for the user to view.

Comparison

• The EXT-90EC's plastic mounting is weaker than the EXT-90EP's. The focus is close to the eyepiece which may make viewing uncomfortable for some. Because the EXT-90EC has a small aperture, the brightest sky objects may be the only ones that the telescope will be able to capture clearly. The ETX-90EP is a small telescope, and will not show as much as a larger one. But its self-aligning feature makes it less time consuming because the user will not have to spend time searching for objects himself.

Considerations

• The EXT-90EC tube is longer than the fork arms and therefore, the telescope cannot swing all the way through the mount. This could limit the user's ability to look at objects that are low in the sky, depending on the telescope's location. Both telescopes have computer tracking which is very helpful in locating objects. The user's skill level, cost considerations, frequency of use and the type of viewing experience he is seeking will ultimately determine which purchase the user makes.