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How to Attach a Camera to an ETX

The ETX telescope series is the most popular line of astronomical telescope produced by Meade. Attaching a camera to an ETX telescope is easy and will allow the amateur astronomer to produce magnificent planetary, solar and deep-sky photographs. The combination of modern cameras matched with computer-driven, high-quality telescopes allow today&'s astrophotographer to produce images that were only available to research facilities just a few years ago. Regardless of whether you are an advanced photographer or amateur astronomer, this is another step in expanding your hobby.

Things You'll Need

ETX telescope
Camera adapter
Film or digital camera
Cable or electronic shutter release

Instructions

- 1
  Purchase a 1 1/4 inch telescope camera adapter specific to your camera make (Nikon, Cannon, Fuji, Pentax, etc). Attach the camera adapter to the telescope draw tube where the eyepiece (or ocular) is normally placed. (In effect, the camera will replace the eyepiece when attached to the adapter.)
- 2
  Attach the camera to the mounted telescope adapter in the same manner in which you would attach a lens to the camera. Adjust the telescope camera adapter to orient the camera so that the viewfinder is easy to use, then lock the adapter in place and attach the cable or electronic shutter release.
- 3
  Set the camera to through-the-lens (TTL) function and turn off any auto-focus features. Focus the telescope-camera assemblage by using the telescope focus knobs while looking through the camera viewfinder.
- 4
  Use the cable or electronic shutter release to snap your photographs after you remove all body contact from the telescope and camera and allow 10 to 15 seconds for any wobble or shaking to stop. Take several photographs of the same object as transient atmospheric anomalies will interfere with producing sharp images (these anomalies can be clouds, atmospheric water vapor, dust or changes in air density).
- 5
  Make periodic focus adjustments because changing temperature will expand or contract metal connections, changing the telescope angle will result in increased or decreased atmospheric depth and focus knobs tend to slip slightly over time.

Astronomy