The Meade ETX60AT telescope offers truly amazing images of planets and celestial objects. For an incredibly affordable price, you will be able to see the Moon, Jupiter, the rings of Saturn, and even the snow caps on Mars. It is an affordable, good-quality, ultra-portable product, and a great option if you are new to astronomy, or if you want to buy a telescope for the kids. Read on for a Meade ETX60AT review that teaches you more about the features, pros, cons, and performance of this budget-friendly beginner’s telescope.
What Is the Meade ETX60AT Telescope?
The Meade ETX-60AT is a lightweight, cheap digital telescope, made precisely for people who are interested in astronomy, but do not have a lot of time to develop their passion. As a ready-to-go refractor scope, this piece is suitable for both indoor and outdoor observation.
Even more, the optics of the Meade ETX60AT telescope really bang for the buck. As a powerful beginner’s telescope, it’s incredibly easy to use it to capture images of different celestial objects. With a digiscoping attachment and a dedicated SLR adapter, the Meade ETX60AT astrophotography will leave you in awe.
The Meade ETX 60AT telescope comes with an AutoStar hand controller. This makes it an incredibly low-cost telescope compared to other, more expensive computerized products. The computer can automatically align at the touch of a button. Therefore, your Meade telescope will align itself in a matter of 60 seconds, without any effort whatsoever.
Besides using the Meade ETX60AT telescope for celestial observation, you can also test it as a terrestrial observatory. It’s highly convertible, and you can transform it into a spotting scope. You can achieve that just by attaching the 45-degree erect image prism to the rear of the Meade ETX 60AT. Add a suitable Meade ETX 60-AT eyepiece on top of the prism, and your digital telescope will become a good spotting scope.
Product Information
| Dimensions | Weight | Batteries | Aperture | Focal Length | Software |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21.2 x 13.2 x 7.6 inches | 10.25 lb | Alkaline batteries | 60mm | 350mm | AutoStar Suite PC |
Pros & Cons to Using the Meade ETX60AT Telescope
- Meade ETX 60AT Eyepieces – the two eyepieces of 25mm and 9mm offer great, crisp images of nearby celestial bodies.
- Meade ETX 60AT Tripod – the aluminum tripod is quite solid. It may not be the best, but it is quite good for this digital telescope.
- AutoStar Suite PC – this astronomy software gives valuable information about 1,400 celestial objects.
- Flip-mirror System – with the help of this system, you can observe celestial objects in a 90-degree position.
- Simplicity – with a rather simple and compact design, the Meade ETX60AT telescope is the definition of simplicity. Simply take it out of the bag and start tracking stars, birds, or whatever you want to view.
- Lightweight – the Meade ETX 60 AT is light and portable, suitable for trekking or outside observation.
- Good price-quality ratio – this is quite a cheap device, which still offers wonderfully crisp images, so it is a good investment.
- Quick Setup – it only takes about 60 seconds to align the telescope and set it up.
- Color fringing – this is a normal problem when dealing with refracting telescopes, especially while observing bright objects.
- Plastic – all the plastic parts make the Meade ETX60AT telescope quite fragile.
- Focusing Knob – some users report that the focusing knob is too wedged into the telescope, and it takes some time to rack it in and out.
- Customer Service – another complaint regarding this telescope has to do with its customer service, which is said to be less than perfect.
- Magnification – the magnification with this telescope is not what you would expect from a medium-priced telescope.
- Batteries– some users report that if you don’t use new batteries, the telescope might slip a gear while it slews.
Where to Find the Meade ETX60AT Telescope
You can find the Meade ETX60AT online, but you can only buy it used, since this exact model was already discontinued by the manufacturer. Prices for a used Meade ETX60AT differ according to the seller and the website from where you make the purchase. Amazon usually offers great deals, so you may want to check out their website.
Telescope Performance
Despite the small 60mm aperture, you will be able to track plenty of stars, star clusters, and galaxies with this telescope. Although the Meade ETX60 AT is a beginner’s telescope, you can use it to see really awesome details on the surface of planets like Jupiter, Saturn, and the Moon.
We particularly like the Identify feature, which tells you what you are seeing when you are pointing to something. Thus, you can discover stars and star clusters you had no idea about! The Meade ETX60 AT is so easy to use, that any absolute beginner will be able to find and view stars and planets in just a few minutes!
Extra Info
Maintenance Advice
The Meade ETX60AT telescope is quite compact. Thus, the cleaning is rather rudimentary. Besides the actual wiping of the eyepieces, front lens, and remote control, there’s not much else for you to do.
When dust gathers on the lens, use a camel’s hair brush or compressed air to remove all particles that are covering the lens. If the debris won’t disappear, just take a lint-free cloth, and clean them from the center to the outside. Do not rub in circles, and do not use industrial cleaning products, as this may damage them.
Whenever you are not using the Meade ETX60AT telescope, keep the lens covered. This will protect your scope from all the unwanted debris.
Accessories
The Meade ETX60AT refracting telescope comes with everything you need for both celestial and terrestrial observation. On delivery, the telescope will come with two eyepieces of 25mm and 9mm. The pack also contains an easy to mount, lightweight aluminum tripod.
Suitable for all beginner astronomers, the Meade ETX60AT package contains a DVD with a comprehensible and easy-to-use astronomical software. This software is useful for all astronomy enthusiasts, as it will offer valuable information about space and different celestial objects.
Even more, you won’t need to buy an additional Barlow lens. The Meade telescope comes with an internal flip-in 2x Barlow lens. However, you will have to purchase 6 AA batteries to get it working.
Note: The accessories described above are not guaranteed when you purchase a used Meade ETX60AT telescope.
Warranty and Guarantee Information
Since you can only buy a used ETX60AT telescope, you won’t benefit from a warranty. Although that is unfortunate, you can still ensure your telescope lasts for a long time by handling it with care. When you notice technical problems in one of the telescope’s components, you should immediately contact a specialist.
Our Verdict
This is one of the best beginner’s telescopes available in Meade’s collection. Highly portable, easy to use, and cheap, the Meade ETX60AT telescope would make a great purchase for all novice astronomers. It’s ideal for a trip in the mountains or forest, trekking, or just sightseeing. You can use the Meade ETX60AT telescope anywhere, anytime, whether you’re just a beginner, or a nature watcher. Combine it with the Meade Autostar 497 for an even smoother experience.
If you’ve already used the Meade ETX-60AT, please share your opinion in the comments section below!
Last update on 2023-03-27 at 23:52 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
I think the etc 60 is THE BEST BEGINNER STARNAV. The stars show really crisp and bright especially with the 25mm. I had an accident with my last one and I’m ordering another one. It’s even better with stars than my etc 90???just sayin