The new telescope will be available by month-end at retailers such as The
Nature Company, Discovery Channel Stores, and Natural Wonders, as well as at
hundreds of other retail-store locations. Like the original ETX, whose
high-resolution mirror-lens optical system it shares, it will be priced at
about $595.
With the addition of the optional Autostar(tm) Computer Controller with
fully automatic GO TO capabilities (also hand-held, and expected to have a
retail price of approximately $149), the telescope will automatically locate
and track more than 12,000 celestial objects, including planets, asteroids,
comets, galaxies, nebulae and individual stars.
The ETX-90/EC will also feature an RS-232 serial port to facilitate
operation of the telescope through a personal computer using Meade's Epoch
2000(R) astronomical software or other software of the user's choice.
Moreover, with the serial port one will be able to input orbital data for
Earth satellites and thereby locate and track, for example, space-shuttle
missions and the space station they will be servicing.
John C. Diebel, chairman and chief executive officer of Meade Instruments,
said he expects that the ETX-90/EC will, like its predecessor, quickly prove
to be a revolutionary product.
"For years casual amateur astronomers have had difficulty locating objects
as familiar as Jupiter, Saturn and the Orion Nebula. With the ETX-90/EC and
the Autostar(tm) controller, they will now be able to find these objects --
and thousands of others -- at the push of a button.
"The GO TO feature will become even more accessible to beginning astronomers
as, over the next few months, we apply it as well to many of Meade's less
expensive refracting telescopes," he said.
Meade Instruments is the leading designer and manufacturer of telescopes
and accessories for the beginning to serious amateur astronomer. Meade also offers a
complete line of binoculars for everyone from the casual observer to the serious sporting
or birding observer.
The company distributes its products worldwide through a network of specialty retailers,
mass merchandisers and foreign distributors.
"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995: The matters discussed in this news release contain comments and forward-looking
statements based on current plans, exceptions, events, and financial and industry trends
that may affect the company's future operating results and financial position. Such
statements involve risks and uncertainties that cannot be predicted or quantified and that
may cause
future activities and results of operations to differ materially from those discussed
above. Any historical results achieved are not necessarily indicative of future prospects
of the company. For additional information, refer to the company's filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
The New ETX-90/EC shown with standard hand control. The 90/EC is similar in size,
shape, and configuration to the original best-selling ETX, with the following exceptions.
The 90/EC has built-in high-torque right ascension and declination motors that are
controlled by the standard equipment hand control shown above. While the built-in drive
operates at a very precise sidereal tracking rate, as did the original ETX, the hand
control gives you four pushbutton-selected dual-axis slewing/centering speeds -- 8x for
image centering at high power, 32x for centering at low powers and tracking when used in
the altazimuth mode, 0.75% for centering objects in the finderscope, and 5 degrees/second
for slewing. The hand control also commands the operation of the optional #1244 electric
focuser.
The 90/EC does not come with tabletop tripod legs, as did the original ETX. For equatorial
tracking at the sidereal rate, an optional #880 tabletop tripod or #883 adjustable height
field tripod is required. Because of changes to the fork arms and drive base, the original
ETX CANNOT be converted or upgraded to the new 90/EC model.
The New Optional Autostar Computer Go To system for the ETX-90/EC. Adding this
inexpensive option to the 90/EC adds a universe of observing flexibility to the 90/EC. As
an individual was overheard to say as he left the 90/EC display at the recent Consumer
Electronics Show, "I've seen the future of amateur astronomy." The #497 Autostar
allows the 90/EC to slew at 5 degrees per second to more than 12,000 objects and track
them effortlessly--the best objects from the IC, NGC, and Caldwell catalogs; the Messier
catalog; 900 double, variable, and alignment stars; the planets; 26 of the brightest
asteroids; 15 periodic comets; 50 earth-orbiting satellites; user-defined objects; and the
centroids of all 88 constellations. It has constant digital readout of the scope position
in right ascension and declination. It has 9-speed dual-axis operation from 2x sidereal to
5 degrees per second. It has an RS-232 port for operation of the scope from a personal
computer using Meade's Epoch 2000 software. There are over 20 other menu options,
including guided tours, major event menus, and more.
Here is the list of the new Meade accessories available for the ETX and ETX-90/EC (The
Autostar computer is unable to work with the standard ETX. It will only work with the
ETX-90/EC. Alas, if your ETX is not the new ETX-90/EC then it can't be retro-fitted to
accept the computer.) All prices are plus freight.
ETX-90/EC $595.00
New fork mount design with built in dual axis drive system. Pushbutton electronic hand
controller w/ 4 dual axis speeds reaching as high as 5 degrees per second. Runs on 8
AA batteries or optional 25 ft. auto cigarette
lighter cord.
#497 ETX Autostar Computer Controller $149.00
Automatic dual-axis GO TO function at 5 degrees per second. 12,000 object database.
9 speed dual-axis operation from 2x sidereal to 5 degrees per second. RS-232 Serial
Port in the base for remote operation from a personal computer.
#880 Equatorial Table Tripod $ 29.95
#883 Deluxe Full Length Tripod $199.95
(not a new product, just a new price)
#825 8x25mm Right-Angle Viewfinder $ 49.95
#774 Hard Carry Case $ 99.95
#1244 Electric Focuser $119.95
Focused can be controlled by the ETX-90/EC hand control
