7,500+ items available from stock
Best price guarantee
Your partner for astronomy

Posts Tagged 'ioptron'

Blog Archives

iOptron: A variety of astronomical mounts

September 15 2017, Stefan Taube

Mounts from iOptron are becoming more and more popular, not only in the USA, but also in Europe. Reasons for this also include product diversity, mechanical quality and excellent equipment. Let us introduce a selection of mounts from  iOptron:

The iEQ45 Pro GoTo is of particular interest for astro-photographers.

iEQ45

The mount can support twenty kilogrammes and is thus in the size range that is preferred by most ambitious amateur astronomers. It can also accommodate ample sized optics, but is still easy to transport. The tripod with its 50 millimetre legs ensures stability.

While stargazing, the iEQ45 Pro is quickly ready for use. Its readiness is assured by the integrated GPS, the electronically supported alignment of the mount with the polar star and the various initialisation methods for the GoTo system. The GoTo system will assist you in finding your way through the sky. The iEQ45 Pro is equipped with an eight-line remote to make sure that you won’t lose track.

If you are a novice and would like to start slightly smaller, then the CEM25P GoTo would be the right choice. This mount is available for a considerably lower price, but still is able to carry 12 kilogrammes. A 6-inch Newton telescope is a good match for this mount.

 

Unbelievably quiet and load-bearing AZ Pro GoTo

AZPro

The only time you need an equatorial mount is when you want to take photos of faint nebulae and galaxies. In all other cases, the azimuthal mount AZ Pro GoTo is a highly interesting alternative. The AZ Pro is simply remarkable: It works almost silently, when carrying even heavy optics of up to 15 kilogrammes!

This mount does this with all imaginable comfort: Large display, GPS, automatic alignment and installed power pack. You don’t need a Powertank! Without an external power supply and due to its dice-shape design, the AZ Pro is very compact – more mobility is hardly possible!

With an azimuthal mount of this kind, you can, in addition to visual observations, also take photos of the Moon and planets, or use the Atik Infinity camera for video astronomy.

 

The smallest mount from iOptron is the SkyTracker Pro

SkyTracker

Over many years, the photo mount SkyTracker Pro has found lots of friends. No further explanation required.

Photo mounts like this one enable astro-photography directly with a DSLR, i.e. without any telescope.

This is simple, possible anywhere and very well suited for taking photos of large constellations, allowing you to take photos of the Milky Way or just atmospheric landscape shots with the night sky.

 

The observatory mount from iOpton: CEM60 GoTo

CEM60

With a load bearing capacity of 27 kilogrammes, the CEM60 GoTo is not the biggest mount at Astroshop. However, it is a very interesting solution for stationary operation on a concrete column, because it meets the requirements of many small garden observatories and is available for quite a reasonable price.

Special ports below the dual mounting saddle enable the operation of accessories for astro-photography applications. In case you do not want to constantly operate the mount stationary, the scope of delivery also includes a transport case. For mobile use, we can also supply you with the matching iOptron tripod or even an especially high-quality wooden tripod from Berlebach.

This is a selection of particularly interesting mounts from iOptron. You will find the whole product range here.

SkyGuider Pro: the large camera mount from iOptron

July 17 2017, Stefan Taube

The SkyTracker Pro from iOptron is one of the most popular camera mounts. This handy unit tracks photographic equipment of up to three kilograms in weight to follow the rotation of the sky. This allows you to take panorama shots of the night sky with long exposure times.

The new SkyGuider Pro from iOptron can even carry up to five kilograms of photographic equipment. This is easily sufficient for a small telescope, such as the Photography Scope with camera. The scope of delivery already includes a mounting plate for small telescopes.

The scope of delivery also includes a counterweight for balancing the photographic equipment. This provides stability and takes pressure off the rotation axis.

However, you can also install a second camera with up to three kilograms in weight instead of the counterweight. This way you can take photos of the same sky area, but with two different focal lengths.
Alternatively, you can use the second camera as an autoguider.

On the product page for the iOptron Mount SkyGuider Pro you will find an illustration showing the vast variety of applications for this camera mount.

In addition to the counterweight, the scope of delivery of the SkyGuider Pro includes almost everything you need. The only thing missing is a tripod and a ball head might also make sense. Both these articles can be found under the tab “Recommended Accessories” on the product page.

The SkyGuider Pro comes with a power pack which can simply be recharged via USB. There is hardly any mount for sky photography available for use with photographic equipment of up to five kilograms in weight, that is more light-weight or more compact. As with other mounts from iOptron, the SkyGuider Pro also offers a satisfying, solid mechanical design. We are convinced that this new camera mount will meet your approval!

New: SkyTracker Pro from iOptron

September 26 2016, Stefan Taube

You do not need very much to be able to take long exposure photos of the night sky. Even with a system camera or a DSLR with interchangeable lenses you can take photos of large regions of the sky, such as constellations, special constellations of the Moon and planets or even the belt of the milky way.

All you need besides the camera is just a little piece of accessory to be mounted between tripod and camera. This accessory, referred to as camera mount, makes your camera rotate with the starry sky. This makes sure that stars will not appear as dashed lines after a longer exposure time. The SkyTracker from iOptron is the mount that has set standards. This narrow and light piece of accessory fits into any photo bag – ideal also for travelling!

With the Sky Tracker Pro, iOptron now launches a new version of this popular camera mount:SkyTracker

  • You no longer need any batteries! The integrated powerpack can be simply charged via your computer or via a mobile power supply, sufficient for approx. 24 hours of operation. You can obviously also use a Powertank to supply the Sky Tracker Pro continuously with electric current via USB.
  • The polar finder for aligning the equatorial wedge (Alt-Az base) with the North Star is illuminated with eight selectable brightness stages. A rough alignment is made through a peephole and a height scale on the wedge.
  • The equatorial wedge is mechanically considerably more stable than the classic SkyTracker. It has a large height adjustment wheel with a non-slip clamping lever and adjustment screws. The wedge can be separated from the tracking unit. This way it may stay on the tripod and the SkyTracker Pro can be simply plugged on.
  • You can choose from four speeds: stellar, solar, lunar and 0.5-times. Half the stellar speed is quite useful if you want to photograph landscape details in the foreground together with the stars.
    Due to the reduced tracking speed, these elements remain sharp. By the way: You can also reverse the sense of rotation of the motor, so that the SkyTracker Pro also works in the Southern hemisphere.
  • With a weight of slightly more than one kilogram and dimensions of 12 cm x 12 cm x 10 cm, the SkyTracker Pro is quite compact, despite its high quality mechanics, and will surely fit into your travel luggage.

Besides the tripod, you also need a ball head in order to use the SkyTracker Pro in the most effective way. Since many photographers already have a ball head in their possession, it is not included in the scope of delivery of the SkyTracker Pro. Under the “Recommended Accessories” tab on the SkyTracker Pro product page you will find a highly suitable example.

By the way: At Astroshop.eu we also offer astro modified system cameras. These cameras are highly sensitive in the red range of the spectrum and enhance the image quality of cosmic nebulae.

 

The AZ Pro mount from iOptron: GoTo made easy!

July 11 2016, Stefan Taube

iOptron simply calls it “level and go”, and refers to the very simple routine for aligning the AZ Pro mount in the sky. With this latest innovation, viewing the sky with a computer controlled mount is almost as spontaneously possible as it is with a Dobsonian telescope: No need to exert yourself by going through an arduous procedure, until you can finally start observing!

iOptron Mount AZ Pro GoTo

iOptron Mount AZ Pro GoTo

Just place the AZ Pro mount down horizontally – the integrated spirit level helps you to do so – and switch it on. With the integrated GPS and the sensors, the mount will automatically recognize date, time, location and orientation. Just give the computer approximately two minutes, the mount will then move to a bright object in the sky. Then centre the object in your eyepiece. There is even no need to know the name of the object, a fact that is particularly convenient in twilight. It goes to show how quickly and simply the mount is to align to the sky! You can now choose your observation targets from a huge database, to be sought out by the mount.

With its compact form, the retractable counter weight bar and the stable aluminium housing the AZ Pro mount from iOptron is an ideal travel mount. With the integrated GPS, the “level and go” routine can be executed at any point around the globe. The mount comes with an installed lithium-ion powerpack, suitable for 10 hours running. No need to take another power supply with you, which reduces any additional cable chaos.

Another positive aspect is the smooth and quiet running of the stepper motors. Your neighbours will be grateful!

The AZ Pro has admittedly been optimized for mobile use, but is still a high quality mount, able to carry large aperture telescopes for visual observation. For photographic purposes this mount can be used for moon and planet photography.

In the field of portable, azimuthal GoTo-mounts the AZ Pro from iOptron currently meets the highest standard.

Special offer: The popular SkyTracker with tripod and bag

June 6 2016, Stefan Taube

Celestial photography with digital reflex camera is gaining in popularity Why not use your excellent photo equipment to photograph the night sky? There is a vast variety of photographic mounts available for this purpose. You convert your camera to an astronomical telescope, which is then tracks the rotation of the night sky.

iOptron Mount SkyTracker tracking unit for astrophotography, white

iOptron Mount SkyTracker tracking unit for astrophotography, white

A well proven and very popular photographic mount is the SkyTracker from iOptron. Just add this solid, compact accessory to your photo equipment and you are ready for taking photos of the night sky.

We now offer you the SkyTracker as a set with all necessary accessories: Ball head, tripod and tripod bag. The bag not only provides space for the tripod, but also for the SkyTracker and further accessories.

With the SkyTracker set you save €145.- when compared with the sum of all prices per item!

We will receive the SkyTracker set at the beginning of June from iOptron, USA. Reserve your SkyTracker set now for € 494.-!

You can choose from two colour variants: black or white.

Celestial photography with the digital reflex camera (DSLR) is an economical and very mobile variant in astrophotography, which quickly gives beginners the feeling of success.

 

By the way: We also offer DSLR and other system cameras which have been specially modified for astrophotography. These cameras are more sensitive in the red spectral range and thus much better for taking photos of emission nebulae.