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Posts Tagged 'mount telescope-accessories'

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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!

CGX-L: The Large Version of the New Celestron Mount

June 12 2017, Stefan Taube

At the beginning of February, we introduced the latest development from Celestron: Celestron CGX. The CGX now has a big sister. The brand-new  CGX-L mount is able to carry 34 kilogrammes and thus almost 10 kilogrammes more than the CGX.

The large 14 inch optics can thus also be used with the new technology of the CGX-mounts:

CGX-L-1400

The generously sized 144 millimetre worm gears are an important factor in increasing the load bearing capacity. They enable smooth running, even when carrying heavy telescopes. Apart from this, the dovetail clamps were extended to 270 millimetres, so that large telescopes are also securely held in place.

The illustration shows the mount head with the large worm gear and the toothed belt drive:

CGX-L-Antrieb

Another positive aspect: Additional AUX ports and the autoguider connection on the DEC-axis ensure a better cable management.

If you intend to use large optics with photo equipment, you need a heavy counter weight. With 31.5 millimetres in diameter, the counterweight shaft has been adequately dimensioned for carrying heavy loads.

Despite the increased load bearing capacity, the CGX-L is still portable. And not only the mount is able to carry higher loads: Celestron delivers the CGX-L with a steel tripod which has been considerably reinforced compared to the CGX. The tripod legs have a diameter of 70 millimetres!

The CGX-L is a universally usable mount, with hardly any limits: You may use it stationary in your garden observatory or transport it to telescope meetings or to your favourite observation location.

We offer the mounts CGX and CGX-L individually. With the dual saddle plate, you can combine these mounts with almost any optics system. But you can also decide on a complete telescope system consisting of mount and Schmidt-Cassegrain optics. You will find these product series under the two links CGX- telescopes and CGX-L telescopes.

No matter whether you decide for the CGX or directly for the larger sister CGX-L, you will receive a modern mount, which will set the standard for the next few years.

Explore Scientific Twilight AZ – the uncomplicated mount!

March 27 2017, Stefan Taube

The equatorial mount with GoTo functionality is not necessarily a must-have.  Sometimes you just want to have a quick look at the moon or the planets, search for a comet or observe large areas of the sky with a suitable refractor. In this case, an uncomplicated and quickly available azimuthal mount is fits the bill.

The new Twilight I AZ from Explore Scientific is just such a mount. It accommodates telescopes with a weight of up to eight kilograms – which is quite strong for a mount of this class.

ES-Twilight-AZ

Moving to the desired objects is a simple task: With just one lever each you can loosen the clamps of the elevation and the azimuth axis and quickly move the telescope. Once you have retightened the clamps, you use the two flexible shafts and the precision worm gear for fine tuning and tracking.

The mounting saddle accommodates telescopes with a prism rail, compatible with the very popular Vixen standard. With the enclosed Allen key, the mount arm can be adjusted to optimize the viewing height of your optical system and to make sure that the telescope will not hit the tripod leg. Speaking of tripods: the Twilight I AZ comes with a steel tripod with extendible legs and an eyepiece tray.

The mount Twilight I AZ is currently available for a price of 279 Euro – an excellent price for a mount of this quality!

Now available: the EQ6-R mount from Skywatcher!

February 20 2017, Stefan Taube

The new EQ6-R Pro SynScan GoTo mount from Skywatcher is now available for ordering. With its price of EUR 1,599 it is just slightly more expensive than its predecessor. We offer you the EQ6-R even cheaper than the price recommended by the manufacturer: You save EUR 100!

The EQ6-R mount is the further development of one of the most popular astronomical mounts. The classic EQ-6is an equatorial mount with computer control (GoTo). It has a high load capacity, but is still portable. And this all for a fair price. No wonder that the EQ6 has really found its way into the heart of the stargazer community.

“Only those who change remain true to themselves.” (Wolf Biermann)

The new EQ6-R does not do everything differently, but many things better:EQ6-R-Pro-SynScan-GoTo

  • Ergonomic design with bigger twist handles for polar elevation setting and a better polar elevation display, convenient handle for transport, mounting saddle for Vixen or Losmandy standard prism rails.
  • Latest version of the SynScan hand controller, permanent PEC correction and camera shutter control.
  • And best of it all: a toothed belt drive! With this new drive system there is no effect known as backlash, i.e. no gear play when changing direction. The mount runs much quieter, with higher torque. All this has a positive effect on autoguiding.

With this new version Skywatcher gives its classic mount a facelift. This way the new EQ6-R will be a standard in hobby astronomy for years to come: the EQ6 just keeps on running…

Skywatcher: A new addition to the Star Adventurer family

November 7 2016, Stefan Taube

The Star Adventurer from Skywatcher literally is a handy camera mount. For us, a camera mount is an astronomical mount that tracks the rotation of the sky with a photo camera, not with a telescope. This way you will successfully shoot impressive wide field images of the night sky: entire constellations, the belt of the milky way, or atmospheric constellations of the Moon and planets.

A new addition to the Star Adventurer family

The Mini Star Adventurer Wi-Fi from Skywatcheris now available:

mini-star-adventurer

Just like the classic Star Adventurer we also offer this model in two variations: The Photo-Set only consists of the photo mount without any further accessories. This variation is perfect for customers who already have accessories, or want to use the Star Adventurer for applications other than astro photography. The Astro-Set variation comes with everything you need to be able to use the Star Adventurer as an astronomical mount. You only need an additional camera tripod. An excellent solution is the very light Titania 600 from Omegon.

What has changed on the new Star Adventurer?

The Mini Star Adventurer Wi-Fi is no replacement for the classic model. As indicated by its name, the load capacity of the new version is lower. The classic Star Adventurer is able to carry approx. 5 kilogramme; for the Mini Star Adventurer the manufacturer recommends an additional load of maximum 3 kilogramme. This low load gives you the opportunity to operate the Mini Star Adventurer via an integrated powerpack, which is charged via Mini-USB. You no longer need any batteries.

Another major difference is the control via app: The Mini Star Adventurer Wi-Fi generates its own WIFI network. You can wirelessly connect your smartphone or tablet to the camera mount. For this purpose, Skywatcher provides an app for Android and iOS free of charge. The advantage of this app is the fact that no additional manual control is required because you already own a smartphone, including the convenience of the graphical user interface and touchscreen. You can actually use the app to control your camera via the Mini Star Adventurer Wi-Fi and to make a vast variety of settings. This all takes place without touching: no camera movement, no disturbance of the polar alignment.

By the way: With camera mounts like the models of the Star Adventurer series you will also be able to take panorama and time lapse images. Camera mounts are highly versatile tools for ambitious photographers.

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.