TRIPODS, MOUNTS
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STANDARD MOUNTS

AZ-3 Alt-Azimuth Mount

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This mount is an ideal mount for terrestrial use, and can also be used for basic astronomical viewing.  There are two flexible slow motion controls, for horizontal and vertical control.  Sturdy for use with spotting scopes, binoculars and small telescopes.

(For spotting scopes and binoculars, see also Manfrotto and Acuter mounts.)

Tabletop Equatorial EQ1 Mount

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(With R.A. Motor Drive & Multi-speed Hand controller)

This convenient mount possesses all the same features as a standard sized EQ1. The only difference being it is supplied with mini-sized, screw-in tripod legs offering the ultimate in portability for the mounting of short-tube small aperture telescopes or even a camera. The mount, which is only 13” high, can be used on any reasonably firm and level surface. Perfect for taking on days out and trips abroad. Supplied with D.C. single axis motor drive with multi-speed (2x/8x) hand controller, manual slow motion cable controls, counterweight & ¼”/20 threaded adaptor.

 

EQ-2 Equatorial Mount

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The EQ-2 Equatorial Mount is suited to both beginners and experienced astronomers. It offers very good stability and the tall, fully adjustable aluminium tripod with large accessory tray is a real plus. This mount features 360 degree slow motion tracking gears on both the right ascension and declination axes with flexible controls. Dual metal setting circles allow location of objects by their R.A. and DEC, co-ordinates. A separate latitude adjustment aids in polar alignment. An optional D.C. motor drive can be installed to the R.A. axis for auto-tracking purposes.

 

EQ3-2 Deluxe Equatorial Mount

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EQ-3 Deluxe Equatorial Mount

The superb high-end EQ3-2 mount receives high marks from experienced observers. This sturdy mount offers precision and stability along with a host of other features for the serious astronomer. The mount rests firmly on a large, adjustable aluminium tripod with accessory tray. A bubble level allows for quick and accurate levelling. Slow motion control knobs allow for continuous manual tracking of celestial objects. The precision mount features full 360 degree worm-gear tracking controls on both R.A. and DEC. axes. Dual metal setting circle dials allow quick location of target using celestial co-ordinates. An optional polarscope is available for aiding in polar alignment. Optional single axis and dual axis D.C. motor drives can be installed for auto tracking purposes

Shown with optional Drives (362 and 406)

EQ-5 Equatorial Mount

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The sturdy EQ-5 provides excellent precision and stability and a host of other useful features for the serious astronomer. The mount rests firmly on a large, adjustable aluminium tripod with acessory tray. Supplied complete with a bubble level, latitude adjuster with micrometer scale and an azimuth polar-alignment adjuster. It also features engraved aluminium setting circles and manual slow motion tracking controls. An optional polarscope is available for aiding in polar alignment.

Optional single-axis and dual-axis D.C. motor drives can be installed for auto-tracking purposes.


 

HEQ5 Equatorial mount

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This heavy-duty mount is simply a scaled down version of the EQ6 (below). It is specially designed for observers who need similar steadiness of the EQ6 mount, but find the EQ6 too physically demanding. Like the EQ6 mount, this high precision equatorial mount features engraved aluminium setting circles and a latitude scale, built-in polar scope holder, and polarscope, large R.A. and DEC. locking clamps, electronic slow-motion controls on both axes, and retractable counterweight shaft and counterweight. The field tripod is remarkably stable with adjustable height, incorporating 1.5" diameter steel tripod legs.

EQ6 Equatorial Mount

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The Sky-Watcher EQ6 equatorial mount is the first of its kind. It is a precision instrument capable of carrying massive payloads (up to 25Kg) but at the same time is very reasonably priced. The mount is excellent for visual observations and short-term unguided CCD imaging with most telescopes of conventional design. It will easily handle refractors up to 8"/200mm and classic Newtonians up to 14"/350mm in aperture. The EQ6 has a black powder coat finish and weighs in at 17Kg. The equatorial head features engraved aluminium setting circles and a latitude scale, a polar finder scope holder and polarscope, a bubble level, large R.A. and DEC. locking clamps, built-in dual axis motor drives and retractable counterweight shaft & counterweight. Two counterweights are supplied, each weighing 5.4Kg.The dual-axis motor drives are operated by a hand controller with a switch for both Northern and Southern hemisphere operation with slewing speeds of 2x, 8x and 16x the sidereal rate. The tripod is made from 2" diameter stainless steel legs, making for a very sturdy system. The EQ6 (without telescope) adjusts from 1069mm in its lowest position to 1544mm with the tripod legs fully extended. The height of the mount (excluding tripod) is 406mm. The EQ6 accepts generic dovetail bars made by Sky-Watcher and many other companies

SkyTee HEAVY-DUTY

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Supa-Trak HEAVY-DUTY

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Will accept Telescopes with Skywatcher/Vixen type dovetail bar.

Maximum recommended OTA: D102/F500 Refractor (Startravel-102), D130/F650 Reflector (Explorer-130P), D127/F1500 Maksutov (Skymax-127)

More information to follow soon.

“The new SupaTrak™ mount shares more than a passing resemblance to the Celestron SLT, but the somewhat quieter and heavier duty SupaTrak sports a more robust Vixen-style dovetail clamp…. I found that the SupaTrak was capable of following a celestial object at high magnifications for tens of minutes before slowly drifting out of the field of view, which is perfectly adequate for visual use or simple webcam imaging…. If you are looking for an intuitive and far less intimidating user experience than that offered by cheaper GoTo mounts, the SupaTrak is highly recommended as a versatile grab-and-go system.”
Ade Ashford, www.scopetest.com

 

”The SupaTrak mount is a lightweight mount, suitable for small telescopes; it is easy to assemble, align and use...A particularly strong point is the sturdiness of the mount...There is no excessive vibration...Controls and slew rate are excellent.“

Endorsed and recommended by
Sir Patrick Moore CBE FRS

Scopetest.com review of SupaTrak Telescopes (& Mounting)

SkyWatcher PRO SERIES

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SIMPLY THE STATE-OF-THE-ART

 

HEQ5 & EQ6 PRO SynScanÔ

COMPUTERISED GOTO MOUNTING SYSTEMS

Tour the night sky at the touch of a button

For amateur astronomers seeking superior equatorial control and the ease of a high-precision computerised GOTO telescope mounting system, the new extra heavy-duty

HEQ5 PRO SynScanÔ and super heavy-duty EQ6 PRO SynScanÔ mounts are your answer. Both SkyScanÔ PRO models are advanced mounting systems which have been thoughtfully designed for ease of operation. With the user-friendly push-button hand control, locating and viewing the treasures of the night sky becomes as easy as a walk in the park. The SynScanÔ hand control allows you to point the telescope at a specific object or even tour the skies at the touch of a button. The user-friendly menu system allows automatic slewing to over 13,400 objects. Even an inexperienced astronomer can master its variety of features in a few observing sessions. The mounts differ mainly in their physical size/weight and their subsequent payload capacity. They both come with the following advanced features that even the most discerning observers will appreciate:


SynScanÔ V.3 Firmware Updateable Handset

New features include ongoing firmware updateability via the internet, Pointing Accuracy Enhancement (PAE), and capability to store star alignment data. Also can accept new GPS mouse attachment.

 

Positioning Accuracy up to 1 arc minute. Accuracy enhanced by software collimation error (mount mechanical error) compensation.
Extra-Quiet Stepper Motors with 1.8° step angle and 64 micro steps driven.
High Slewing Speed up to 3.4°/sec (800X) and a resolution of 0.144 arc sec.
Auto Guider Interface for astro-photography.
Auto Guider Guiding Speed Selectable from 0.25X, 0.50X, 0.75X, or 1X.
Object Catalogues: Messier, IC, NGC, Caldwell

13740 Object Database: Including Planets, Named Stars, Double Stars, Variable Stars & User-Defined Objects

Minimal Vibration for steady long-exposure photography.                               Periodic Error Correction (PEC) Training is included for astro-photography without auto guiding.                                                                                                           Alignment Methods: 1-star, 2-Star or 3-Star alignments, built-in polarscope 

Massive Payload Capacity of up to 25kg (EQ6 PRO) & 15kg (HEQ5 PRO)

Total Weight (without counterweights): 23.5kg (EQ6 PRO) & 15kg (HEQ5 PRO)
PC Compatibility

Power requirement: 11 to 15 V DC 2Amp Tip positive (Power Supply Not Supplied)

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SYNSCAN COMPUTERISED MOUNTS
GoTo Equatorial Mount & Tripod For amateur astronomers seeking superior equatorial control and the ease of a precision computerised telescope system, the SkyScanTM is the answer. It is a precision engineered instrument that will allow you to easily find and enjoy viewing night sky treasures such as planets, nebulae, star clusters, galaxies and much more! The user-friendly handset control menu system allows automatic slewing, at up to 3.4°/sec (800x sidereal rate), to a database of over 13,400 celestial objects. Includes an AutoGuider interface for Astrophotography.

HEQ5 PRO SynScan GO-TO Mount

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SynScan GoTo Equatorial Mount & Tripod

Positioning Accuracy up to 1 arc minute. Accuracy enhanced by software collimation error (mount mechanical error) compensation.
Stepper motors with 1.8° step angle and 64 micro steps driven.
Slewing speed up to 3.4°/sec (800X).
Auto Guider Interface for astro-photography.
Power Supply Required - not supplied
Guiding speed selectable from 0.25X, 0.50X, 0.75X, or 1X.
Object database containing complete M, NGC, and IC catalogues.
Minimal vibration for steady long-exposure photography. 

EQ5 SynScan

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COMPUTERISED GOTO EQUATORIAL MOUNTING SYSTEM

Tour the night sky at the touch of a button

 

Hardware Features:

l        SynScan V.3 Firmware Updateable Hand Control

New features include ongoing firmware updateability via the internet, Pointing Accuracy                                                      Enhancement (PAE), and capability to store star alignment data. Also can accept new GPS mouse attachment.

l        High precision stepper motors

l        Motor Controller: Microstep driving with auto-power saving feature

l        Resolution: 0.288 arc second

l        Slew Rate: 0.5X, 1X, 8X, 16X, 32X, 64X, 400X, 500X, 600X, 800X

l        Tracking Rate: Sidereal, Lunar, Solar

l        Tracking Mode: R.A. tracking

l        ST-4 type Autoguider Interface: Support 0.25X, 0.5X 0.75X, 1X guiding rate

l        Maximum Payload Capacity: Approx 9kg

l        Power requirement: 11 to 15 V DC 2Amp (Tip positive) (Power Supply Not Supplied)

 

Software Features

l        Alignment Method: One-Star Alignment, Two-Star Alignment, Three-Star Alignment

l        Pointing Accuracy: Up to 1 arc min

l        Object Catalogues: Messier, IC, NGC, Caldwell

l        13740 Object Database: Including Planets, Named Stars, Double Stars, Variable Stars & User-Defined Objects

l        Backlash Compensation

l        Periodic Error Correction

l        Premium PC Interface: ASCOM compatible, Nexstar-5i compatible protocol and command set

l        User-tunable LCD contrast, LED backlit and buzzer volume

 

EQ6 PRO SynScan GO-TO Mount

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Positioning Accuracy up to 1 arc minute. Accuracy enhanced by software collimation error (mount mechanical error) compensation.
Stepper motors with 1.8° step angle and 64 micro steps driven.
Slewing speed up to 3.4°/sec (800X).
Auto Guider Interface for astro-photography.
Guiding speed selectable from 0.25X, 0.50X, 0.75X, or 1X.
Object database containing complete M, NGC, and IC catalogues.
Minimal vibration for steady long-exposure photography.

SynScanTM PRO GOTO Upgrade Kits

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Available for easily upgrading the standard (non-PRO) HEQ5 or EQ6 mountings for computerised GOTO capabilities. Kits comprise V.3 SynScanÔ Flash Upgradeable GOTO handset, 2 X Stepper Motors for DEC and R.A.Drives, Replacement Control Panel / Motor Board, Hand Control Cable, Cable Clamp and Hand Control Holder (12V D.C.Power Supply Required (not supplied).

SynScanÔ Upgrade Kit for Standard HEQ5

SynScan V.3 Firmware Updateable Handset

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For V.2 owners wanting to upgrade, the V3 SynScan hand control includes new features such as: Firmware-updateability via the internet, Pointing Accuracy Enhancement (PAE), and capability to store star alignment data. Also can accept new GPS mouse attachment.

 

GPS MOUSE

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A plug-in accessory for the V.3 handset (requires V3.1 Firmware) that uses global positioning satellite technology to automatically locate and input the users position (longitude & latitude) to the handset. Supplied with USB connector

 

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MOTOR DRIVES
Motor drives are used in conjunction with Standard Equatorial mounts.  They offer a smooth tracking service, as an alternative to using manual slow motion controls. They come as single-axis or dual-axis, and in single or multiple-speed versions.

 

Single-Axis Motor Drive for EQ-1

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Single Axis D.C. Motor drive for EQ-1 equatorial mount can be fitted to any Skywatcher telescopes supplied with the EQ-1 equatorial mount. Variable-speed quartz controlled electronic motor tracking of the R.A. axis. Battery powered.


Single Axis D.C. Motor drive for EQ-2

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Single Axis D.C. Motor drive for EQ-2 equatorial mount can be fitted to any of our telescopes supplied with the EQ-2 equatorial mount. Provides multi-speed quartz controlled electronic motor tracking of the R.A. axis. Battery powered

Single-Axis D.C. Motor Drive for EQ3-2 Equatorial Mount

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Can be fitted to any Skywatcher telescope supplied with the EQ3-2 equatorial mount. Provides multi-speed quartz-controlled electronic motor tracking of the R.A. axis. Battery powered.


Dual-Axis D.C. Motor Drive for EQ3-2 Equatorial Mount

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Can be fitted to any Skywatcher telescopes supplied with the EQ3-2 equatorial mount. Provides multi-speed quartz-controlled electronic motor tracking of the R.A. and DEC. axes. Battery powered.

Single-Axis D.C. Motor Drive for EQ-5 Equatorial Mount

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Can be fitted to any Skywatcher telescope supplied with the EQ-5 equatorial mount. Provides multi-speed quartz-controlled electronic motor tracking of the R.A. axis. Battery powered.


Dual-Axis D.C. Motor Drive for EQ-5 Equatorial Mount

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Can be fitted to any Skywatcher telescope supplied with the EQ-5 equatorial mount. Provides multi-speed quartz-controlled electronic motor tracking of the R.A. and DEC. axes. Battery powered.

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SYNSCAN PRO UPGRADE KITS
SynScan PRO GOTO Upgrade KitS available for upgrading standard EQ mounts 

The upgrade kit includes: 2 X Stepper Motors, Control Panel/Motor Board, Hand Control Cable, Hand Control, Cable Clamp, Hand Control Holder.

Power Supply Required - not supplied. 

For EQ3-2 mount

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NEW!

SynScan Upgrade Kit

For EQ5 mount

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NEW!

SynScan Upgrade Kit

For HEQ5 mount

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SynScan Upgrade Kit

For EQ6 mount

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SynScan Upgrade Kit

Tripod Adaptor Plate for AZ3

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¼-20 Adaptor Plate to allow the attachment of equipment via a standard tripod bush

(Prod.Code 999)

Coming soon

R.A. Economy Motor Drive for EQ1

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Can be fitted to any of our telescopes supplied with the EQ1 equatorial mount, Provides single-speed (1x Sidereal) motor tracking of the R.A. Axis. Battery Powered.

Pillar Mount Support for HEQ5

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(Including PRO models)
 Provides a stable platform for all the standard HEQ5, mountings including PRO versions. Complete with wheels, which can be disengaged when mount is in use. Designed for use on a reasonably hard, level surface close to where the telescope is normally stored. Colour: Black.
Please note the picture features the HEQ5 pillar support
(n.b. Equatorial head not included) 

Stainless Steel Tripod (2” Diameter Legs)

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(As Supplied with the EQ6 Mount)

 

Pillar Mount Support for EQ6

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(Including PRO models)
 Provides a stable platform for all the standard EQ6 mountings including PRO versions. Complete with wheels, which can be disengaged when mount is in use. Designed for use on a reasonably hard, level surface close to where the telescope is normally stored. Colour: Black

SynScan Upgrade Kit for Standard EQ6

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EQ6 extension tube

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The EQ6 extension tube extends the height of the EQ6 mount so it is easier for observer to look into a long refractor. Installed between the tripod and the mount head, this heavy-duty metal tube adds about 8" in height to the assembly while maintaining the stability of the mount.

 

Tube Mounting Rings

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These quality cast aluminium rings are custom-made for use with either the AZ3, EQ1, EQ2, EQ3-2, EQ4, EQ5, HEQ5 and EQ6 (incl. PRO) mounts/mounting plates.
Rings of the following internal diameters are available: 90mm, 102mm, 120mm, 130mm, 140mm, 150mm, 160mm, 182mm, 236mm & 285mm.

They are felt-lined and hinged for easy installation of the telescope. By loosening the thumbscrews, the telescope can be easily balanced and rotated. 

236mm  

416  

 

182mm  

527  

 

150mm  

415