Parallax HD150 Standard, Non GoTo, German Equatorial Mount with Digital Drives
- 2" dia. stainless steel shafts in RA and DEC
- Precision Timken tapered roller bearings for strength and smooth motions
- Easily adjustable clutch tension knobs.
- Detachable stainless steel Declination counterweight shaft with safety stop
- (1) 33 lb. machined counterweight with brass pin
- 9" dia. 360 tooth precision Byers "Starmaster" worm gears in RA and DEC with mating s.s. worms (larger gears are available depending on load
- Worm gear protective shields
- Fully adjustable worm to worm wheel mesh mechanism
- Machined aluminum saddle plate
- DC stepper motors for smooth tracking and minimum current consumption
- Losmandy dual axis digital electronics package with full featured, hand held drive controller and control panel. (4) selectable tracking rates : sidereal, king, lunar, and solar, (3) slewing rates of 4X, 8X, and 16X, and (3) photo guide rates of 30%, 50%, and 2X. Advanced PEC (periodic error correction) is also standard.
- Reversible RA drive permits operation in either hemisphere.
- Laser etched setting circles, direct reading indexed to the motion of the RA gear.
- Bubble level and micrometric latitude and azimuth adjust devices.
- Optional rock solid, reinforced 10" dia. aluminum pier with massive pier legs and swivel type levelers (observatory permanent piers also optionally available).
- Beautiful, durable, dark metallic gray, acrylic enamel finish. Gloss black or gloss white available optionally.
- Mount breaks down in seconds into (2) sub-assemblies.
- Recommended Maximum Payloads: Approx. 150 lbs.
- Weight of equatorial head without counterweights: Approx. 85 lbs.
Parallax HD150C and HD200C Large Capacity Computerized German Equatorial Mounts
Parallax also offers our larger German Equatorials with the Astro-Physics GTO Computer System. With its exceptional accuracy and stability, this control system will satisfy the most demanding amateur and professional requirements. The features of the GTO System enables any celestial object to be located and tracked for hours with arc second accuracy. The new DigitalSky Voice system can easily be coupled to the GTO System.
The HD 150C and HD 200C are designed to be completely self contained systems. No additional hardware or software is required. All system controls are contained in the hand held keypad including the vacuum fluorescent display.
The 7.15" x 4.1" x 1" controller incorporates laboratory accuracy electronics and self explanatory software.
The polar and declination housings of the HD 150C and HD 200C are precision machined out of type 6061 aluminum bar to exacting tolerances; so important to the demanding performance required of a computer controlled instrument. Large thrust surfaces and close coupling of the declination to polar housing junction assures strength and rapid vibration dampening.
HD150C
- 2.00" dia. stainless steel shafts in RA and DEC
- Head breaks down in seconds into 2 light-weight sub-assemblies for easy transport
- 9" dia. Byers "Starmaster" gears in both RA and DEC with mating stainless steel worm for extremely low periodic error - gears are gold anodized
- Precision spur gear reduction system (far superior to belt driven reduction systems)
- Easily adjustable fluted clutch tensioning knobs - polished aluminum finish (gold clear-coat finish optional)
- Detachable stainless steel Declination counterweight shaft with safety stop
- Precision Timken tapered roller bearings
- 8" dia. 7075 solid aluminum thrust surfaces
- Micrometric altitude and azimuth adjustment devices
- Fully enclosed worm gears
- Fully adjustable worm to worm wheel mesh mechanism
- Choice of 16" long flat aluminum saddleplate or Losmandy dovetail saddleplate
- (1) 33 lb. machined counterweight with brass locking pin
- Advanced dual axis 12 VDC servo motor drive system results in exceptionally quiet, smooth, and reliable operation
- Optional 10" dia., reinforced portable aluminum pier with heavy duty pier legs, bubble level, and levelers.
Breaks down in seconds for easy transport. (Please specify pier height)
- Beautiful, durable, dark metallic gray, acrylic enamel finish. Gloss black or gloss white available optionally.
- Recommended payload: approx. 160 lbs.
- Weight of equatorial head: approx. 85 lbs. (breaks down into 2 sub-assemblies)
HD200C
- 2" dia. stainless steel shafts in RA and DEC
- Head breaks down in seconds into 2 light-weight sub-assemblies for easy transport
- Ultra high precision 11.3" dia. Byers "Starmaster" gears in both RA and DEC - gold anodized
- Double-ended mating stainless steel worm supported by precision radial bearings
- Precision spur gear reduction system (far superior to belt driven reduction systems)
- Easily adjustable fluted clutch tensioning knobs - polished aluminum finish (gold clear-coat finish optional)
- Detachable stainless steel Declination counterweight shaft with safety stop
- Precision Timken tapered roller bearings
- Massive 10" dia. 7075 solid aluminum thrust surfaces for superb rigidity
- Micrometric altitude and azimuth adjustment devices
- Worm gear protective shields and covers
- Fully adjustable worm to worm wheel mesh mechanism
- Choice of 16" long flat aluminum saddleplate or Losmandy dovetail saddleplate
- (2) 33 lb. machined counterweights with brass pins
- Extra high torque dual axis DC servo motor drive system results in exceptionally quiet, smooth, and reliable operation. These specially chosen motors develop 6 times the torque of the HD150C for fast slewing of heavy loads.
- Optional 10" dia., reinforced portable aluminum pier with heavy duty pier legs, bubble level, and levelers. Breaks down in seconds for easy transport. (Please specify pier height)
- Beautiful, durable, dark metallic gray, acrylic enamel finish. Gloss black or gloss white available optionally.
- Recommended payload: approx. 200 lbs.
- Weight of equatorial head: approx. 105 lbs. (breaks down into 2 sub-assemblies)
- HD150C-O and HD200C-O Observatory Mounts - For those who have the luxury of an observatory or permanent set-up, we offer our large GoTo German equatorial mounts with a fixed, steel polar housing made to your latitude. This results in unsurpassed rigidity. The ultimate mount for the imager. Mount features are otherwise similar to our portable mounts. Fine azimuth and altitude adjust mechanisms are provided. Please specify your latitude to within plus or minus .5 degrees when ordering.
Parallax HD300C Observatory Class German Equatorial Mount
In an effort to provide extra large capacity mountings to the advanced amateur or institution, Parallax Instruments, Inc. offers the massive fully computerized HD300C German equatorial mount. These no compromise instruments are designed to deliver up to 300 lb. of load carrying capacity at a very reasonable price. Only the finest bearings, gears, and stainless hardware are employed for unmatched strength, rigidity, and tracking precision. The polar axis housing is custom manufactured for the customer's exact latitude at no additional cost as is the height of our optional welded steel observatory piers.
The HD300C instrument employs the Astro-Physics GTO Computer system with an electronics accuracy of better than 2 arc seconds. When mated to the high precision Byers dual axis Starmaster gears, DC servo motors, and high performance planetary gearheads, the result is a mount with incredible tracking capabilities.
- 5" dia. shaft in RA and 3" dia. shaft in DEC
- Oversized Timken tapered roller bearings for superb strength
- Standard 18" dia. Byers "Starmaster" RA worm gear with mating stainless worm
- Standard 15" dia. Byers "Starmaster" DEC worm gear with mating stainless worm
- Mating stainless steel worm supported by precision radial bearings
- 18 VDC servo motors deliver unmatched torque
- Spur gear reduction system
- Close coupled RA to DEC junction and extra large thrust surfaces for maximum rigidity
- Protective worm gear shields and gear covers
- Fully adjustable worm to worm wheel adjustment mechanism
- Heavy duty saddle built to customer's requirements
- Easily adjustable fluted clutch tensioning knobs - beautiful, long-lasting gold clear-coat finish
- Detachable counterweight shaft
- (2) 55 lb. machined, gloss black finished counterweights are standard
- Micrometric latitude adjust bolts with locking device
- Beautiful, durable, dark metallic gray, acrylic enamel finish. Gloss black or gloss white available optionally.
- Tube mounting rings are available for any diameter telescope tube
- Rock solid, welded steel observatory pier available as an option
- Equatorial head disassembles easily for installation and setup.
- Weight of equatorial head without counterweight shaft: approx. 250 lbs.
- Weight of detachable counterweight shaft: approx. 45 lbs.