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Old 11-01-2018, 03:57 AM
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skysurfer
Dark sky rules !

skysurfer is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: 52N 6E (EU)
Posts: 1,152
This Super Polaris mount I have purchased in 1991 with an RA only tracking motor, which I still use today for AP and use as a travel mount as well. The polar scope works very well and I can align in to make unguided frames of 4 minutes @ 600mm focal length.
When I bought this I had a Canon T90 SLR riding piggyback on the 80mm achro which I still have (but refurbished).
This mount has traveled all over the world and is still functioning properly. Sometimes I have to tighten screws to eliminate some play in the gears and have to repair minor parts.
I used to have a 6V SLA battery which is deceased and now I use a 5V powerbank with a step-up DC converter to 7V to power the motor.
The pictures are made both in South Africa in 1997 (with Televue Genesis + T90) and 2016 (ED110 + Canon 6D), both in South Africa and one in 2016 (ED110 + Canon 6D) with the original counterweight in my backyard. On travel I use a bag with stones or bricks locally available.

I have sold the original tripod and made a new one of aluminum bars in 1997 which saved 1kg.

On a trip, I completely dismantle the mount which goes in checked baggage and the scope tube in my carry-on. I'll take it again in my Australia trip next month. Mount + tripod are 5kg in total and OTA is 4kg.

And here a timelapse of setting up mount after arrival in New Zealand: https://www.skysurfer.eu/jwplayer/vi...0timelapse.mp4
Attached Thumbnails
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Click for full-size image (telescope-setup.jpg)
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Click for full-size image (ED110-in-use.jpg)
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