iOptron cube pro mount?

[John W]

Has anyone used a iOptron cube pro mount with GPS to drive their solar telescope ? I'm looking for a mount to put my solarmax 60 mm scope (5 kg) on with a drive to track Sun. I like the idea of GPS but can't be aligned during day (no stars)? Can the Cube pro be aligned on the Sun during daylight? Any problems with these mounts? Any help appreciated. Thanks.

[Blue Skies]

They do have a "home" parking position that I find holds it positioning quite well after you have turned the scope power on and off again. The secret seems to be in the leveling and pointing south - if you use the home function it does this for you so you get off to a good start the next time you turn it on.

[Occulta]

John

I have an MiniTower and have borrowed a friends Cube Pro for the upcoming annular eclipse and find both mounts exceptional performers.

To align the mount and solar scope, place the system on the ground and make sure it is as level as possible. Any AltAz mount will track much better when level. If the ground is level all the better as the Cube Pro does not have an azimuth lock so you need to get the S somewhere close to pointing South - do not worry that it is not exact.

Turn the mount on and wait till the GPS changes from ON to OK then press the Menu button, choose Select and Slew from the menu, then Planets, Sun, Moon from the next list.

Scroll to Sun, press Enter twice to ignore the warning and the mount will then slew to the Sun. The telescope position should be very close in Altitude but off in Azimuth. Either move the entire mount and tripod on the ground until the Sun is closely aligned in the solar finder [only use this method on level ground] or loosen the mount attachment screw enough to rotate the head until close alignment is achieved then retighten the screw.

Next press Menu and select Sync to Target. Use the arrow keys to centre the Sun in the eyepiece and once centred, press Enter - your solar alignment is now complete and the mount will be tracking at the solar rate.

Chris

[brian nordstrom]

:thumbsup: Thats right Chris , I use that same method to align using my Ioptron IEQ45 when I am viewing from my deck when the GPS cant align . This allows GOTO and tracking of objects without a 2 star alignement and is very accurate .
It works very well , great soft/hardware these Ioptron's .
Brian.