EQ8 tracking mount $3500 reduced to $2800
This is a really heavy duty 50kg tracking mount with low periodic error and capable of producing very round stars. It is one of the early ones and has been running flawlessly since new in ~2015. Mainly used with a 10 inch Newtonian in an ROR obs and it tracked well under almost all local wind conditions – it is very strong and stable and would easily handle a larger scope.
Comes complete with the heavy duty tripod, which is fine for permanent observatory use (no need for a pier). It also comes with the polar scope for use if you are strong enough to move it around – however, it really is very heavy, so would be best for a permanent obs or to set up for at least a few nights at a remote site.
The drive gears on these mounts are not spring loaded, so a small amount of Dec backlash is unavoidable/required. To overcome this without needing gravity bias, I built up a system that adds some continuous torque to the Dec axis to make sure that the gears remain in mesh on one face – has practically the same effect as spring loaded gears and is effective at all angles – this will be supplied with the mount
https://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/...d.php?t=144751. When last tested the RA periodic error was a genuine 7arcsec peak-to-peak, with moderately high slope in one part of the cycle. It tracks best with rapid tracking updates in phd (maybe 1-2 seconds) and, in average seeing, routinely gives around 0.7arcsec RMS tracking (or better in good seeing), with very little difference between the axes. Overall, the mount routinely produces almost perfectly round stars, night after night – once you set it up, you can forget it – it just works.
Mechanically the mount is running like new. Cosmetically it has some faded anodising and some surface rust on steel components.
EQ8 head and case
handset
tripod
levelling feet
polar scope
2 weights
usb/RS232 adapter
13.8v PS + 12v distribution box
Dec backlash remover with Losmandy style bar
Asking $3500. This will be available from 08/07 - sorry, but collect from Adelaide only. Please PM if interested. Thanks for looking. Cheers Ray
