I bought the G11 mount on its own. It is manufactured by Losmandy and is available through mail orders from a variety of vendors.
Personal prejudices
Best Telescope Mount, Over a polar-oriented fork mount, I prefer the German Equatorial mount. GEMs seem to be more steady, somewhat more precise in tracking, and definitely easier to observe while gazing towards the northern sky.
For photographic work, I believe the GEM mount outperforms the alt/az fork mount. If you are not interested in photography, an alt/az fork mount is an excellent option.
These biases are for motorized mounts that track the sky. Nothing like a good old alt/az “Dobsonian” type mount for casual viewing and messing about. Finally, they are the easiest to put up and utilize of all mounts.
You may like This Post Gemini Constellations
Best Telescope Mount: Description
Best Telescope Mount is a medium-sized German Equatorial mount. I say modest in comparison to other high-end mounts. My installation had a heavy-duty aluminum tripod with adjustable legs and a single 21-pound weight, which I replaced with Casady Stainless Steel Weights. * Adjusting the azimuth and altitude also aids in alignment. The mount is nicely anodized throughout, and it seems to be a well-crafted machine.
Best Telescope Mount: The Gemini System
The Losmandy Gemini system is a GOTO computerized positioning system based on DC servo motors that are developed for the Losmandy HGM200, G-11, and G-8 mounts. Users who already possess a G-8, G-11, or HGM200 mount may simply retrofit the system with all-new Losmandy mounts. The new Gemini system easily replaces the original stepper drive motors and electronics, using just hex keys and a tiny pair of pliers to update the drive. The Gemini system has various elements intended to swiftly and correctly orient the telescope to an object, then track it with more accuracy than Losmandy’s earlier digital stepper drive.
Best Telescope Mount: The Gemini system has an impressive list of features
- Very High Precision pointing to less than 1 arc minute
- Object search mode with user-definable search radius
- Sidereal, Solar Lunar, and King tracking rates
- User brightness adjustable LED display
- Up to 256 alignment stars are permitted on either side of the meridian
- Menus are accessed by the standard Losmandy 4 button-hand paddle
- An optional deluxe hand paddle that repeats the Main panel display information
- RS232 serial port control by a PC using software such as The Sky, Guide 7.0, or Palm Planetarium
- T-Point (Software Bisque) Compatible
- An internal real-time clock that displays, UTC, Local Mean Time a Sidereal Time
- Up to 10 degrees per second slewing (G-8)
- User definable Guiding, Centering Slewing, and GOTO speeds
- Permanent Periodic Error Correction
- Allows manual telescope movement with optional shaft encoders
- Retains position information after power off (for permanent observatory use)
- EPROM upgradeable software
Best Telescope Mount: Transportability
The mount did not come with a carrying case. The head weighs about 35 pounds (just guessing). Best Telescope Mount I’d rather not take it too far. The tripod is made up of four parts: three legs and a tiny pier that houses the driving control unit. Although the mount as a whole is somewhat hefty, the individual sections are doable.
Best Telescope Mount: Field Construction
Turning the tiny pier upside down on a piece of carpet (to preserve the finish), I screw the legs in. This is a rather fast procedure. This step of the assembly does not need the use of any tools. Best Telescope Mount
The head instantly attaches to the tripod using three hex head screws on the tripod’s top. I use the Losmandy Tripod Knob Set to replace the hex heads ( TKS ).
the number of the population, and the number of the population, and the number of the. The dovetail arrangement for connecting your equipment makes mounting or replacing scopes and cameras in the dark incredibly simple and fast.
Best Telescope Mount: Polar symmetry
A polar alignment scope is not included with the mount. Losmandy Polar Scope must be purchased separately ( PS ). I’ve discovered that if you rely on a vital polar alignment, a polar alignment scope is a must-have. In the northern hemisphere, the alignment reticle includes three spots for three stars. If you obtain those three stars in the proper spot, your scope will be perfectly polar aligned. This is the most reliable and exact alignment I’ve ever done using a polar alignment scope. Checking the drift after following the appropriate technique yields satisfactory findings for me. After doing a drift check, I just had to make minor adjustments to the alignment. And with the wide handle on the DEC movement and the precision adjustment mechanisms on the azimuth, these adjustments are quite simple. This design has really impressed me.
Best Telescope Mount: Function
Best Telescope Mount has motorized controls. The control box is located on the mini-side pier and provides tracking rates at different speeds. The sidereal and moon tracking rates are of special interest to me. I’m sure the others are useful (my ignorance is showing here ;). You may also choose the default slewing speed, which ranges from.2x to 16x.
The directional keys on the hand paddle are typical. To assist you set up the paddle for any viewing angle, two switches enable you to reverse the RA, DEC, or both. Furthermore, hitting both the RA and DEC buttons simultaneously slews the mount at full speed. The direction is determined by which key is pressed first. Movement with the motors is comparable to that of most other mounts I’ve tried. The movement is often smooth and silent. Astronomical objects seem to appear out of nowhere. I discovered a periodic fault in the RA motor. The mount includes a PEC circuit and logic to handle this, but I’ve never needed to use it. The PEC operates by directing a star through a whole motorcycle by hand. It picks up on the changes you make.
The best Telescope Mount is stable. Visitors tripped over one of the tripod legs and saw the tremor dull down in less than a second. A touch on the mount causes just three or four slight oscillations in the scope. This tripod is the most steady of any that I’ve tried.
Best Telescope Mount: Setting up your scopes
The mounting saddle has an excellent dovetail mounting method. Losmandy makes mounting plates for the majority of commercially available OTAs. There are also specialized accessories for guiding scopes and cameras. When equipped with a dovetail plate, OTAs simply slip into the mounting assembly. Balancing is also convenient since it allows you to adjust your plate to the perfect sweet spot. I have a twin saddle adapter that enables me to install two scopes simultaneously. This is quite handy for mounting my Meade AR-6 and Orion ED80 refractors side by side. Using one as an image and the other as a guide scope.
Best Telescope Mount: How much can it withstand?
On multiple occasions, I utilized the Best Telescope Mount in the dual arrangement described above. I’ve also used it without the Orion XT10 mount. The recommended weight is 60 pounds. I would suggest no more than 45 lbs for astrophotography.
Best Telescope Mount: Conclusions
For the advanced amateur, this is a solid mount. It is both beautiful to look at and to use. Its motorized controls are well-designed and work consistently. There is a fair selection of accessories available to complement the mount without incurring costly machining expenses. This mount is recommended to anybody looking for a reasonable-cost platform for photography and lower aperture instruments. In terms of looks, I believe the standard Losmandy 21lb counterweight does not do the mounting credit. This was replaced with Casady Stainless Steel Counterweights and a Stainless Steel Safety Stop at the counterweight shaft’s end. I also installed a StarGPS GPS device. There will be no more user input for Lat and Long or time. This is quite useful for visiting dark areas and star parties.
Optional Accessories that I added: Best Telescope Mount
- Polar Scope (PS) Losmandy
- Clutch Knobs (CKS) Losmandy
- Tripod Knob Set (TKS) Losmandy
- Dual Saddle Plate Losmandy
- Casady Stainless Steel Counterweights
- Casady Stainless Steel Counterweight Safety Stop
- Star GPS
I bought the G11 mount on its own. It is manufactured by Losmandy and is available through mail orders from a variety of vendors.
Personal prejudices
Best Telescope Mount, Over a polar-oriented fork mount, I prefer the German Equatorial mount. GEMs seem to be more steady, somewhat more precise in tracking, and definitely easier to observe while gazing towards the northern sky.
For photographic work, I believe the GEM mount outperforms the alt/az fork mount. If you are not interested in photography, an alt/az fork mount is an excellent option.
These biases are for motorized mounts that track the sky. Nothing like a good old alt/az “Dobsonian” type mount for casual viewing and messing about. Finally, they are the easiest to put up and utilize of all mounts.
You may like This Post Gemini Constellations
Best Telescope Mount: Description
Best Telescope Mount is a medium-sized German Equatorial mount. I say modest in comparison to other high-end mounts. My installation had a heavy-duty aluminum tripod with adjustable legs and a single 21-pound weight, which I replaced with Casady Stainless Steel Weights. * Adjusting the azimuth and altitude also aids in alignment. The mount is nicely anodized throughout, and it seems to be a well-crafted machine.
Best Telescope Mount: The Gemini System
The Losmandy Gemini system is a GOTO computerized positioning system based on DC servo motors that are developed for the Losmandy HGM200, G-11, and G-8 mounts. Users who already possess a G-8, G-11, or HGM200 mount may simply retrofit the system with all-new Losmandy mounts. The new Gemini system easily replaces the original stepper drive motors and electronics, using just hex keys and a tiny pair of pliers to update the drive. The Gemini system has various elements intended to swiftly and correctly orient the telescope to an object, then track it with more accuracy than Losmandy’s earlier digital stepper drive.
Best Telescope Mount: The Gemini system has an impressive list of features
- Very High Precision pointing to less than 1 arc minute
- Object search mode with user-definable search radius
- Sidereal, Solar Lunar, and King tracking rates
- User brightness adjustable LED display
- Up to 256 alignment stars are permitted on either side of the meridian
- Menus are accessed by the standard Losmandy 4 button-hand paddle
- An optional deluxe hand paddle that repeats the Main panel display information
- RS232 serial port control by a PC using software such as The Sky, Guide 7.0, or Palm Planetarium
- T-Point (Software Bisque) Compatible
- An internal real-time clock that displays, UTC, Local Mean Time a Sidereal Time
- Up to 10 degrees per second slewing (G-8)
- User definable Guiding, Centering Slewing, and GOTO speeds
- Permanent Periodic Error Correction
- Allows manual telescope movement with optional shaft encoders
- Retains position information after power off (for permanent observatory use)
- EPROM upgradeable software
Best Telescope Mount: Transportability
The mount did not come with a carrying case. The head weighs about 35 pounds (just guessing). Best Telescope Mount I’d rather not take it too far. The tripod is made up of four parts: three legs and a tiny pier that houses the driving control unit. Although the mount as a whole is somewhat hefty, the individual sections are doable.
Best Telescope Mount: Field Construction
Turning the tiny pier upside down on a piece of carpet (to preserve the finish), I screw the legs in. This is a rather fast procedure. This step of the assembly does not need the use of any tools. Best Telescope Mount
The head instantly attaches to the tripod using three hex head screws on the tripod’s top. I use the Losmandy Tripod Knob Set to replace the hex heads ( TKS ).
the number of the population, and the number of the population, and the number of the. The dovetail arrangement for connecting your equipment makes mounting or replacing scopes and cameras in the dark incredibly simple and fast.
Best Telescope Mount: Polar symmetry
A polar alignment scope is not included with the mount. Losmandy Polar Scope must be purchased separately ( PS ). I’ve discovered that if you rely on a vital polar alignment, a polar alignment scope is a must-have. In the northern hemisphere, the alignment reticle includes three spots for three stars. If you obtain those three stars in the proper spot, your scope will be perfectly polar aligned. This is the most reliable and exact alignment I’ve ever done using a polar alignment scope. Checking the drift after following the appropriate technique yields satisfactory findings for me. After doing a drift check, I just had to make minor adjustments to the alignment. And with the wide handle on the DEC movement and the precision adjustment mechanisms on the azimuth, these adjustments are quite simple. This design has really impressed me.
Best Telescope Mount: Function
Best Telescope Mount has motorized controls. The control box is located on the mini-side pier and provides tracking rates at different speeds. The sidereal and moon tracking rates are of special interest to me. I’m sure the others are useful (my ignorance is showing here ;). You may also choose the default slewing speed, which ranges from.2x to 16x.
The directional keys on the hand paddle are typical. To assist you set up the paddle for any viewing angle, two switches enable you to reverse the RA, DEC, or both. Furthermore, hitting both the RA and DEC buttons simultaneously slews the mount at full speed. The direction is determined by which key is pressed first. Movement with the motors is comparable to that of most other mounts I’ve tried. The movement is often smooth and silent. Astronomical objects seem to appear out of nowhere. I discovered a periodic fault in the RA motor. The mount includes a PEC circuit and logic to handle this, but I’ve never needed to use it. The PEC operates by directing a star through a whole motorcycle by hand. It picks up on the changes you make.
The best Telescope Mount is stable. Visitors tripped over one of the tripod legs and saw the tremor dull down in less than a second. A touch on the mount causes just three or four slight oscillations in the scope. This tripod is the most steady of any that I’ve tried.
Best Telescope Mount: Setting up your scopes
The mounting saddle has an excellent dovetail mounting method. Losmandy makes mounting plates for the majority of commercially available OTAs. There are also specialized accessories for guiding scopes and cameras. When equipped with a dovetail plate, OTAs simply slip into the mounting assembly. Balancing is also convenient since it allows you to adjust your plate to the perfect sweet spot. I have a twin saddle adapter that enables me to install two scopes simultaneously. This is quite handy for mounting my Meade AR-6 and Orion ED80 refractors side by side. Using one as an image and the other as a guide scope.
Best Telescope Mount: How much can it withstand?
On multiple occasions, I utilized the Best Telescope Mount in the dual arrangement described above. I’ve also used it without the Orion XT10 mount. The recommended weight is 60 pounds. I would suggest no more than 45 lbs for astrophotography.
Best Telescope Mount: Conclusions
For the advanced amateur, this is a solid mount. It is both beautiful to look at and to use. Its motorized controls are well-designed and work consistently. There is a fair selection of accessories available to complement the mount without incurring costly machining expenses. This mount is recommended to anybody looking for a reasonable-cost platform for photography and lower aperture instruments. In terms of looks, I believe the standard Losmandy 21lb counterweight does not do the mounting credit. This was replaced with Casady Stainless Steel Counterweights and a Stainless Steel Safety Stop at the counterweight shaft’s end. I also installed a StarGPS GPS device. There will be no more user input for Lat and Long or time. This is quite useful for visiting dark areas and star parties.
Optional Accessories that I added: Best Telescope Mount
- Polar Scope (PS) Losmandy
- Clutch Knobs (CKS) Losmandy
- Tripod Knob Set (TKS) Losmandy
- Dual Saddle Plate Losmandy
- Casady Stainless Steel Counterweights
- Casady Stainless Steel Counterweight Safety Stop
- Star GPS
