Sidereal and Tracking Mounts...
Choosing the correct mount is as important as choosing the right telescope. So RC Optical Systems offers many different types of mounts and from different vendors. Several common designs include the Equatorial Fork, Elevation over Azimuth Fork, also known as a Gimbal, and the German Equatorial.
RCOS Equatorial Fork Mount with 24RC - Most Popular Choice for the Demanding Professional Astronomer and Extremely Accurate Satellite Tracking.
Advantages:
- The telescope is allowed to track through the Meridian from horizon to horizon.
- Excellent and balanced support (avoiding torsional forces) of the optical tube assembly.
- Extremely accurate pointing and tracking.
- Short (fast) slew from horizon to horizon.Disadvantages:
- Higher cost
- Not easily moveable.Ideal application:
- Tracking sidereal and non-sidereal (Satellites) objects.
RCOS Elevation over Azimuth Mount (Gimbal) with 24RC - Most Popular Choice for the Demanding Professional Astronomer and Extremely Accurate Satellite Tracking.
Advantages:
- Does not need to be polar aligned.
- Excellent and balanced support (avoiding torsional forces) of the optical tube assembly.
- Extremely accurate pointing and tracking.
- Short (fast) slew from horizon to horizon.Disadvantages:
- Higher cost and singularity at Zenith where the mount cannot track through.
- Not easily moveable.Ideal application:
- Tracking sidereal and non-sidereal (Satellites) objects.
German Equatorial Mounts - Most Popular Choice for Low Cost and Portable Amateur Astronomy Applications.
Advantages:
- Low cost
- Ultra portable.Disadvantages:
- The telescope cannot track through the Meridian when moving horizon to horizon.
- Torsional forces are transferred to the optical tube assembly.
- Longer (slower) slew from horizon to horizon.
- Not well suited for Satellite Tracking.Ideal application:
- Tracking sidereal objects but not through the Meridian.