For astronomers
seeking superior equatorial control and the ease of a precision
computerized GOTO system, the HEQ5 PRO SynScan is your answer.
"The Three-star alignment accurately corrects for cone error and subsequent GO-TO accuracy was impressive." BBC Sky At Night Magazine
"I like these mounts, they are solid, well thought out and work quietly and effectively" Astronomy Now Magazine
The user-friendly menu system allows automatic slewing to over 42,000+ objects. The mount also includes features that advanced astronomers and imagers can appreciate:
Sky-Watcher Pro mounts have been designed for use by novices and experts alike. These mounts provide extremely high precision tracking and have built in autoguider ports. This heavy-duty HEQ5 Pro mount is a smaller version of the sturdy EQ6 Pro mount. It is specially designed for observers who need the steadiness of the EQ6 Pro mount, but find the EQ6 Pro mount too physically demanding.
For novice users the user-friendly menu allows automatic slewing to over 13,400 objects. Even an inexperienced astronomer can master its variety of features in a few observing sessions. The SynScan Hand Control also has the ability to connect to a computer via a RS-232 cable. Once the connection has been established between the computer and SynScan Hand Control, many commercially available planetarium software programs can be used to control the HEQ5 PRO Mounts, They also come with features that advanced astronomers can appreciate:
30-Pound Payload Capacity Motorized Computer-Controlled EQ Mount SynScan 42,900-Object Hand Controller Multiple Slew and Tracking Rates One-, Two-, Three-Star Alignment Periodic Error Correction Polar Alignment Scope Vixen-Style Dovetail Saddle Stainless Steel Tripod
Designed for novice and experienced astronomers alike, the Sky-Watcher USA HEQ5 Equatorial GoTo Mount
is built to similar specifications of their more robust mounts for
those who are looking for something that is a bit more easy to manage
without having to sacrifice performance. It features a hefty 30-pound
payload capacity, a motorized mount head with the SynScan computer hand
controller, a 1.75" stainless steel adjustable tripod, and a polar axis
scope. The mount also has a Vixen-style dovetail saddle for mounting
compatible telescope optical tube assemblies (OTAs) and accessories.
The
brains of the mount is the SynScan controller that is packed with an
internal database of nearly 43,000 celestial objects from comets and
asteroids to galaxies and nebulae. With multiple slew speeds and
automatic tracking capabilities, finding and keeping subjects centered
in the field of view is easy—whether you're viewing the fast-moving moon
or much slower deep-space subjects.
The included polar axis scope
is installed through the body of the mount to make your initial polar
alignment faster, easier, and more precise. Stainless steel legs and an
accessory tray that also doubles as a leg-locking spreader provide a
solid and stable platform for all your gear with natural vibration
suppression to ensure clear views even at high magnification. This mount
head is also outfitted with two counterweights for precisely balancing
your optical tube and gear so it will move smoothly without adding
excessive load to the motors.
Mount Type German Equatorial
Telescope Mounting Tube Rings
Slow-motion Control R.A. & Dec (motor controlled)
Tripod 1.75" Diameter Stainless Steel Pipe
Tripod Height 97-121cm
Tripod Weight 5.6kgs
Counterweight Shaft Diameter 1.8cm
Counterweight Shaft Length 21.5cm
Counterweight Shaft Material Stainless Steel
Mount Weight 10Kgs
Mount Height 35cm
Counterweight Two, 5.1kg each
Total Weight 15kgs (counterweight not included)
General Specification
Model Sky-Watcher HEQ5 PRO SynScan
Power Supply 12 VDC 2Amp (Tip positive)
Motor Type Micro step driven 1.8° stepper motors
Resolution 0.144 arc sec (or 9,024,000 steps/rev.)
Slew Speeds 2X, 8X, 16X, 32X, 64X, 400X, 500X, 600X, 800X
Gear Ratio 705
Tracking Rate Sidereal, Lunar, Solar
Tracking Modes Dual Axis, R.A. Tracking
Alignment Methods One-star Alignment, Two-star Alignment, Three-star Alignment
Database 25 user defined objects. Complete M, NGC, and IC catalogues. Total 13,436 objects.
Sky-Watcher HEQ5 Equatorial GoTo Mount
SynScan Controller with Cable
Stainless Steel Tripod with Tray
Counterweight Bar
2 x
Counterweights
Limited 2-Year Warranty
Customer Reviews
Polar alignment built in In common with the EQ6 Pro – the HEQ5’s sibling mount – and
Vixen mounts, the counterweight shaft retracts into the body of the
mount, which is a real plus when it comes to transportation and setup.
Another factor that we liked about the HEQ5 Pro is the built-in polar
alignment scope, which makes it easy to get the polar axis of the mount
precisely parallel to the Earth’s axis of rotation. While you can still
get good Go-To accuracy without paying too much attention to this
important setup procedure, tracking will be impaired without it. When
you look through the polar scope, there’s a clearly defined grid that
allows you to offset easily and simply from Polaris to the true north
celestial pole.
The menu structure of the SkyScan is easy to navigate on the
two-line, scrolling LCD screen, while the alignment procedures with one,
two, or three stars, are easy to implement. The three-star alignment
accurately corrects for cone error, and subsequent Go-To accuracy was
impressive: we found our test objects in the centre half to third of a
160x eyepiece field wherever we looked in the sky. Like the Celestron,
remote control is made easy with the RS-232 serial port on the base of
the handset; you just have to buy a cable to connect it to a laptop or
desktop PC.
The SkyScan may not possess the capabilities of Celestron's NexStar
system, but the quality engineering of the HEQ5 Pro’s bearings and gears
make it a quieter, better choice for imagers – especially since the
hand control supports periodic error correction and autoguiders.
This review appeared in the June 2006 issue of Sky at Night Magazine.
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