Telescope-Service Mounts

Telescope-Service - Your Expert for Telescopes, Mounts, Binoculars, Spotting Scopes and Accessories. We offer a broad selection of eyepieces, filters, accessories for astro-imaging and many more interesting items.

Mounts

A mount is an equally important part of any telescope as the optical tube. Different telescopes need different mounts. Of course we also sell the mounts separately - that way you can find the proper base for any existing telescope.

Below you will find details on many of the mounts we offer. Further mounts will be added with time. In the meantime please see our Online shop for further mounts.

Easy Payment: We offer our customers several easy and fast payment methods. You will receive exact payment details when ordering or on request!


TS-AZ precise Alt-Azimuth mount	TeleOptic Giro - The Original the original: smooth alt-az mount	TeleOptic Giro Mini - The Original lightweight alt-az mount

Astro 3 sold	Sky View Equatorial mount	Celestron ADM Powerful Equatorial mount

Celestron CAM GoTo 40,000+ object database	Skywatcher H-EQ5 Equatorial mount	Skywatcher EQ-6 Equatorial mount	Orion Atlas Equatorial mount


VIXEN Porta - AZ Mount with slow motion controls	VIXEN GP-D2 astrophotographical mount	VIXEN SPHINX and SPHINX Deluxe GoTo mounts


GM 8 Losmandy's smallest - for telescopes up to 15kgs	G 11 Losmandy's most popular - still very portable when disassembled - for telescopes up to 30kgs	Titan Losmandy's largest - a full-grown observatory grade mount

TS AZ Alt-Azimuth Mount

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TRAZ PH - shown here with the Scopos 80mm spotting scope and optional PS Foto adaptor. The FGX-1 tripod shown here is a warmly recommended tripod that can be purchased optionally.

The TS AZ is a precise and portable alt-azimuth mount for smaller telescopes and spotting scopes weighing up to around 4 kgs.

360° Slow Motion Controls
The mount has 360° worm gears in both axes, allowing for precise tracking of celestial objects or moving terrestrial objects. The azimuth can be moved 360° without stop. The altitude can be used from 90° up to 90° down without stop and also with slow motion control!

Easy To Use
The TS AZ mount is particularly easy to use. Large knobs are used for slow motion control in both axes as well as for locking both axes. The mount is perfectly intuitive to use and ideal both for terrestrial and astronomical applications.

Quick Release Saddle Plate
Instruments are attached to the TS AZ using a standard Vixen-style dovetail plate. This allows you to remove or exchange the telescope, spotting scope, camera, ... within a few seconds and without tools. At the same time this allows you to balance the instrument for different altitude settings.

Different dovetail plates are available. These are not in the standard scope of delivery!

How To Connect Spotting Scopes, Cameras, ...
The TS AZ mount is perfectly suited for birdwatchers, photographers and also for many other applications.

A camera, spotting scope or also any other accessory with the 1/4" camera thread can be attached to the mount using the PS Foto dovetail plate. The standard version (item no. "PS Foto") is recommended for most applications. The longer "PS Foto Del" is the proper choice if you also wish to balance your equipment on the mount by moving the dovetail plate back and forth.

Free Movement From Horizon To Zenith
The TS AZ can be moved freely in all directions. In most cases you can point the attached instrument (telescope, camera, ...) at any point from far below the horizon up to the zenith. The entire movement can be done manually by loosening the locking screws and then just pointing the mount in whichever direction you like, or in slow-motion mode. The mount is sturdy enough to hold even heavy loads without problems even when pointing them at the zenith.

TS AZ Field Version shown with TS Maksutov 102 - a very portable astronomical telescope and a perfect match for the mount.	Different Versions Available - optimized for different applications We offer three different versions of the TS AZ, optimized for different applications: TR AZ Feld - Field Version with Aluminium Tripod A nice combination with integrated aluminium tripod for field use. The tripod is adjustable in height between approx. 80 and 130cm. This variant is particularly popular for astronomical use. TR AZ PH - Camera Tripod Version A very attractive variant for those who already own a good quality camera tripod, or who wish to purchase a "normal" camera tripod also. The TRAZPH has a universal mounting plate that allows you to attach it both to many astronomical tripods and nearly all camera tripods. An adaptor for tripods with the smaller 1/4" thread is also available optionally. In this setup you then have a very sturdy panhead with slow motion controls. For many photo and video applications this is extremely helpful. Recommended tripods from the TRITON range: - FEX1 ... light tripod, up to 182cm height. For instruments up to 3kgs. - FGX1 ... heavy duty camera tripod, over 180cm maximum height. For instruments up to 4kgs

Prices and availability: Please see our new Online Shop

Link to lots of accessories for astronomical mounts

Please send requests or online orders to: sales@telescope-service.com

Tele-Optic Giro
A portable and easy to use alt-azimuth mount for telescopes up to 18kgs

Giro-3 mount - identical in size to the older Giro II, but with additional stability through use of improved bearings.

The Original TeleOptic Giro mount is a revolutionary alt-azimuth mount. It is supremely easy to use and offers a very good stability per weight of the mount. You use the mount like a Dobsonian telescope: Just push the telescope in whatever direction you want to point it. No need for slow motion controls, locking knobs, ...

The key to its optimal performance is friction: A special high-grade grease offers very smooth movements in both axes.

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(This picture shows the old Giro 2. The Giro 3 looks the same, but has a red colour)
Here you can see how the Giro looks on the underside. The base fits on standard GP-compatible tripods and has an M10 central thread. The large diameter of the base is 70mm, the smaller part in the center has 30mm diameter.

Tele-Optic Giro 3 - The Original

This supremely easy to use alt-azimuth mount carries telescopes up to approx. 22kgs. For telescopes beyond 7kgs we recommend to use a counterweight at the other arm.

The Giro's motto is "reduce to the minimum". You get a mount which is absolutely easy to use in every way. No need to fumble around with locking handles or slow motion knobs. Just push the telescope into whichever direction you choose and begin observin.

Setup is also as easy as it gets: Just set the mount down more or less horizontally. No need for exact levelling, polar alignment, ...

With its excellent mechanical quality and the new improved bearing design the mount offers very smooth movements in both axes.

Giro Tripods

The Tele-Optic Giro fits on GP-compatible tripods - Vixen GP, Synta EQ5, H-EQ5, TS Astro-5, ...

Tele-Optic Giro Mini - TS Giro Mini XT Mount
Ultra compact alt-azimuth mount with surprising load capacity - up to approx. 9kgs

Giro Mini
The Giro Mini is the smaller sibling of the Giro II. It is extremely compact, very light and as easy to use as the larger Giro. Despite its minute size it carries instruments up to approx. 9kgs (given short lever arms). Both axes move very smoothly due to a sophisticated combination of high grade grease and tight production tolerances.

Tripod Connection
The Giro Mini has a flat base with a 3/8" and M10 central thread. As a result it works with Vixen GP and Synta EQ tripods, but also with all camera tripods. If your camera tripod has the smaller 1/4" thread you can use a small adaptor nut (optional, 1.80 Euros) for adaptation.

Telescope Connection
The arm of the Giro Mini is flat and has two M6 threads. You can use the same quick release saddle plate that also works with the Giro. Then you can attach all telescopes with Vixen format dovetail plates.

TS XT Tripod For Giro Mini
Our TS XT tripod is specifically recommended for the Giro Mini. It is adjustable in height from 76cm to 155cm and weighs only 2.3kgs. Despite its low weight the tripod is surprisingly rigid and works with telescope loads up to approx. 5kgs.

Our " L-Bracket " allows you to use the Giro Mini even for binoculars or telescopes with a fixed eyepiece position opposite the dovetail plate. The L-Bracket fits directly into the optional quick release saddle plate of the Giro Mini. You can in turn attach another such saddle plate on the L-Bracket.

The binoculars will always be balanced no matter whether you watch an object close to the horizon or high up in the sky.

PS Foto Dovetail Plate

This short dovetail plate also fits into the Quick Release Saddle Plate of the Giro Mini and allows you to attach cameras, spotting scopes, ...

Without the L-Bracket the camera will be upright. If you want it in horizontal position you should use the L-Bracket instead or in addition.

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Equatorial Mount Astro-3

Quick Release System:
The Astro-3 already features a quick release sysem (a rare property of such small mounts). You just need to lock or unlock one single screw in order to attach or remove the telescope. The dovetail plate remains fixed on the telescope. The standard version of this mount does not come with a dovetail plate.

Art. No.	Short description	Price - Euro incl. VAT
Astro 3	Equatorial mount Astro-3 with adjustable height aluminium tripod and quick exchange coupling. Without dovetail plate	no longer available

Link to lots of accessories for astronomical mounts

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Simple motor drive with battery pack

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Stepper motor drive with hand controller

Accessories for the Astro-3
The compact Astro-3 can already be fitted with a motor drive for automatic tracking of the stars. There are two different versions:

Simple RA Motor Drive - EMD Astro
An electronically stabilized DC motor makes for vibration-free and constant tracking of celestial objects. Just switch it on and the telescope will automatically follow whatever object you're observing. You can also release the motor and track manually.

Stepper Motor Drive With Hand Controller - MD Astro
A precise, crystal-controlled stepper motor provides exact tracking of all celestial objects. For amateurs interested in astronomical photography there are two different correcting speeds. You can also switch between tracking on the northern and southern hemisphere. Of course you can also release the motor and track manually.

Art. No.	Short description	Price - Euro incl. VAT
EMD Astro 3	Simple motor drive for Astro 3	Shop
MD Astro 3	Stepper motor drive for Astro 3 - with hand controller	Shop

Link to lots of additional accessories for astronomical mounts

Please send requests or online orders to: sales@telescope-service.com

Equatorial Mount Sky View

The SkyView is a relatively lightweight equatorial mount that packs quite a heavy load. It is well-made and all parts of the worm gear can be adjusted precisely.

A single axis motor-drive as well as a polar alignment scope are available as optional accessories.

The mount is easy to use and ideal for those new to amateur astronomy. There are slow-motion controls in both axes and big locking clamps. You can set the mount for a wide range of northern or southern latitudes by means of a fine adjustment screw, then lock it firmly with a large clamp.

You can remove the mount head from the tripod without any tools. The tripod is a sturdy adjustable height model.

The mount will carry short 150mm Newtonian telescopes with good stability. Alternatively it will carry refractors up to 100mm aperture (or up to 120mm aperture short tube refractors).

Further Information: Visit our new Online Shop!

SkyView Accessories

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Saddle Plate for Sky View

Saddle Plate for the SkyView Equatorial Mount:

The dovetail holder allows you to attach your telescope to the mount within just a few seconds. Using a standard dovetail plate (compatible to common Vixen, Celestron, SkyWatcher ... models) you will just have to tighten one single screw (of course without the need for any tools) to attach the telescope. This will take you but a few seconds. Removing the telescope is just as easy and quick.

Bringing the telescope into balance is also made easier by the quick exchange coupling system. Instead of opening the two cradle rings and moving the telescope tube you can just loosen the dovetail holder's locking screw a bit and move the entire optical tube assembly.

Using the saddle plate you can also attach many spotting scopes or other optical equipment to the mount. Just buy the fitting dovetail plate and fix it to the spotting scope. From then on attaching the spotting scope to the mount is just as simple as attaching any telescope.

Prices and availability: Please see our new Online Shop

Please send requests or online orders to: sales@telescope-service.com

Astro-5 with optional dovetail plate

equatorial mount Astro-5 with polar alignment scope - the optional dovetail plate is not included The mount is made in China. The value for money is excellent.	Equatorial Mount Astro-5 This mount is very sturdy, well-made and can be upgraded with an illuminated polar alignment scope, single- or dual axis motor drive and even GoTo. Capacity: The Astro-5 sturdily carries telescopes of up to 9 kgs (depending on the lever arm and the use, i.e. visual or photographical). The mount head weighs 4.5 kgs, the old aluminium tripod has now been replaced by a more sturdy steel tube tripod, thus further increasing the mount's capacity. Here are a few examples of what the mount will carry: Newtonian of up to 200mm aperture (lightweight), 8" Schmidt-Cassegrains, Refractors up to 130mm aperture (or 150mm short focal length versions), Maksutov-Cassegrains up to 200mm aperture. If you want to do astronomical photography you should calculate the instrument size and weight more conservatively. Telescopes are attached to this mount using a dovetail plate compatible to the Vixen/Synta/Celestron standard. Dovetail plates for different telescopes are available separately and are not included in the normal scope of delivery. Astro Imaging: Of course you can fit this mount for astronomical photography. The mount meets the requirements of precise polar alignment (fine adjustment in azimuth and altitude). You can fit both single- or dual axis drives. Instead of the Astro-5 we can offer the Skywatcher EQ5 mount. Prices and availability: Please see our new Online Shop Link to lots of accessories for astronomical mounts

Dual axis motor drive for Astro-5	Motor Drive for the Astro-5 The motor drive is crystal-controlled for precise tracking. The drives come complete with motor(s), hand controller and battery pack (batteries not included). There is also a clutch which allows manual movement slow-motion in both axes. The motors are in a massive metal housing. The hand controller is very ergonomic. The motor drive is powered with 9-10V DC. Prices and availability: Please see our new Online Shop

Please send requests or online orders to: sales@telescope-service.com

Our Powerful Workhorse - Celestron ADvanced Mount (ADM)
an excellent quality German Equatorial Mount - better than the Chinese standard

With their excellent Advanced Mount (ADM) Celestron has introduced an equatorial mount that shares only its basic appearance with its Chinese counterparts. Everything about this mount indeed resembles advances over its predecessor. All essential mechanical parts - the gears, the bearings, the optional tracking motors - are made to very high standards. The result is a surprisingly strong mount that is a functional basis both for astro-imaging and for demanding visual observations.

On the image to the left you can see the ADM with the Celestron Newtonian telescope 200/1000mm - an excellent astrophotographical and visual setup.

Technical specifications in short:

Capacity:	up to approx. 12 kgs depending on the length of the tube and other factors. Example telescopes: 6" refractor, lightweight 10" Newtonian, 9" Schmidt-Cassegrain)
Tripod:	ultra-heavy duty steel tube tripod - the same tripod that is used in much heavier mounts. The heavy tripod adds enormously to the stability of the entire mount.
Weight:	the mount head weighs 5.9kgs
Bearings:	the RA axis has a roller bearing for enhanced stability and precision. The Dec axis has a smooth friction bearing.
Quick Exchange Coupling:	Telescopes can be attached to the Celestron Advanced Mount by means of a quick exchange coupling. The coupling is fully compatible to the Synta / Chinese-EQ standard and will accept standard dovetail plates.

Features of the ADM:

The foundation of any good mount is its tripod. Too weak a tripod will compromise the stability of the entire mount - a common problem with many common mounts available today. Celestron has learned from this and has decided to put the ADM on an extremely massive steel tube tripod of 8kgs. A similar tripod is used on the much heavier EQ-6 mount. We were surprised by how much this adds to the stability of the mount as a whole!

With this mount Celestron has returned to the proven design of attaching the tracking motors on the outside, not encapsuled in the narrow housing of the mount itself. As a consequence you can easily exchange the motors for other, more powerful motors - this would be next to impossible in an encapsuled design as on other mounts of this price range.

An additional advantage is that you will retain the ability of manual slow-motion. You will not be lost when your batteries are empty, just continue using your mount manually!

The motors which Telescope-Service offers for the Celestron ADM have much more precise gears than the standard motors, an enormous advantage for astronomical photography!

With its ball bearing worm gears (in other, similar mounts a simple plastic friction bearing is used) the tracking accuracy is further enhanced. In addition a better mechanical stability is the result.

Modular Kit - ADM:

An enormous advantage of the Celestron ADM is that you can choose the exact version of this mount according to your needs and budget. You can start with the basic module (mount plus tripod) and buy accessories like the dual axis motor drive and polar alignment scope later on.

You will find a list of the different versions with prices below.

- Prices - Different Versions - Without Telescopes and Accessories
- More Technical Specifications (Motors...)
- A Short Comparison with the H-EQ5

The RA axis has proper ball bearings unlike many other mounts in this class. As a result the mechanical stability is greatly enhanced.

Movement in both axes is much smoother and more precise than in other comparable mounts. The weight-carrying capacity of this mount is much larger. The mount is not only more sturdy but also more precise.

As a consequence the Celestron ADM is very well suited for astronomical photography - even long exposure times with long focal length telescopes is easily possible.

Our experience with many Chinese mounts is that the major problem that makes astro-imaging much more troublesome isn't the worm gears, but rather the motor gears. The non-periodic error caused by cheap motors cannot be corrected by electronical PEC devices.

The ADM has the big advantage that motors are attached on the outside, allowing for the use of high-quality motors with much better performance. The TS stepper motors that we offer in the DMD ADM are very precise and allow for high-performance astro-imaging.

The Motor Drive for the Celestron Advanced Mount - DMD ADM

The motors we offer for the Celestron ADM are powerful, good quality stepper motors. The motor gears are particularly precise to eliminate the non-periodic tracking error. As a result these motors are well suited for astro-photographical use.

The motors have a robust metal body, making them virtually shock-proof. The connection of the controller cables is mechanically robust as well, it will not break off in the field as some others are prone to do.

Manual Slow-Motion Control
We find it very helpful to be able to control any mount manually in addition to the motor control. Manual control will work even if the batteries are empty and are very intuitive to use. For this reason we offer our motor drive with manual clutches as a standard. Just loosen the thumbscrew and you can move both axes with the slow-motion control knobs (always included) or flexible cables (optional accessories).

The crystal-controlled DK-3 drive controller offers a setting speed of up to 32x. Power supply is 9-10V DC, a battery pack is already included (w/o batteries).

DK-3 controller, TS stepper motors, clutches and gears form the motor drive of the "ADM fot".

With the DMD ADM the Celestron Advanced Mount is well suited for most astrophotographical purposes. For extra-long exposure times, more comfort and easier use we offer an advanced, intelligent motor drive controller able to correct for the periodical error automatically.

Non-periodic tracking errors, like those caused by motor gears, are no problem with the Celestron ADM. The periodic error can be reduced automatically using the Powerflex MTS3-SLP drive controller. This controller is the heart of the "ADM fot DEL", along with the powerful TS stepper motors.

The most important features of the MTS3-SLP:
- Periodic Error Correction (PEC)
- Correction of the play in the Declination gears
- supplies Autoguider control
- customizable correction speeds
- serial RS 232 connection

Please send requests or online orders to: sales@telescope-service.com

A Short Comparison - Celestron Advanced Mount (ADM) vs. H-EQ5

The Tripod:
Both the H-EQ5 and the ADM have steel-tube tripods. The tripod of the ADM is much stronger than the tripod of the H-EQ5. The steel legs have a diameter of 51mm (ADM) vs. 38mm (H-EQ5). The ADM tripod has a larger variability in height (ADM: 74 - 128cm, H-EQ5: 83 - 103.5cm). As a consequence the ADM is more flexible regarding the telescope it is to carry. Long refractors and Newtonian reflectors work equally well. The ADM tripod weighs about 7.5kgs, the H-EQ5 tripod weighs about 4.5kgs.

Mechanical Strength and Vibrations:
At first glimpse the H-EQ5 seemed a bit stronger than the ADM. Near maximum load the H-EQ5 gave a stronger impression. When it came to vibration dampening (important under windy conditions and during focusing), the situation was exactly the opposite.

Equipped with a 10" Newtonian (tube weight: 10kgs) we tested the vibration dampening of both mounts. We gave either setup a similar mechanical impulse and took the time until the vibrations had disappeared. The mechanical impulse was about as strong as a strong blast of wind.

The H-EQ5 took approx. 7 seconds until the vibrations had disappeared, the ADM needed only about 4 seconds.

It seems that this is due to the shorter lever arms and the more massive tripod of the ADM.

Our overall impression was that the H-EQ5 and ADM are both able to carry similar payloads with basically similar stability.

The Motors and the Motor Drive Controller - Possible Upgrades:
In this field the clear winner is the Celestron ADM. On the ADM the motors are attached on the outside of the mount, the H-EQ5 has them encapsuled in the mount housing. The standard motors of the H-EQ5 have quite poor gears resulting in a massive non-periodical tracking error. Since motors are attached on the outside of the ADM it is easy to equip this mount with powerful and precise motors such as those used in the TS dual axis motor drive for Celestron ADM. Changing the motors of the H-EQ5 is much more difficult and not available as an off-the-shelf solution.

For the ADM the original Celestron GoTo drive is available from TS. With this you can easily turn the ADM into a proper GoTo mount.

Manual Slow-Motion Controls:
It has been often criticised that the H-EQ5 doesn't offer manual slow-motion controls. In order to move the mount manually you have to loosen the clutches and move the mount by hand, which is quite regularly not sufficiently precise. The motor drive on the other hand is too slow for that purpose.

The ADM offers both manual slow-motion controls and faster (twice as fast as the H-EQ5 in the case of the ADM fot) motorised setting speeds. The clutches that allow you to use the manual slow-mo controls are operated by a large thumbscrew that can be easily operated with gloves on.

The Counterweight Bar:
In this case the H-EQ5 has a certain advantage. The counterweight bar can be retracted into the mount body for easier transport. In the case of the ADM the counterweight bar can be unscrewed for transport. The ADM counterweight bar is thicker than that of the H-EQ5. Its diameter is identical with the Vixen GP series, allowing for interesting combinations.

Quick Exchange Coupling:
Both mounts have a quick exchange coupling for easy setup or breakdown. Telescopes can be attached within seconds using a largely standardised dovetail plate.

Please send requests or online orders to: sales@telescope-service.com

Equatorial Mount H-EQ5

Equatorial mount H-EQ5 with polar alignment scope, dual axis drive and two counterweights (standard accessories)

Observatory Mounts - Made in Europe

GM 2000 Load capacity up to approx. 50kgs telescope weight	GM 4000 Load capacity up to approx. 100kgs telescope weight