Astro-Physics
1200GTO German Equatorial Mount...
The Astro-Physics 1200GTO is an excellent choice for 12.5 to 16 inch RCOS Ritchey-Chretiens.
RCOS is an authorized Astro-Physics dealer.
With the advent of the CCD camera, amateurs are exploring the skies to an ever increasing level of precision, easily exceeding the image quality of large observatories using film techniques decades ago. This new level puts a higher demand on the precision of the equatorial mounting. Many of the finest imagers today have been using Astro-Physic GTO mounts as a solid platform for a wide variety of instruments. The largest of these is the 1200GTO.
Since its introduction in 1998, the 1200GTO has gained a reputation for both tracking and pointing accuracy, essential to casual visual observation as well as advanced imaging. Quite a few 1200GTO and 900GTO mounts can be found at Mount Pinos in California, favorite observing site of many advanced photographers and imagers.
These mounts are truly a marvel of engineering - maximum strength and rigidity with minimum weight. Astro-Physic's CNC lathes and mills carve out the excess material in both axes of the 1200 and 900 German Equatorials while retaining a heavily ribbed structure for internal strength and rigidity. A unique dovetail was machined into the mating surfaces of the R.A. and Dec axes. This feature allows quick and easy assembly in the field without any tools.
The 1200 equatorial is equally at home in a permanent observatory or as a portable mounting for remote star parties thanks to the ease with which the two axes come apart. You CAN have it all. This is the perfect mount for a large refractor, Newtonian, Cassegrain or astrograph. Telescopes commonly used include Astro-Physics 155-206mm refractors, 12-14" Schmidt-Cassegrains and 10-16" Ritchey-Chretiens.
The 1200GTO mount is built from the ground up to be a precision imaging platform while still being totally user friendly. Consider these advantages and features:
Flexibility:
Portable.
Extremely solid, rugged, high payload mount, yet comes apart in two reasonably
light-weight components for hassle-free field setup. No tools needed to assemble
the mount in the field.
Operate with 12V battery.
You can take it to the darkest skies and power it with a commonly available
12V battery. In the observatory, a 5 amp filtered, regulated power supply
is suggested.
External computer not needed.
The keypad is a handheld computer with all of the features, functions and
databases you need to tour the universe night after night. The unique software
allows you to precisely polar align your mount in the field, even in broad
daylight! The vacuum-fluorescent display with a temperature range of -40 degrees
F (and C, they are the same in this instance), allows hardy observers to use
this mount on cold winter nights. You can't do that with a PC!
Separate computer control.
All functions of the servo drive can be commanded from a laptop or desktop
computer using popular planetarium software. Depending on the features of
the program, you can position your telescope, center your image and control
tracking rate, remote focusing, reticle brightness and park at the end of
your observing session. Examples of currently available software:
- Software Bisque's suite which includes TheSky Astronomy Software, CCDSoft CCD Astronomy Software, TPoint Telescope Pointing Analysis Software and Orchestrate Scripting Software.
- Earth Centered Universe (ECU) by David Lane of Nova Astronomics
- SkyMap Pro 6 by Chris Marriot
- DigitalSky Voice from Astro-Physics by Charles Sinsofsky (included with the 1200GTO)
Write your own computer program.
The Astro-Physics GTO protocol is freely available to those who would like
to write their own computer program for controlling the mount. While based
on the Meade protocol, it has many more features and enhanced precision level
which allows pointing and tracking to the 1 arc second level.
Precise Mechanical Fabrication:
Highly accurate mechanics.
Using modern CNC machining techniques, Astro-Phyics makes all components to
a high precision level which results in a final package that is solid and
accurate in all respects. The critical angles are accurately machined so that
the mount is orthogonal to a very high degree. This results in pointing accuracies
well below 1 arc minute for a properly aligned mount.
Worm gear accuracy.
Critical worm gear accuracy is maintained by special machining techniques
developed at Astro-Physics after extensive studies and actual field operation.
Astro-Physic's worm accuracies are second to none. With good alignment and
PEM training, it is quite practical now to achieve unguided CCD images with
today's hi-resolution cameras coupled to a 6" to 16" telescope.
Mechanical Features:
- All machined mounting made from aluminum barstock and stainless steel. All fasteners are stainless steel.
- Motors and all electronic components are enclosed.
- Each shaft is supported by 5 bearing elements, two preloaded ball bearings and 3 sets of massive thrust bearings. The result is very low friction, which is constant with the load.
- 18" removable 1.875" diameter counterweight shaft can hold up to seven 18 lb. counterweights. Optional 27" shaft also available.
- Polar and declination axes come apart quickly without tools for light-weight, easy handling and ease of transport.
- Fine altitude and azimuth adjustments for quickly and accurately zeroing in on the pole in the field.
- Engraved setting circles are Porter Slip Ring Design.
- Electronic components rated for industrial and automotive applications.
- Base fits into 10" diameter pier with 0.094" wall thickness.
Servo Motor Drive:
The drive system uses a high-quality zero-cogging DC servo motor controlled by a microprocessor to an accuracy of 0.05 arc seconds per step. Tracking is very smooth, noticeably smoother than any stepper motor drive or inexpensive servo drive. The system can be accurately controlled over a speed range of 4800:1 which allows 0.25x sidereal for guiding to 1200x sidereal for 5 degree per second. The circuit draws only 0.4 amps when tracking the stars, 2 amps with both motors slewing and requires only 12 volts to operate. This servo drive will satisfy the requirements of the sophisticated, advanced astrophotographer, yet is easy for the casual, visual observer to use.
DigitalSkyVoice™ Software:
DigitalSky Voice is a terrific observing companion offering lots of observing ideas and information. If you plan to use an IBM-compatible personal computer to control your telescope, you will have lots of fun with this program. The software is included with the mount.
| AP1200GTO Specifications: | |
| R.A. worm wheel | 10.3" (26.2cm), 225 tooth aluminum |
| Declination worm wheel | 7.2" (18.3cm), 225 tooth aluminum |
| Worm gears | Brass |
| R.A. thrust bearings | 9.5" (24.1cm) diameter |
| Declination thrust bearings | 6.5" (16.5cm) diameter |
| R.A. shaft | 3.35" (8.5cm) diameter |
| Declination shaft | 2.36" (6.0cm)diameter |
| Latitude range | 20 to 68 degrees |
| Azimuth adjustment | Approximately 14 degrees |
| Setting circles | Porter Slip Ring design, engraved |
| Right ascension | 4 minute increments, pointer, engraved both Northern/Southern |
| Declination | 1 degree increments, pointer |
| Capacity | 140 lb. (63.6kg) instrument, depending on length |
| Weight of equatorial head | 91 lbs. (41.4kg), Dec axis is 30 lbs. (13.6kg) , RA axis is 47 lbs. (21.4kg), counterweight shaft is 14 lbs. (6.4kg) |
| Software |
DigitalSky Voice™ |
| PRICE: | |
| $9,400 | |
| Options: | |
| ITEM | COST |
| Astro-Physics portable pier - 10" diameter, heights 24", 32", 42", 48", 54", 62" |
From $530
|
| Astro-Physics 10 lb stainless steel counterweight |
$110
|
| Astro-Physics 18 lb stainless steel counterweight |
$135
|
| Mounting Plates |
From $100
|
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