Mounts

Software Bisque Paramount ME MKS 400
Includes 2 Counterweights.

Software Bisque is pleased to introduce our third-generation telescope mount: the Paramount ME.

We've literally redesigned every component of the Paramount ME to optimize your efficiency, productivity and enjoyment while observing.

In order to create the ME, we've assembled a world-class mount production and manufacturing staff at our facility in Golden, Colorado.

ME5side Combined, our team has over 50 years of telescope mount manufacturing experience. We've surrounded the "A-team" with state-of-the-art CNC machining stations and tooling. The result? An astronomical survey machine that actually blurs the line between professional and amateur astronomy.

The Paramount ME's control system uses brush-less DC Servo motors. If your mount is used for survey astronomy all night, every clear night, no other type of motor is sufficient. Note that the life of the brush-less DC servo motor is limited to the service life of the bearings. This translates to about 100,000 hours under normal operating conditions. On the other hand, the life of brushed DC Servo motors is limited to the life of the carbon brushes, which is anywhere from 4,000-10,000 hours according to the manufacturers specifications. Brush-less motors also do not "cog" at any rate. This ensures a smooth, constant output when tracking at the Sidereal rate.

The Paramount's control system boasts state-of-the-art electronics for unmatched performance.

MEside2L MKS-4000 Features/Specifications:

Brush-less DC-servo motors ensure long life and smooth operation.
Field upgradeable flash RAM permits easy, immediate software updates.
Fast slew speeds and consistent torque at all slew rates. A maximum rate of five degrees per second in right ascension and seven degrees per second in declination gets you to the object, fast.
Virtually unlimited selection of tracking and slew rates.
AutoHome™ capability (to better than one arcsecond) with built-in sensor circuitry on each axis ensure that the mount always knows its orientation (after a one-time initialization), even after power failure.
Software controlled "hard limits" prevent the mount from tracking or slewing into itself.
User-defined parameters can be stored to on-board flash RAM.
Numerous safety features critical to remote operation including current-limit protection, encoder-error limits, acceleration ramping, and user-definable maximum slew speeds.
Joystick, TheSky for Windows or TheSky Pocket Edition control.
Programmable and updateable Periodic Error Correction.
Intelligent German Equatorial flipping eliminates unnecessary long slews.
The MKS-4000 control system can track at true lunar, solar, minor planet or comet, NEO or LEO satellite rates, or at almost any user-defined rate (when used with TheSky). No other commercially available control system can make this claim.
TheSky has been updated to provide many new capabilities that were previously not possible.
Some examples of these new features include: display a graph of the periodic error of the worm gear; track a low-earth satellite by clicking on the object on the Sky Display.

SOFTWARE

TheSky Astronomy Software or TheSky Pocket Edition pumps life into the Paramount and is the heart of the mount. TheSky supplies the onscreen control panel for operating the mount, and unleashes the power of your personal computer or mobile device, thereby increasing your productivity in data acquisition. In addition, TheSky's seamless integration with other astronomical hardware and software enables even first-timers to achieve impressive results!

The Paramount's mind becomes even more powerful when coupled with the TPoint Telescope Pointing Analysis Software. Providing repeatable pinpoint pointing accuracy, TPoint does the thinking so that you don't have to. TPoint learns the quirks and idiosyncrasies of your mount and your optical system, and it makes automatic pointing adjustments to help eliminate these inherent flaws. With TPoint, you no longer have to recalibrate, realign, or "re- synchronize" each time you point the telescope to a new part of the sky or change a piece of equipment!

Celestron CGE Pro Mount Please Call for Price

Holds a maximum instrument capacity of 90 lbs

+/-9 arc second tracking accuracy, which can be further reduced with PEC

Permanent programmable periodic error correction (PEC) - corrects for periodic tracking errors inherent to all worm drives

CGE PRO computerised Equatorial mount

Heavy duty stainless steel tripod adjustable from 38 - 55"

One 22 lbs counterweight

Weighs 154 lbs

CGE Pro Mount - Computerised Mount Features

Proven NexStar computer control technology
40,000 object database with over 100 user-definable objects and expanded information on over 200 objects
New All-Star Polar Alignment routine for both Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
Software Features include: Database Filter Limits, Hibernate, five alignment methods and user-defined slew limits.
Flash upgradeable hand control software and motor control units for downloading product updates over the Internet
Custom database lists of all the most famous deep-sky objects by name and catalog number; the most beautiful double, triple and quadruple stars; variable star; solar systems; objects and asterisms
Double line, 16-character Liquid Crystal Display Hand Control with backlit LED buttons for easy operation of goto features
12VDC Servo Motors with integrated optical encoders
Drive Motors - High quality motors with seven slot skewed armature to minimize magnetic cogging for quiet operation and long life. Precision made cut-steel gears in gearbox for Improve tracking precision.
Bearing and Shaft - Main shafts are made from 1.57" diameter steel tubing with .40" wall thickness with two preloaded 2.68" O.D. tapered roller bearings on each axes
Precision worm drive system - .75" pitch dia. precision made steel worm preloaded with two .87" OD ball bearings to minimize run-out (a source of periodic error). 255 tooth 6" pitch dia. precision made worm wheel with enveloping brass teeth
Spring loaded DEC worm to minimize backlash and for easy guiding.
4 point RA and DEC clutch system for no-slip pointing precision
Autoguide port, PC port and auxiliary ports located on the electronic pier for long exposure astrophotography
One 4.72" O.D. thrust bearing and one 4.13" O.D. thrust bearing on each axes provide a large thrust surface for additional stability.
Rugged 9-pin thread on motor cables
Latitude range: 10° to 65° northern or southern hemispheres
RS-232 communication port on hand control to control the telescope via a personal computer
Includes NexRemote telescope control software, for advanced control of your telescope via computer
GPS-compatible with optional CN16 GPS Accessory (93967)

Celestron CGEM Mount - £1250.00

The CGEM™ mount has a fresh, attractive, bold appearance and is capable of carrying Celestron’s higher-end SCT optical tubes (up to 11") securely and vibration free, which is ideal for both imaging and visual observing. Capable of holding over 40 lbs of payload and slewing at 5° per second, you will be able to instantly point to any of the celestial objects in the database.

Ergonomic Design - CGEM was designed to be ergonomically friendly with large Altitude and Azimuth adjustment knobs for quick and easy polar alignment adjustment. The internal RA and DEC motor wiring provides a clean look and an easy and trouble free set up.

Innovation - The CGEM series has a new innovative Polar alignment procedure called All-Star™ (patent pending). All-Star allows users to choose any bright star, while the software calculates and assists with polar alignment. Another great feature of the CGEM, sure to please astroimagers, is the Permanent Periodic Error Correction (PEC) which will allow users to train out the worm gears periodic errors, while the mount retains the PEC recordings.

Performance - For objects near the Meridian (imaginary line passing from North to South), the CGEM will track well past the Meridian for uninterrupted imaging through the most ideal part of the sky. The CGEM mount has a robust database with over 40,000 objects, 400 user defined programmable objects and enhanced information on over 200 objects.

Celestron's CGEM mount is the perfect fit between the Advanced Series and CGE Series. Offering the portability of the Advanced Series and the precision of the CGE.