The dream of the adventurous "touring astronomer" seems to have come true with the birth of the Acuter Traverse azimuth GoTo mechanism. The small, palm-fitting motorized mechanics head and the included lightweight photo tripod together weigh just 2.13 kg. Add to that a maximum payload weight of 2.5 kg of binoculars, and you can still keep your entire kit under 5 kg.
The mechanism is suitable for carrying Vixen-standard prismatic short-tube binoculars up to about 8-10 cm in diameter.
The Acuter Traverse azimuth GoTo mechanics can be controlled from a smartphone or tablet via wired, WiFi or bluetooth. With the free downloadable Acuter Sky app, after a short tutorial, you can easily choose the objects you want to view, which the mechanic will automatically lock onto and follow.
Power can be supplied by 4 AA (ceramic) batteries inserted in the battery compartment in the head (not included), or via an external DC 5-6.5V USB-C connector, for example optionally from a powerbank.
A recording can be triggered via the SNAP port on the mechanical head, but only in astronomical mode.
The included lightweight photo tripod connects to the mechanic head with a 3/8" photo tripod thread. Its legs can be individually angled and extended in 3 sections. A leveling bubble is provided on the mechanic head for water level adjustment. The mechanic is 78 cm tall with the legs open but folded, 160 cm tall with the legs extended, and the box in a fabric case is easy to carry.