Time is short and you'd rather enjoy the stars than waste time looking for them? Would you like to get a taste of astrophotography and are looking for a mount that will give you a good base to do so? Then the SkyWatcher NEQ-5 Pro Goto mount is the ideal target for you.
The 4.5 cm diameter steel legs and ball bearing shafts provide sufficient stability for 15-20 cm mirror or catadioptric telescopes (12 cm for refractors, or 15 cm for short tube models).) The metal eyepiece tray further increases the rigidity of the legs and allows you to fit 4 1.25" and 2 2" eyepieces.
The Synscan handheld has a number of additional features beyond the computerized object pointing (Goto control), which can be useful for both visual and photographic observers. Among other things, dead time compensation can be set to reduce the response time of the mount; 25 custom object data can be stored for easy resetting later. It is also possible to set the most spectacular objects of the evening one after the other within a tour. The Synscan handheld controller database stores data on more than 42 900 objects.
Astrophotographers will appreciate the autoguider connector, which significantly increases the accuracy of the mount when tracking celestial objects. This is essential when shooting long exposure times.
The accuracy of the polar alignment is enhanced by the standard fibre-optic polar finder. The basic kit includes a cable with a cigarette lighter adapter to operate the mount from a car cigarette lighter. For those looking for a portable solution, we recommend the simpler battery solution. An optional mains adapter is required for operation from a 220V mains supply.