SAXON AZ-EQ6 PRO MOUNT
Saxon
Equatorial / Alt-Azimuth
Payload: 20 kg
Encoders: None
15.4 kg
SAXON AZ-EQ6 PRO MOUNT is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.
This is the new version of the Az-Eq6 which includes the USB port.
The Saxon AZ-EQ6 Pro Go-To is designed for the professional astrophotographer who wants a solid and reliable mount with a payload of up to 20kg. It combines the advantages of the equatorial mount with the simplicity of the alt-azimuth system. In fact, the AZ-EQ6 is a hybrid mount usable in both these configurations. The equatorial mode is ideal for astrophotography while the alt-azimuth configuration is more practical for observation as polar alignment is not required.
When the mount is configured in Alt-Azimuth mode, it can carry a second instrument by attaching the dual saddle (Vixen and Losmandy style) to the counterweight bar. The detachable saddle has two adjustment screws that allow to rotate the saddle and align the secondary telescope with the main one. When the mount is set in alt-azimuth mode, the optical tube has to be mounted on the right hand side when pointing forward.
In equatorial mode the AZ-EQ6 shows all its potential in astrophotography. It has a build-in polar scope with southern hemisphere reference and the polar alignment is easy and precise due to the azimuth and elevation screws.
It is compatible with the Ascom drivers but also allows to guide with the ST4 protocol. The periodic error can be reduced through the PPEC (Permanent Periodic Error Correction). Differently to the HEQ5 and the NEQ6, the AZ-EQ6 uses one belt for the transmission between the stepper motor and the worm drive rather than two gears. This belt reduces the overall backlash, the noise and the long period periodic error. Both axes are equipped with the belt transmission system.
The SynScan computerised go-to system has a database with 42,900 objects to quickly locate and slew to target. It has 9 slewing speeds up to 800 times the sidereal speed (3.3°/sec).
The AZ-EQ6 is equipped with a SNAP port for controlling the camera shutter release. Working with the SynScan hand control’s “Camera Control” function, you can take batch exposures in up to 8 groups of “Exposure-time & Frames”.
The dual dovetail bar can accept both Losmandy and Vixen style bars and the two tightening knobs do not touch the dovetail bar directly, avoiding marks on your telescope.
Download the Az-Eq6 user manual
Download the Az-Eq6 motor board firmware
Specifications
| Mount type |
German equatorial / Alt-azimuth |
|
Payload capacity |
20 kg |
|
Latitude range |
10° to 75° |
|
Azimuth adjustment |
± 9° |
|
Dovetail saddle |
Accepts Vixen and Losmandy bars |
|
Weight |
15.4 kg (head) + 7.5 kg (tripod) |
|
Counterweight rod |
Ø 25 mm, length 202 mm + 150 mm extension |
|
Power requirement |
DC 12~16 V 4 Amp |
|
Motors |
1.8 º Hybrid Stepper Motor |
|
Tracking rate |
Sidereal rate, solar rate, lunar rate |
|
Auto guiding speed |
0.125 x, 0.25 x, 0.5 x, 0.75 x, 1 x |
|
Pointing accuracy |
Up to 5 arc-minutes (RMS) |
|
SKU |
SX-612046 |
Included items
- Saxon AZ-EQ6 mount
- Steel tripod
- Counterweights (2 x 5 kg)
- Counterweight extension bar
- Second telescope saddle (Vixen and Losmandy style)
- Polar scope (Southern and Northern Hemisphere)
- SynScan hand controller with cable (RJ45 to RJ45)
- Power supply cord (lighter plug)
- Mount and SynScan user manual
SynScan
The SynScan go-to system is a computerized system supplied with the professional SkyWatcher mounts and telescopes.
It features:
- 9 speeds 1x, 2x, 16x, 32x, 64x, 128x, 400x, 500x, 600x, 800x (3.3°/sec)
- 42,900 objects including planets, the moon, the sun, named stars, double stars, variable stars and the most famous catalogue that are Messier, Caldwell, NGC, IC & SAO
- Sidereal, moon and sun tracking speeds,
- Pointing Accuracy Enhancement feature (PAE)
- Unknown Object Identification feature
- Permanent Periodic Error Correction (PPEC) for mounts only
- One, two and three stars or brightest star alignment (alt-azimuth telescope need at least 2 stars for the alignment)
- Telescope parking feature
- Polar allign procedure
- Deep Sky Tour function that suggests a list of the most interesting deep sky objects currently visible.
Customer Reviews
I usually do visual astronomy but occasionally like to try my hand at astrophotography. Having had an HEQ5 in the past, it's obviously essential to have a good EQ mount for photography, but they are such a PITA for visual astro work. I've nearly lost the Denkmeier binoviewers a few times with eyepieces ending up at weird angles upon relocating the scope to a new target. The AZEQ6 fixes this problem completely. It only takes a minute or so to put it into Alt-Az mode where I don't have to worry about the eyepiece ending up at strange angles. And as a bonus, the tracking and object location still function perfectly in Alt-Az mode. The accuracy of the goto has been very good with targets appearing fairly well centered in the eyepiece. The drives are quiet too - you can certainly hear a bit of a mechanical whine at faster slewing speeds (and it's easy to select the slewing speed) but at slower speeds, I cannot hear it and have to check visually that it's moving. The smoothness of the tracking seems very good - FAR better than my old HEQ5. Even though I'm aware that I'm not quite perfectly polar aligned, I can still take 1 - 2 minutes shots through the 780mm refractor with good results. I feel quite confident that with a little more PA tweaking, I will be able to consistently get 2 - 3 minute unguided photos with the DSLR at 300-700mm. And there's plenty of scope (pun intended) for PEC training / guiding down the track. Lots of options in the handset to refine pointing accuracy - which I haven't needed to access at this stage. Clutches are easy to use - and find when in EQ mode. Altitude adjuster feels nice and solid as does the rest of the mount. The synscan handset seems easy to get along with and comes with it's own manual that is easy to understand. Lots of options and shortcuts for finding or adjusting all sorts of things. I'm enjoying this mount so far and feel that it's a great choice for my use. I'm also excited by the potential and possibilities that this mount affords me. The photo of Orion is a single un-edited 101 second shot through the 780mm refractor unguided plus full moon.
