{"title":"Explore Scientific EXOS","description":"\u003cp\u003eExplore Scientific EXOS mounts and the parts made for them. Part of \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/explore-scientific-mounts\"\u003eExplore Scientific Mounts\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"exos-2-exos-2-exos-2gt-polar-finder","title":"Explore Scientific EXOS-2 and EXOS-2GT Polar Finder","description":"\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\u003eThe EXOS2 Polar Finder Scope has Polar Assist markings to help you efficiently accomplish a proper polar alignment. This polar scope works with the BR-EXOS2, FL-EXOS2GT, BR-EXOS2GT, EXOS2GT with PMC-8 mounts.\u003c\/span\u003e","brand":"Explore Scientific","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44013385089135,"sku":"PFEXOS2","price":63.95,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0686\/0049\/6239\/files\/EXOS2PF_2_grande__52465.jpg?v=1766552617"},{"product_id":"exos-2gt-universal-power-supply-230-12v-2-5a","title":"Explore Scientific EXOS-2GT Universal Power Supply, 230V to 12V, 2.5A","description":"\u003cspan style=\"font-family: Arial;\"\u003eEXOS-2GT Universal Power Supply 230\/12V, 2.5A\u003c\/span\u003e","brand":"Ontario Telescope and Accessories","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44013385187439,"sku":"EXOS2GTAC","price":109.99,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0686\/0049\/6239\/files\/ES-EXOS2GTAC__04870.jpg?v=1766552622"},{"product_id":"explore-scientific-exos2-gt-pmc-eight-goto-equatorial-mount-tripod","title":"Explore Scientific EXOS2-GT Equatorial Mount and Tripod with PMC-Eight GoTo, WiFi and Bluetooth","description":"\u003ch2\u003eProduct Overview\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Explore Scientific EXOS2-GT is a German equatorial mount and tripod driven by Explore Scientific's PMC-Eight GoTo system with WiFi and Bluetooth. It carries a 28 lb instrument payload for astrophotography, and rather more than that for visual use, which makes it a portable platform for telescopes that would normally call for a considerably larger mount. Two 11.25 lb counterweights and an AC adapter are included.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is the mount for someone whose telescope has outgrown a light-duty equatorial — a 6-inch refractor, an 8-inch SCT, a fast Newtonian — and who wants tracking and GoTo without moving to a pier-mounted observatory setup. It suits imagers who need the mount to hold a camera, guide scope and filter wheel steady through long exposures, and visual observers who want objects found and kept centred while they concentrate on looking.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eKey Features \u0026amp; Design\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e28 lb instrument payload capacity for astrophotography, with more available for visual work\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePMC-Eight motion control using an eight-core microcontroller, with each CPU handling a defined task for responsive, accurate tracking\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWiFi and Bluetooth control from the free ExploreStars app on Windows, Android, Amazon Fire and Apple tablets\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eASCOM-compliant driver for use with virtually any ASCOM-aware sky software, wired or wireless\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTwo 11.25 lb counterweights and an AC adapter supplied in the box\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e13.4 lb mount head; 30 lb for the complete mount and tripod before counterweights\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch2\u003eOptical and Mechanical Design\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eA German equatorial mount tilts one axis to match your latitude so that a single motor can follow the sky's rotation, which is what allows long exposures without star trails. The EXOS2-GT drives both axes through the PMC-Eight system; distributing motion control across eight independent processors keeps timing intervals short, which shows up as smoother tracking and cleaner round stars in a long sub-exposure. The head separates from the tripod for transport, so the heaviest single piece is 13.4 lb.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eRecommended Uses\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeep-sky astrophotography with a refractor, Newtonian or SCT up to 28 lb of equipment\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVisual observing with GoTo object location and tracking\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLunar and planetary imaging where steady tracking at high magnification matters\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePortable use at a dark site, splitting into head, tripod and counterweights\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch2\u003eCompatibility and Accessory Notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe saddle accepts Vixen-style dovetails as standard, which covers most of the optical tubes we carry, including the Explore Scientific ED and FCD-100 refractors. Control is through the free ExploreStars app on a tablet you already own, or through ASCOM from a laptop — a tablet or computer is not included. For imaging from a location without mains power, a 12 V field battery pack is the usual addition; the supplied AC adapter covers use near an outlet. We stock additional counterweights, polar scope illuminators and Vixen saddle plates for this mount.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eGood to Know Before You Order\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe complete mount and tripod come to 30 lb before counterweights and about 53 lb with both fitted, so it travels in two or three trips to the car rather than one. Polar alignment is part of setting up any German equatorial; the published guide walks through it and it becomes a two-minute routine. No telescope is included — this is a mount, tripod and counterweight set. Explore Scientific maintains the ExploreStars app, the ASCOM driver and an active PMC-Eight user community, so the software side is well supported.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs it difficult to set up?\u003c\/strong\u003e The mechanical assembly is quick — head onto tripod, counterweights on the shaft, telescope into the saddle. Polar alignment and a star alignment in the app take a few minutes on your first outing and get faster with practice.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow much telescope will it hold?\u003c\/strong\u003e Explore Scientific rates it at 28 lb of instrument for astrophotography, and notes the visual capacity can be pushed further. Imaging benefits from staying under the rating.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDo I need a tablet or a computer?\u003c\/strong\u003e One or the other, yes. ExploreStars runs on Windows, Android, Fire and Apple tablets; ASCOM works from a laptop. Neither is included.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill my telescope fit?\u003c\/strong\u003e If it has a Vixen-style dovetail and weighs under 28 lb with accessories, yes. Send us your setup and we will confirm.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eBottom Line\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eA 28 lb-capacity GoTo equatorial with counterweights and AC adapter in the box, wireless control from a tablet, and ASCOM support for imaging software. It is the natural step up for a telescope that has outgrown a light-duty mount. Our Bolton team can confirm payload and dovetail fit for your tube.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Explore Scientific","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53955668901999,"sku":"ES-EXOS2GTPMCT3-01","price":1385.95,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0686\/0049\/6239\/files\/b34_3979063c-edce-44cc-aa86-5069239ab139.jpg?v=1785952521"},{"product_id":"explore-scientific-red-led-illuminator-exos-2-polar-finder","title":"Explore Scientific Replacement Red LED Illuminator for EXOS-2 and EXOS-2GT Polar Finder","description":"\u003ch2\u003eProduct Overview\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is the replacement red LED illuminator Explore Scientific supplies for the polar finder fitted to the EXOS-2 and EXOS-2GT equatorial mounts, item EXOS2PFI. Explore Scientific describes it as designed to fit their 50 mm reticle finder scopes, giving deep red illumination with variable brightness and running on two AA batteries. It threads into the illuminator port on the side of the polar scope body and lights the etched reticle from the edge so the alignment pattern stands out against a dark sky.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo people buy this part. The first has an EXOS-2 or EXOS-2GT whose original illuminator has been lost, dropped, or killed by a leaking cell — a common enough fate for a small component that lives outdoors and gets handled with cold fingers. Without it the polar reticle is effectively invisible at night, and polar alignment turns into guesswork with a red torch held awkwardly at the objective end of the polar scope.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe second is the observer already fighting the illuminator they have. Fixed-brightness units are almost always wrong: too dim to read the reticle before your eyes have settled, and bright enough an hour later to wash Polaris out of the field entirely. Variable brightness is the point of this unit. You want the reticle just barely visible with Polaris still a clean point beside it, and only a dimmer lets you sit at that balance as your dark adaptation improves through the session.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eKey Features \u0026amp; Design\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeep red LED output, chosen to preserve dark adaptation while you align\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVariable brightness control so the reticle can be dimmed until Polaris stays visible alongside it\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePowered by two AA cells, a battery you can buy anywhere and change with gloves on\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpecified by Explore Scientific to fit their 50 mm reticle finder scopes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDirect replacement for the illuminator supplied with EXOS-2 and EXOS-2GT polar finders\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThreads into the illuminator port on the polar scope body, no tools needed\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSupplied as Explore Scientific item EXOS2PFI\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eOptical and Mechanical Design\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA polar finder reticle is a pattern etched into a glass element sitting in the finder's optical path. It has no light of its own; you see it because light is injected from the side at a shallow angle and scatters off the etched grooves. That is why the illuminator screws into the barrel rather than shining down the tube — light entering along the optical axis would flood the whole field and drown the very star you are trying to place. Edge illumination lights the engraving and leaves the rest of the field dark. Red is used because the rod cells that do your night vision are least sensitive to long wavelengths, so a red reticle costs far less dark adaptation than a white one of the same apparent brightness. The variable control matters because reticle brightness and star brightness are independent of one another: turn it up and the pattern is obvious but Polaris vanishes in the glare, turn it down and Polaris returns while the pattern fades. The usable setting sits in a narrow band that keeps shifting as your eyes adapt, which is why a dimmer is a working necessity rather than a convenience.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eRecommended Uses\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReplacing a lost, damaged, or battery-corroded illuminator on an EXOS-2 or EXOS-2GT polar scope\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePolar aligning an EXOS-2GT before a guided imaging run\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIlluminating an Explore Scientific 50 mm reticle finder scope\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCarrying as a spare in the accessory case for travel and star party use\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCompatibility and Accessory Notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExplore Scientific specifies this illuminator for their 50 mm reticle finder scopes and supplies it as the replacement part for the EXOS-2 and EXOS-2GT polar finders, so if you have one of those mounts with the factory polar scope this is the correct item. Illuminator ports are not standardised across manufacturers, and both thread diameter and body length have varied between the illuminator versions Explore Scientific has shipped over the years. If your mount came from another brand, or you are not certain which generation of polar scope you have, send us a photograph of the illuminator port and our team in Bolton will confirm fit before you order. Have two AA cells on hand as well, since none are supplied.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eGood to Know Before You Order\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBatteries are not included — Explore Scientific states this plainly, and two AA cells are needed to use it. This is the illuminator alone; it does not include the polar finder scope or its reticle, so if the polar scope itself is missing from your mount this is not the part that will fix it. Our vendor listing covers the short-bodied version of the illuminator, and more than one body length has existed, so ask us first if you need to match an existing unit exactly. Explore Scientific publishes no shipping weight for this item, so we are confirming it on our own scales before the listing goes live. That is why it is currently unpublished. Contact us and we will give you a shipping figure for your address.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes it come with batteries?\u003c\/strong\u003e No. Explore Scientific specifies two AA cells and does not supply them. Any standard alkaline or rechargeable AA will run it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill it fit my EXOS-2GT?\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes, provided you have the factory polar finder. Explore Scientific lists this as the replacement illuminator for the EXOS-2 and EXOS-2GT polar scopes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCan I dim it?\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes. Variable brightness is built in, which is what lets you keep the reticle readable without washing out Polaris.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy a red LED rather than white?\u003c\/strong\u003e Red preserves dark adaptation far better than white at the same visible brightness, so you can finish aligning and go straight to observing instead of waiting for your eyes to recover.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eBottom Line\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePolar alignment on an EXOS-2 is quick when you can see the reticle and thoroughly irritating when you cannot. This is the correct Explore Scientific replacement illuminator for that finder, with the deep red LED and the dimmer the job actually requires. If you are unsure which version your polar scope takes, contact us and we will confirm it.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Explore Scientific","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53958590038127,"sku":"EXOS2PFI","price":28.95,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0686\/0049\/6239\/files\/ccc_37dde605-acb9-400d-a10f-65541c2191d2.jpg?v=1785960596"},{"product_id":"explore-scientific-firstlight-exos-nano-equatorial-mount-tripod","title":"Explore Scientific FirstLight EXOS Nano German Equatorial Mount with Steel Tripod, 15 lb Capacity","description":"\u003ch2\u003eProduct Overview\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Explore FirstLight EXOS Nano is a light-duty German equatorial head supplied on a steel tripod, intended for small telescopes that do not need, and cannot justify, a large mount. Explore Scientific rates it for a telescope of up to 15 pounds, fits it with a Vixen-style universal dovetail saddle, and supplies it on a 1.25-inch sturdy steel ST1 tripod whose legs extend from 25.5 inches to 45 inches. The mount head on its own, without counterweight, is quoted by Explore Scientific at 10 pounds. It is the mount Explore Scientific pairs with its own smaller instruments, and the company names the ED80 apochromat, small Maksutov-Cassegrains, small refractors, small solar scopes and short fast Newtonians as the intended load.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is a specific frustration this mount answers. You buy a good small refractor or a compact Maksutov, and it arrives on an alt-azimuth head or a photo tripod. At low power that is fine. The moment you put 150x on Saturn, the object drifts diagonally across the field, and correcting it means nudging two axes at once while the whole thing shakes. An equatorial head fixes the geometry: once the polar axis is aimed at the celestial pole, the sky's apparent motion collapses onto a single axis, and following an object becomes one smooth motion in right ascension instead of a two-handed chase. That is the entire reason equatorial mounts exist, and it matters more on small, high-magnification telescopes than on almost anything else.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe second audience is anyone who has correctly concluded that a big mount is the wrong answer. A 15-pound rating is modest, but so is an ED80 or a 90 mm Mak, and carrying a forty-pound German equatorial into the back garden for a five-pound telescope is how observing sessions stop happening. The EXOS Nano is deliberately at the small end: light enough to move in one trip, tall enough at 45 inches to observe standing, and short enough at 25.5 inches to sit low and steady when the wind is up or when you want it on a table or a deck.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eKey Features \u0026amp; Design\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGerman equatorial head, so telescope motion resolves onto the right ascension and declination axes rather than altitude and azimuth.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExplore Scientific rates the instrument load at a maximum of 15 pounds of telescope.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVixen-style universal dovetail saddle, the most widely supported small-telescope mounting standard.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSupplied on a 1.25-inch diameter sturdy steel ST1 tripod rather than aluminium, for mass and damping at the low end of the price range.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTripod legs extend from 25.5 inches to 45 inches, covering seated observing, standing observing and low wind-resistant setups.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMount head quoted at 10 pounds without counterweight, keeping the whole assembly within one-trip carrying range.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpecified by Explore Scientific for the ED80, small Maksutov-Cassegrains, small refractors, small solar scopes and short fast Newtonians.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eMechanical Design\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA German equatorial works by tilting the entire rotation axis of the mount until it is parallel to the Earth's axis, which is to say pointed at the celestial pole. Once that is done, the sky no longer moves in two dimensions from the telescope's point of view; it rotates about that one axis at fifteen degrees per hour, and a single slow rotation in right ascension holds an object still in the eyepiece. The counterweight shaft on the opposite side of the polar axis is not decoration, it is what makes this practical: balancing the telescope against a counterweight means the axis carries almost no net torque, so the bearings are only resisting friction rather than fighting the weight of the instrument. That is why a properly balanced 12-pound telescope on this mount feels lighter and moves more smoothly than a badly balanced 6-pound one. The 15-pound rating should be read as the point at which that balance stops rescuing you and the head's stiffness becomes the limit. Steel legs matter for the same reason: what you feel at the eyepiece is not the mount's static strength but how quickly a vibration dies away, and steel's higher mass and internal damping settle disturbances faster than thin aluminium tubing of the same diameter. Racking the legs down toward 25.5 inches shortens the lever arm between the ground and the telescope and will noticeably improve the damping time on a breezy night.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eRecommended Uses\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVisual planetary and lunar observing with a small Maksutov-Cassegrain or refractor at high magnification, where equatorial tracking replaces two-axis nudging.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWide-field deep-sky observing with an ED80-class apochromat or a short fast Newtonian.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhite-light and hydrogen-alpha solar observing with a small dedicated solar telescope.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA grab-and-go equatorial for observers who want a real polar-aligned mount without the bulk of a full-size German equatorial.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA first equatorial mount for someone learning polar alignment and the equatorial coordinate system.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCompatibility and Accessory Notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe saddle takes a Vixen-style universal dovetail bar, which is the standard fitting on the great majority of small refractors, Maksutovs and short Newtonians, and on essentially every set of tube rings sold for telescopes in this size class. A telescope with a wider Losmandy-style plate will not seat in this saddle, and a telescope supplied with no dovetail at all will need rings and a bar before it can go on. Payload is the other half of the question, and it is worth being blunt about it: 15 pounds is Explore Scientific's maximum, and the figure has to cover the telescope plus rings, dovetail, finder, diagonal and eyepiece, not just the bare tube. An ED80-class apochromat or a 90 to 127 mm Maksutov lands comfortably inside that budget. A 6-inch Newtonian or a heavy 4-inch achromat is the sort of load that will technically fit and will still show you every gust of wind. If you tell our team in Bolton which telescope you own, we will work out the fully dressed weight with you and give you a straight answer about whether this is the right mount or whether you should be looking one size up.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eGood to Know Before You Order\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExplore Scientific publishes no shipping weight for this item, so we are confirming it on our own scales before the listing goes live. That is why it is currently unpublished. Contact us and we will give you a shipping figure for your address. Two other things are worth knowing up front. First, tracking: this is an equatorial head, and Explore Scientific's product page does not specify a motor drive, so plan on manual tracking in right ascension unless you confirm otherwise with us first. If motorised tracking matters to you, tell us before you order and we will check what drive options exist for this head rather than let you find out afterwards. Second, the counterweight: Explore Scientific quotes the head weight explicitly as being without a counterweight but does not spell out what shaft and weight ship in the carton, so ask us and we will confirm exactly what is included. No telescope is included with the mount, and an equatorial mount only delivers its advantage once it is roughly polar aligned, which takes a few minutes at the start of a session and is a skill worth learning rather than a chore to dread.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat size telescope will it actually hold?\u003c\/strong\u003e Explore Scientific rates it at 15 pounds maximum. In practice you want the telescope plus its rings, dovetail, finder, diagonal and heaviest eyepiece to sit meaningfully below that number, which puts an ED80 apochromat or a small to mid-size Maksutov right in the sweet spot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes it track the sky by itself?\u003c\/strong\u003e Not as described on Explore Scientific's page, which specifies no motor drive. As a German equatorial it lets you follow an object with a single axis once polar aligned, which is a large improvement over an alt-azimuth head, but do not assume hands-off tracking. Ask us and we will confirm the drive options before you commit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill my telescope's dovetail fit?\u003c\/strong\u003e If it is a Vixen-style bar, yes. If it is a wider Losmandy-style plate, no. Telescopes sold without any dovetail will need tube rings and a bar, and we can put that together for you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs the steel tripod better or worse than aluminium?\u003c\/strong\u003e For a mount this size, better. Steel is heavier, which is the point: the extra mass and damping shorten the time a vibration takes to die out after you touch the focuser, and that is what you actually notice at high magnification.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eBottom Line\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe EXOS Nano is a sensibly scaled first equatorial: a 15-pound rating, a Vixen saddle and a steel ST1 tripod adjustable from 25.5 to 45 inches, matched to the small refractors, Maksutovs and solar scopes it was designed around. Send us the telescope you plan to put on it and we will confirm the payload maths, the dovetail fit and what ships in the carton before you order.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Explore Scientific","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53958644203631,"sku":"FL-EXOSNANOT1-00","price":207.95,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0686\/0049\/6239\/files\/FL-EXOSNANOT1.jpg?v=1785960724"},{"product_id":"explore-scientific-9-9-pound-counterweight-exos-2-exos-2gt","title":"Explore Scientific 9.9 Pound Counterweight for EXOS-2 and EXOS-2GT Equatorial Mounts","description":"\u003ch2\u003eProduct Overview\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is Explore Scientific's supplemental 9.9 pound counterweight for the EXOS-2 and EXOS-2GT equatorial mounts, item EXOS2CWB, finished in black and supplied with its own locking knob. Explore Scientific publishes the mass as 9.9 pounds, which makes it the larger of the two counterweights offered for the EXOS-2 shaft. It is the weight you add when the tube on the saddle is genuinely heavy and the counterweight you already own has run out of shaft to travel along.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou need this one when you have added real mass to the saddle. A 6 or 8 inch Newtonian, a 4 inch or larger apochromat in rings on a substantial dovetail, or a refractor carrying a full imaging train — camera, filter wheel, guide scope, and cabling — pushes an EXOS-2 past what a single smaller counterweight can balance. The symptom is unmistakable. You slide the existing weight all the way to the end of the shaft, tighten it, release the clutch, and the tube still drops. At that point you are not looking for finer adjustment, you are simply short of mass, and no amount of repositioning will produce it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is also the right choice if you would rather reach equilibrium without hanging the weight off the extreme end of the shaft. A heavier counterweight balances the same tube from a position further up, which keeps the assembly more compact, reduces the swing you feel when the clutches come loose, and leaves you shaft length in reserve for the next accessory you bolt on. If you already suspect that something large is going onto this mount eventually, buying the 9.9 pound weight first saves you buying the smaller one twice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eKey Features \u0026amp; Design\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExplore Scientific publishes a mass of 9.9 pounds, the larger of the two counterweights offered for the EXOS-2 shaft\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLocking knob included, so no separate hardware is needed to secure it\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBlack finish matching the EXOS-2 and EXOS-2GT mount head\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBored to slide directly onto the EXOS-2 and EXOS-2GT counterweight shaft\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSized for heavy optical tubes and loaded imaging trains rather than fine trimming\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStacks with a second counterweight on the same shaft when total load demands it\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSupplied as Explore Scientific item EXOS2CWB\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eMechanical Design\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBalancing an equatorial mount is a question of torque rather than weight. The turning moment on either side of the right ascension axis is mass multiplied by its distance from that axis, so a counterweight of a given mass can balance a wide range of tubes depending purely on where it sits along the shaft. What the shaft length does is impose a hard ceiling: once the weight is at the far end you have extracted every bit of leverage available and the only remaining variable is mass. At 9.9 pounds this counterweight produces roughly double the moment a five pound weight generates from the same shaft position, which is why it is the answer to a heavy tube rather than an awkward one. There is a second benefit that is easy to overlook. Because a heavier weight balances the same load from closer to the mount head, it draws the centre of mass of the whole rotating assembly in toward the polar axis. That lowers the moment of inertia the drive has to accelerate on every slew and reduces the pendulum effect when the clutches are released, both of which make the mount calmer to work with.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eRecommended Uses\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBalancing a 6 or 8 inch Newtonian on an EXOS-2 or EXOS-2GT\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBalancing a large apochromatic refractor carrying a camera, filter wheel, and guide scope\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAdding capacity when your existing weight is already at the end of the shaft and the tube still drops\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReplacing a lost or damaged original counterweight\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStacking with a second weight for the heaviest loads the mount will carry\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCompatibility and Accessory Notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExplore Scientific specifies this counterweight for the EXOS-2 and EXOS-2GT, and it is the direct match for the counterweight shaft fitted to those mounts. It arrives with its own locking knob, so it can go straight onto the shaft alongside a weight you already own and the two will stack without extra hardware. Before ordering, check the free shaft length below your current counterweight, because a 9.9 pound weight occupies noticeably more of it than a smaller one and a shaft that is already crowded may not accept both. Remember too that counterweight mass does not raise the mount's rated payload — it only lets you balance what is already there — so if the tube itself is near the EXOS-2 limit, more counterweight is not the fix. Explore Scientific does not publish the bore diameter, and shafts differ between manufacturers and mount generations, so if you are fitting this to anything other than a current EXOS-2 or EXOS-2GT, contact us and we will measure the bore against your shaft before it ships.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eGood to Know Before You Order\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a supplemental counterweight, not a counterweight shaft — the shaft is part of the mount and is not included. Explore Scientific publishes the mass at 9.9 pounds and nothing further, so bore diameter, outer diameter, and thickness do not appear on their page; we can measure a unit in stock if those figures matter to your setup. It is a dense steel object and it behaves like one, so fitting it in the dark above a mounted telescope is a two-hand job with the clutch locked. And if your tube is light and you are chasing a small balance correction rather than a large shortfall, the 5 pound counterweight is the more useful part, since it will sit further out on the shaft where adjustment is finer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes it come with a locking knob?\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes. Explore Scientific supplies the locking knob with the counterweight, so nothing else is needed to secure it on the shaft.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCan I run two of these on one shaft?\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes, provided the shaft has the free length. Stacking is the normal way to balance the heaviest loads an EXOS-2 will carry, though check the tube itself is still within the mount's rated payload.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill it fit an EXOS-2GT as well as an EXOS-2?\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes. Explore Scientific lists it for both, and the counterweight shaft is common to the two mounts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShould I buy this or the 5 pound weight?\u003c\/strong\u003e Buy this one if your current weight already sits at the end of the shaft and the tube still drops. Buy the 5 pound weight if you can reach balance but only at an awkward shaft position, or if you want a finer increment for a light tube.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eBottom Line\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen an EXOS-2 is carrying a heavy tube, no amount of sliding will make up for a shortage of mass, and this is the counterweight Explore Scientific supplies for that situation. At a published 9.9 pounds with the locking knob included, it is the direct answer to a mount that will not balance. Tell our team in Bolton what you are putting on the saddle and we will confirm whether one weight will do it or you want two.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Explore Scientific","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53958652264559,"sku":"EXOS2CWB","price":61.95,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0686\/0049\/6239\/files\/EXOS2CW.jpg?v=1785960749"},{"product_id":"explore-scientific-5-pound-counterweight-exos-series-mounts","title":"Explore Scientific 5 Pound Black and Silver Counterweight for EXOS Series Equatorial Mounts","description":"\u003ch2\u003eProduct Overview\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is Explore Scientific's supplemental 5 pound counterweight for EXOS series equatorial mounts, item EXOS2CWB5. Explore Scientific publishes the mass as 5 pounds, or 2.25 kilograms, and supplies the locking knob with it. The body is black with a machined silver band around the circumference. It is the smaller of the two counterweights offered for this shaft, and it is the one to reach for when balance is a question of a small, controllable correction rather than a large shortfall of mass.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis weight is about resolution, not capacity. If you observe with a short refractor — an 80 or 102 millimetre apochromat, a small Maksutov, a guide scope and camera on a light dovetail — a large counterweight has to sit very close to the mount head to balance it, and that is an awkward place for it to live. Down there it can foul the azimuth adjusters or a tripod leg at Canadian latitudes, it gives you almost no useful travel because a centimetre of movement swings the moment enormously, and it loads the right ascension bearing with mass the mount never needed to carry. Five pounds balances the same tube from much further out along the shaft, where every centimetre is a small change and clearance stops being a problem.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe other group who want this weight already own a heavier one. Putting 5 pounds on the shaft alongside it gives you a second, independent adjustment: park the big weight roughly where the tube wants it and use the small one to trim. That is far quicker than re-sliding a heavy weight every time you swap a diagonal for a camera, add a dew heater and its battery, or hang a finder off the tube rings. Anyone who changes configuration mid-session, visual for an hour and then imaging, ends up working this way. And if you own tubes at both ends of the range, the honest answer is that you want both weights — this one alone for the small refractor, the pair together for anything substantial.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eKey Features \u0026amp; Design\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExplore Scientific publishes a mass of 5 pounds, or 2.25 kilograms\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLocking knob included, ready to fit without sourcing additional hardware\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBlack finish with a machined silver band around the body\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eListed by Explore Scientific for EXOS series mounts as a family rather than a single model\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLight enough to serve as a trim weight beside a larger counterweight already on the shaft\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBalances a given tube from further out on the shaft, keeping the mount head area clear\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSupplied as Explore Scientific item EXOS2CWB5\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eMechanical Design\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause balance depends on mass multiplied by distance from the right ascension axis, the mass you choose sets how sensitive the adjustment is. Slide a ten pound weight one centimetre along the shaft and you change the restoring moment twice as much as moving a five pound weight the same distance. On a light tube that difference decides whether balancing is a calm, repeatable operation or a cycle of loosen, nudge, overshoot, retighten. The lighter counterweight also keeps total rotating mass down, and that matters more than it appears to: every pound on the shaft is a pound the right ascension bearing supports and the drive has to accelerate and decelerate on each slew. A mount running with only the counterweight it actually needs tracks and guides more smoothly than one carrying surplus steel. Where five pounds genuinely is not enough moment, the correct response is to add a second weight rather than to lean on the clutches — two weights on one shaft sum into a single moment while still giving you coarse and fine control at the same time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eRecommended Uses\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBalancing a short apochromatic refractor or a small Maksutov on an EXOS mount\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTrimming balance alongside a larger counterweight already fitted to the shaft\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRebalancing quickly when swapping between a visual diagonal and an imaging train\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCompensating for a guide scope, dew heater, or camera added part way through a session\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReplacing a lost or damaged 5 pound counterweight\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCompatibility and Accessory Notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExplore Scientific lists this counterweight for EXOS series mounts as a family rather than naming a single model, and it is the standard 5 pound weight for the EXOS-2 and EXOS-2GT counterweight shaft. It stacks with the 9.9 pound counterweight on that same shaft, and since each weight ships with its own locking knob you can run both without sourcing anything extra. Order them sensibly along the shaft: the heavier weight belongs nearer the mount head with this one outboard of it, so that your fine adjustment is the one with the longest lever and the gentlest response. Because Explore Scientific's compatibility statement here is written for the series rather than one mount, and because bore diameters vary between mount generations and manufacturers, send us your shaft diameter if you are fitting this to an older EXOS, an iEXOS, or another brand entirely, and our team in Bolton will confirm the bore before it ships.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eGood to Know Before You Order\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFive pounds is a trim increment, not a capacity upgrade. If your existing counterweight already sits at the far end of the shaft and the tube still drops, this weight on its own will very likely not close the gap, and the 9.9 pound counterweight is the part you actually want. The counterweight shaft itself is part of the mount and is not supplied here. Explore Scientific publishes the mass and nothing more, so bore diameter, outer diameter, and thickness do not appear on their page — we can measure a unit in stock if those numbers matter to your setup. The silver band is a finish detail on the black body; it is not a graduated scale and it carries no markings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow much telescope will 5 pounds balance?\u003c\/strong\u003e That depends entirely on where it sits, since balance is mass multiplied by distance from the axis. On an EXOS-2 shaft it handles small and medium refractors comfortably, and it works as a trim weight for far heavier loads when paired with a larger counterweight.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCan I use it together with the 9.9 pound counterweight?\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes, and that is one of its most useful roles. Both fit the same shaft and each includes its own locking knob, so no extra hardware is needed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhich should I buy if I can only buy one?\u003c\/strong\u003e If your tube weighs under roughly ten pounds with everything attached, start here. If it is heavier, or your current weight is already at the end of the shaft, the 9.9 pound counterweight is the better first purchase.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs the silver stripe functional?\u003c\/strong\u003e No. It is a finish detail rather than a scale, and it does not indicate a balance position.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eBottom Line\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA 5 pound counterweight buys you control rather than capacity, and on a light tube control is exactly what balancing actually requires. It works alone on a small refractor and as a fine trim beside a larger weight on anything bigger. Send us your tube and accessory list and we will tell you whether this one is enough on its own or whether you want it and the 9.9 pound weight together.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Explore Scientific","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53958666879087,"sku":"EXOS2CWB5","price":82.95,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0686\/0049\/6239\/files\/EXOS2CWB5_1.jpg?v=1785960791"}],"url":"https:\/\/ontariotelescope.com\/collections\/es-exos.oembed","provider":"Ontario Telescope and Accessories","version":"1.0","type":"link"}