{"title":"Explore Scientific German Equatorial Mounts","description":"\u003cp\u003eEvery Explore Scientific german equatorial mount we carry. Part of \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/german-equatorial-mounts\"\u003eGerman Equatorial Mounts\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"explore-scientific-iexos100-mount-with-wifi-and-bluetooth","title":"Explore Scientific iEXOS-100-02 PMC-Eight Equatorial GoTo Tracker System with WiFi and Bluetooth","description":"\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduct Overview\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Explore Scientific iEXOS-100-02 is a computerised German equatorial GoTo mount built on the PMC-Eight control system, supplied as a complete tracking package: mount head, travel tripod, two 1 kg counterweights, a battery pack and access to the ExploreStars control app. The mount head weighs 9.45 lbs and the tripod 5.35 lbs, with a travel tripod listed at 5.5 lbs and 27.25″ collapsed, which is what makes the whole system a carry-on-sized proposition rather than an observatory fixture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePMC-Eight is the part that gives the mount its name: eight independent CPUs, each assigned to a specific operational task, rather than one processor time-slicing between motor control, communications and pointing. Drive is by dual-axis stepper motors through belt reductions, and both axes carry clutched worm gears so the telescope can be released and balanced by hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConnection is by wire, WiFi or Bluetooth, so the mount can be driven from a phone, tablet or laptop without a hand controller in the loop. A polar alignment sight hole through the right ascension axis handles the initial setup on Polaris.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWide-field and travel imagers:\u003c\/strong\u003e the published photographic capacity is 15 lbs with counterweights fitted, which covers a short refractor, a camera and a guide scope.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVisual observers wanting tracking:\u003c\/strong\u003e approximately 19 lbs visual capacity with counterweights, which is a different and higher figure than the imaging one because visual work tolerates more flex.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eObservers who travel:\u003c\/strong\u003e a 9.45 lb head and a 5.35 lb tripod split into two easy loads, and the travel tripod collapses to 27.25″.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThis is a good match if\u003c\/strong\u003e you already run a phone or tablet at the telescope and would rather control the mount from that than from a dedicated hand controller.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAnyone assembling a compact imaging rig\u003c\/strong\u003e where every pound of payload is accounted for against the published 9 lbs of equipment-only capacity.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKey Features \u0026amp; Design\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePMC-Eight control system:\u003c\/strong\u003e eight independent CPUs, each dedicated to a specific task, which is how the design keeps motor timing separate from communications traffic.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDual-axis stepper motors with belt drives:\u003c\/strong\u003e belts take up backlash and run quieter than a direct gear train.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClutched worm gears on both axes:\u003c\/strong\u003e the clutches release for balancing and for slewing by hand, then re-engage for tracking.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBuilt-in WiFi and Bluetooth,\u003c\/strong\u003e with wired connection also available — three routes to the same control layer.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eExploreStars app control\u003c\/strong\u003e from a tablet or phone, included with the system.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePolar alignment sight hole\u003c\/strong\u003e through the polar axis for the initial northern alignment.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTwo 1 kg counterweights supplied,\u003c\/strong\u003e which is what lifts the rated capacity from about 9 lbs of equipment alone to 15 lbs photographic and about 19 lbs visual.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublished weights:\u003c\/strong\u003e mount head 9.45 lbs, tripod 5.35 lbs, travel tripod 5.5 lbs.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRecommended Uses\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTracked visual observing with small to medium refractors and compact catadioptric tubes.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWide-field astrophotography with a camera lens or short refractor inside the 15 lb photographic figure.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTravel and dark-site sessions where the whole system has to fit in a car boot or a case.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompatibility and Accessory Notes\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCapacity, read carefully:\u003c\/strong\u003e Explore Scientific publishes three figures — approximately 9 lbs for equipment alone, 15 lbs photographic with the counterweights fitted, and approximately 19 lbs visual with the counterweights. Imaging asks more of a mount than visual use does, which is why the photographic number is the lower of the two loaded figures.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCounterweights:\u003c\/strong\u003e two 1 kg weights come with the system. Heavier payloads within the rated range are balanced by moving the weights out along the shaft rather than by adding more.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eControl:\u003c\/strong\u003e wire, WiFi or Bluetooth into the ExploreStars app. No separate hand controller is needed for the mount to function.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTripod:\u003c\/strong\u003e supplied. The heights above are the published figures with and without the head fitted, which is the number to compare against your seated or standing eyepiece height.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTelescope attachment:\u003c\/strong\u003e Explore Scientific does not publish the saddle or dovetail standard for this mount in its specification list, so that row is absent below rather than guessed. Send us the dovetail on your telescope and we will check the fit for you.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePower:\u003c\/strong\u003e a battery pack is included. Longer imaging sessions are usually run from a larger external supply.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGood to Know Before You Order\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCapacity is the number that governs everything here.\u003c\/strong\u003e At approximately 9 lbs of equipment alone, this is a mount for short refractors, camera lenses and compact tubes rather than a large SCT. If you tell us the telescope you plan to put on it, we will add up the loaded weight with you before you order.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEquatorial mounts want polar alignment.\u003c\/strong\u003e The sight hole through the polar axis handles the visual case in a couple of minutes; imaging generally benefits from a more careful routine, and drift or software-assisted alignment covers that.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTracking accuracy figures are not published.\u003c\/strong\u003e Explore Scientific does not list periodic error or guiding specifications for the iEXOS-100-02, so those rows are absent below rather than estimated. If that is your deciding figure, ask us and we will put it to our Explore Scientific contact.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe included battery pack suits short sessions.\u003c\/strong\u003e Imaging runs of several hours are usually powered from a larger 12V supply, and we stock those.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTwo tripod figures appear in the vendor data\u003c\/strong\u003e — a 5.35 lbs tripod and a 5.5 lbs travel tripod at 27.25″ collapsed. Both are reproduced below exactly as published, and we are happy to confirm which one is in the box for the configuration you are ordering.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs it difficult to set up?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe mechanical part is quick: legs out, head on, counterweights on the shaft, telescope in the saddle, then balance both axes with the clutches released. The step that is new to anyone coming from an alt-azimuth mount is polar alignment, and the sight hole through the polar axis reduces that to lining up on Polaris. After the first evening the whole routine settles at around ten minutes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow much can it carry?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExplore Scientific publishes approximately 9 lbs for equipment on its own, 15 lbs for photographic use with the counterweights fitted and approximately 19 lbs for visual use with the counterweights. Imaging is the more demanding case, so the photographic figure is the one to plan an imaging rig against.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes it need a hand controller?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo. Control runs through the ExploreStars app over WiFi, Bluetooth or a wired connection, from a tablet, phone or computer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs a telescope included?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo. The system covers the mount head, tripod, two 1 kg counterweights, battery pack and app access. The optical tube and its dovetail are separate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow tall does it stand?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith the mount head fitted, 38.5″ at the highest point with the legs retracted and 45″ with them fully extended. Without the head, the tripod runs from 25″ open and retracted to 42″ fully extended.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCan I guide it for long exposures?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe mount tracks under app control and the payload figures allow for a small guide scope within the 15 lb photographic rating. Explore Scientific does not publish guiding port or periodic error specifications, so we would rather talk through your imaging train with you than quote numbers that are not in their data.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBottom Line\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn short: a PMC-Eight computerised German equatorial mount with WiFi, Bluetooth and wired control, a 9.45 lb head, a travel tripod, two 1 kg counterweights and a battery pack — tracking and GoTo in a package sized for travel, rated at roughly 9 lbs of equipment alone and 15 lbs photographic with the weights fitted. Send us the telescope you plan to put on it and we will add up the loaded payload with you before you order.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Explore Scientific","offers":[{"title":"iEXOS-100 Azimuth Adjuster Adapter","offer_id":44013466845295,"sku":"ES-iEXOS-100-02","price":415.95,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0686\/0049\/6239\/files\/iExos100_Full_1_1663x__81966.jpg?v=1766553910"},{"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-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"}],"url":"https:\/\/ontariotelescope.com\/collections\/german-equatorial-explore-scientific.oembed","provider":"Ontario Telescope and Accessories","version":"1.0","type":"link"}