iOptron

6F Gill St., Woburn, MA 01801

866-399-4587; ioptron.com

Sean Walker

he history of telescope making is filled with ingenious variations on the traditional German equatorial mount that debuted in the early 19th century. Very few of them, however, have become commercial products. But the list has just grown by one thanks to the folks at iOptron, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of telescope mounts. The ZEQ25GT ($799) has the declination shaft and telescope mount at one end of the polar axis and the counterweight at the other. This arrangement keeps the mount’s center of gravity better distributed over the tripod. Also, the pivoting counterweight shaft won’t interfere with the tripod legs when the mount is used at low latitudes. The ZEQ25GT retains the features of iOptron’s highly regarded equatorial mounts, including Go To pointing, a precise polar-alignment scope, and an excellent payload-to-weight ratio. (When the electric drives are disengaged, the motions are too free for hand pointing.) It’s rated for loads up to 25 pounds (11 kg). Contact the manufacturer for more details.

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