Airline-portable mount for AP ?

[rkc]

I'm planning a holiday to a dark sky location where I may be able to do some astro-photography. Is there a mount available that would meet the following criteria:

1. Light enough (and robust enough) to take in a suitcase.

2. Equatorial 

3. Accurate enough to be worth using for AP

Any suggestions/experience gratefully received

Richard

[JB80]

It depends on what you wish to use as a scope or camera with it. If it's a small scope I would recommend an astrotrac, or if just a camera I'd still look at an astrotrac or something like the Vixen Polarie.

Not really EQ mounts but certainly portable, robust and will allow long enough exposures.

[Zakalwe]

Skywatcher Star Adventurer is worth considering. Plus you can out it to do panoramic daytime timelapse photography. Worthwhile if you wanted to do something like sunsets/sunrise. Plus it can control a Canon DSS with the addition of a cable.

[rowan46]

theres a few depending on budget

 takahashi teegul is probably the most expensive

kenko sky memo 

losmandy starlapse

astrotrac

fornax light track apparenty one of the best tracking in a test against the others

vixen polarii

ioptron skyguider

iopton startracker

skywatcher star adventurer

take your pick

[D4N]

I take my iOptron smart EQ pro on planes in my checked in baggage. The tripod is a bit unwieldy but I guess you could change that.

I can happily do 10 min subs guided with it, not tried for longer than that yet.

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[Alien 13]

A great deal depends on the camera/scope/lens you plan to use with it but the suggestions already mentioned cover most eventualities the awkward/heavy part will likely be the actual tripod, if you only plan on doing widefield shots with something like an 18mm lens then I would also throw the ALT/AZ Skywatcher virtuoso type table top mount into the mix.

Alan

[ronin]

Depends on the scope and whatever you are intending to put on it. a 102mm triplet and DSLR will need something different to a Altair 70mm and ZWO ASI 120.

However following D4N the iOptron Smart EQ is a compact EQ mount. Saw one a couple of weeks back and it is smaller then I expected. If the mount collapses sufficently then you may be OK to take that on the plane. I assume you seperate head from tripod.

Catch here is you could be looking at tripod, mount head and scope with assorted accessories, including some way to power the thing.. It all adds up.

[D4N]

I have mount, camera, guide camera, fittings and cables in one case in heavily padded steel reinforced boxes.

The tripod goes in a separate bag with clothes and the OTA goes in the hand luggage with my laptop.

Everything runs off internal batteries, the mount uses 8 x AA.

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[rkc]

Thanks for the suggestions - I'll look at them.

I already have a Polarie and will certainly be taking that and a DSLR for wide field. I was looking for something that could handle a FSQ-85 refractro

[rkc]

... And I pressed the wrong button and it won't let me edit...

I already have a Polarie and will certainly be taking that and a DSLR for wide field. I was looking for something that could handle a FSQ-85 refractor, ATIK filter wheel/OAG etc. Power is the other problem to consider, for sure.

[rowan46]

thats a pretty big ask for an airline portable mount the losmandy starlapse takes 30lbs  load and the astrotrac takes 15kg the astrotrac came out better in a head to head but if I remember rightly it needs all the bits to take the full load. the losmandy starlapse is essentially the ra axis of a gm8.  The ioptron skyguider may just about cope with the weight all the others don't have the load capacity

[Alien 13]

The Astrotrac does have the advantage with its ability to run well unguided and be powered with normal batteries but as said needs a few extras to run a heavy scope.

Alan

[Elio]

I think this one is the best solution, fits in a medium trolley with tripods and other 

the little taka isn't so lightweight! 

[rkc]

The astrotrac does look interesting. I will go and look at some reviews...

[StuartJPP]

I think this one is the best solution, fits in a medium trolley with tripods and other 

the little taka isn't so lightweight! 

That is an excellent mount but at £3.5k they are smoking way too much wacky baccy...doesn't mean I don't want one...just that I can't justify one (or more likely can't afford one).

Regarding the AstroTrac, it can do well if you can balance it all. The AstroTrac wedge and the AstroTrac head help immensely for heavy gear. It all depends on your expectations, don't expect a miracle. The cost of all the bits can add up though but have a look 2nd hand if you are not in a hurry, especially for the head and wedge...I did and saved a bundle, well below £1k. You will need a fairly sturdy tripod as well if you haven't already got one and possibly an additional counterweight as well. All this weight eats into your allowance...luckily my OH lets me use some of hers.

To power my AstroTrac I use an Anker 20000mAh portable battery (76Wh) which is fine for a few nights of imaging, plus it can charge my phone and a Kindle etc. A great bit of kit for ~£50. It is carry on friendly and I slip it into my (large) pocket so it doesn't add to my total weight of my hand luggage.

Here's an image of it all set up in my "special" location on vacation.

Imaging The Lagoon Nebula (M8) by StuartJPP, on Flickr

[Elio]

Astrotrack works fine but has 2 hrs limit, then you have to redo the framing... and it isn't cheaper anyway!

Avalon M-Zero is a ultraweight portable mount that track (and guide) for all the night without pier flip, has a wireless goto system and much much more... its payload is incredible, look at my "stress-test" here 

this is the result image

no more words needed 

[ollypenrice]

Astrotrack works fine but has 2 hrs limit, then you have to redo the framing... and it isn't cheaper anyway!

Avalon M-Zero is a ultraweight portable mount that track (and guide) for all the night without pier flip, has a wireless goto system and much much more... its payload is incredible, look at my "stress-test" here 

this is the result image

no more words needed 

That is downright astonishing.

I have an Avalon Linear and the build quality is a breath of fresh air.

Olly

[Zakalwe]

The Avalon M-Zero is nearly £3400. That's in a completely different league from the other suggestions. It's 2.5 times more expensive than the Astrotrac travel system and 12 times more expensive than the Star Adventurer.

[Elio]

Indeed Zalalwe, taka baby fsq85  3,5 times more expensive than a chinese 80mm... star adventurer cost 2.5 times less than the same astrotrack kit... quality costs anyway, we knew it!