Full size pier for Sphinx SXW / 8" Celestron Edge HD Combo

[DeepSkyMan]

Hi there everyone I currently use a Vixen HAL 130 tripod for grab and go astronomy however I find negotiating the legs on the tripod a pain in the proverbial, so my current thought is to source a pier with adjustable feet to use as a semi-permanent base of operations at home. Due to current domestic arrangements a permanent observatory is not an option. Is anyone aware of a pier or adapter that can be used with the Sphinx equatorial head. I know the Sphinx comes with a half-pillar extension for the tripod but I'm hoping for something that will eliminate the need to dodge tripod legs during observations and have feet that will allow fine adjustment for levelling which the tripod is woefully lacking.

[ChrisLX200]

Altair Astro's lovely Starbase system would certainly do the job http://www.altairastro.com/altair-starbase-ultra-stable-field-tripod-pier-system.htmland I'm sure the guys there will be able to supply a suitable adapter plate (they machine the whole thing anyway, if they don't already have one then making an adapter should be no problem). It's not cheap but like anything else, you get what you pay for. I've used the classic portable piers in the past - you know the kind of thing, a long tube with 3 extended 'feet' at the bottom, and to be honest the design is not very stable and best avoided.

ChrisH

[reddoss]

I can also vouch for AA's Starbase field tripod.

I have the first one they ever made, and it is an excellent piece of kit.

[ollypenrice]

I wouldn't fret about levelling. It isn't necessary. You don't need to align your pier to the centre of the Earth, you need to align you RA axis towards the celestial pole. These are quite different things.* Takahashi tripod legs are fixed but they have the best field PA routine of all.

Olly

* Think of a person a few hundred miles to your east or west. Level for them is not level for you but you are both polar aligned.