ioptron cube -pro mount

[lensman57]

Hi,

Has anyone had experience with one of these mounts? I want a portable mount for simple AP with my Skymax 127 MAk and this one seems to fit the bill, I have gone off the idea of using an EQ mount as most of the time 3/4 of the sky is not visible from my back garden and moving around an EQ mount does not really appeal.

Many thanks,

A.G

[Stuka]

Hi - I'm sure you know this already, but the iOptron Cube / Minitower are Alt/Az and therefore not best suited to imaging. I understand you could use software that will spin the image around (a little) as would be required in stacking, but I guess you'll be restricted to very short exposures.

I'm also just now looking to buy these mounts (maybe both the Cube for travel and Tower for home) but just for observation only.....

BTW, I'm told that the Cube A has plastic gears and the Cube Pro has metal, so I wouldn't chance it on plastic if I were you.

[ronin]

As said he iOptron is an Alt/Az so not suited to long exposure imaging.

It also will not make more of the sky visible so 3/4 will still be hidden.

[lensman57]

Hi - I'm sure you know this already, but the iOptron Cube / Minitower are Alt/Az and therefore not best suited to imaging. I understand you could use software that will spin the image around (a little) as would be required in stacking, but I guess you'll be restricted to very short exposures.

I'm also just now looking to buy these mounts (maybe both the Cube for travel and Tower for home) but just for observation only.....

BTW, I'm told that the Cube A has plastic gears and the Cube Pro has metal, so I wouldn't chance it on plastic if I were you.

Thanks for your reply,

I was first thinking of Eq3 pro or even an EQ5 pro but with a small garden I need to constantly move the mount around so an EQ is not easy to align as I am not able to see the polaris all the time, hence the cube pro consideration. But I do understand the point about the limitation of the AZ mount.

Regards,

A.G