Mount for holiday use

[earth titan]

As we have a family holiday planned for the autumn (Tenerife or Las Palmas) I'm looking for a robust but lightweight mount to put in my luggage. Purely visual use.

I'll be taking an 80mm triplet with me hand luggage and a few eyepieces, but will need some room for clothes allegedly......

Typed by me on my fone, using fumms... Excuse eny speling errurs.

[DirkSteele]

I have been taking the Tele Optic Ercole Giro abroad with me for use with my APM 105 without a counterweight. It is perhaps a bit heavy duty for your needs (can comfortable take 8kg on one side sans counterweight, and up to 18kg each side with), but they also make smaller ones, the Tele Optic Giro 3 and possibly even the Tele Optic Giro Mini depending on the weight of your tube. These mounts are German made and are engineered to a far higher standard than the Chinese clones like the SkyTee. Links below.

Giro 3: http://www.tele-optic-tecnica.de/giro-3.html

Giro Ercole: http://www.tele-optic-tecnica.de/giro-ercole.html

Giro Mini: http://www.tele-optic-tecnica.de/giro-mini-classic.html

Also they are not too bulky so do not take up too much space in the suitcase, though they will take some of your baggage weight allowance.

[Stu]

I use a Giro Mini with a TV76 and it works very well, although I do use it with the bar and small counterweight which makes it much smoother. Much will depend upon your tripod, the mini will take the weight but the more stable the tripod, the better.

Stu

[DirkSteele]

Very much agreed on the tripod issue. The more stable the better. In my search for a suitable travel tripod, one of the biggest issues I had was being able to fit the tripod in my suitcase. For me, virtually all holidays are not specific astronomy holidays so I did not want any additional bags, so sacrifice the carry on bag to the OTA and EPs, and the mount and tripod in my suitcase with my clothes. Most astronomy tripods are just too long. In the end I went with the Gitzo Carbon Fibre 6X 5532S tripod. It only weighs 2.9kg, collapsed length is 62cm so will fit in my case, but it is rated to take up to 40kg of equipment. So it provides a very stable platform with great dampening characteristics. Only downside is it cost around £550.

[rowan46]

can I suggest this one it weighs less than a kilo and providing you keep the screws safe packs in 3 flat pieces so takes no room in your case. You can assemble it there with an alum key and it will take 7kg with no counterweight needed. I think you saw it at sgl8 it's this one http://www.teleskop-...-bis-100mm.html

obviously if yourscope has rings you will need the http://www.teleskop-...mmung-80mm.html as well put it on top of a decent photo tripod and job done.

[Rossco72]

I use a gitzo tripod, manfrotto ball head and it holds either my 70mm TV or 66mm triplet with ease. Light, fits in the case and can also be used for normal photography.

The ball head can sit at 90 degrees and with the pan lock loosened and the tension just right it acts just like an alt-az mount.

Use the centre hook to sling some weight underneath (stones! Etc. ) and its fine for visual and even AP with the Polarie added.

Cheers

Stuart

[rowan46]

Here's some pics of the mount disassembled and with my 80mm triplet on it

[Stu]

Looks neat, and very compact

Stu

[DirkSteele]

That certainly looks like a very interesting alternative. I am intrigued. Some more research to be done I think.

[Rossco72]

can I suggest this one it weighs less than a kilo and providing you keep the screws safe packs in 3 flat pieces so takes no room in your case. You can assemble it there with an alum key and it will take 7kg with no counterweight needed. I think you saw it at sgl8 it's this one http://www.teleskop-...-bis-100mm.html

obviously if yourscope has rings you will need the http://www.teleskop-...mmung-80mm.html as well put it on top of a decent photo tripod and job done.

That's the same cost as a 055 ball head which will hold 12kg.

The ball head has almost infinite possibilities for positioning a scope or camera.

The hard part I found was finding legs capable of taking the load the head could. The Gitzo legs are great. Carbon fibre and light but expensive.

Seems there are numerous options to consider.

Cheers

Stuart

[rowan46]

That's the same cost as a 055 ball head which will hold 12kg.

The ball head has almost infinite possibilities for positioning a scope or camera.

The hard part I found was finding legs capable of taking the load the head could. The Gitzo legs are great. Carbon fibre and light but expensive.

Seems there are numerous options to consider.

Cheers

Stuart

I tried a ball head and a fluid head but found them difficult to pan around especially near zenith. With this one once the tension is set it holds balance and stays where you want it. It's just a question of setting balance once and you are away no more fiddling I must admit i like the idea of that tripod mine weighs nearly 4kg admittedly it takes a 75kg load but it's still heavy after a mile

[L8-Nite]

I use a gitzo tripod, manfrotto ball head and it holds either my 70mm TV or 66mm triplet with ease. Light, fits in the case and can also be used for normal photography.

The ball head can sit at 90 degrees and with the pan lock loosened and the tension just right it acts just like an alt-az mount.

Use the centre hook to sling some weight underneath (stones! Etc. ) and its fine for visual and even AP with the Polarie added.

Cheers

Stuart

Would it be feasable to set the ball head to latitude by using an adjustable protractor,

then a simple nudge would be all thats needed for tracking ?

[earth titan]

can I suggest this one it weighs less than a kilo and providing you keep the screws safe packs in 3 flat pieces so takes no room in your case. You can assemble it there with an alum key and it will take 7kg with no counterweight needed. I think you saw it at sgl8 it's this one http://www.teleskop-...-bis-100mm.html

obviously if yourscope has rings you will need the http://www.teleskop-...mmung-80mm.html as well put it on top of a decent photo tripod and job done.

I do remember that mount. Seemed like a very elegant solution. Any suggestions for a good robust tripod?

Typed by me on my fone, using fumms... Excuse eny speling errurs.

[rowan46]

I do remember that mount. Seemed like a very elegant solution. Any suggestions for a good robust tripod?

Typed by me on my fone, using fumms... Excuse eny speling errurs.

I wouldn't recommend mine because its too heavy but if you put a price out somebody will know a decent tripod that's not too heavy

[rowan46]

This tripod can handle 10kg http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bilora-C324-Perfect-Carbon-Tripod/dp/B001BRZTN4/ref=sr_1_22?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1368200323&sr=1-22&keywords=tripod

[Rossco72]

Red Snapper are good value if aluminium is ok. If you want the ultimate in light weight then Gitzo but be prepared to pay at least £600 or Manfrotto carbon fibre at around £250.

If weight isn't too much of an issue though then the Red Snapper at £60 is great. I have one on the car all the time.

Cheers

Stuart

[earth titan]

TBH the weight is no major issue. I don't take up a lot of the families luggage allowance

Do you have a link to the redsnapper stuff?

Typed by me on my fone, using fumms... Excuse eny speling errurs.

[Dunkster]

At the cheerful end of the scale, I use a mini Porta with my ZS71...it's lightweight with the aluminium tripod, and steady enough if you don't extend the legs far. The slow motion controls are a key feature. The tripod is 72cm long with the head detached, so it still needs a fair sized suitcase to fit inside, or alternatively clipped to your carry on bag depending on how heavy your scope is when loaded, this may not be beefy enough though.

[Rossco72]

Here's my setup from above. Weighs in at 5.2kg including the 2" diagonal and Nagler eyepiece. Mount is 2kg and is rated for 12kg.

Cheers

Stuart