Observatory pier recommendations

[Ivor]

Hi,

I'm returning to astrophotography after a long break and I'm setting up a new observatory.  I currently have an eq6 pro mount which I'm looking to upgrade in the future, so I want to select a pier which supports any potential upgrade path.  Two of the options I'm considering are below however the current mounting plates seem to be quite limited. Any upgrade isn’t going to be significant I’d only be looking to support payloads up to 30kg.

https://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/rother-valley-optics-hd-heavy-duty-observatory-pier.html

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/pulsar-observatories/pulsar-anti-vibration-observatory-pier.html

I'd appreciate any alternative suggests or other factors I should consider.

[Tomatobro]

Either of those two piers will work just fine. I have been involved in the construction of two observatories, the first using a Pulsar pier and the second a DIY pier. The Pulsar pier supports a Mesu 200 mount and two SW esprit 150 refractors with all the accessories (about 70kg).

Savings can be made by going down the DIY route but it depends on what you are willing to tackle.

You may also need an adapter for the pier top to take the mount.

 

[Ivor]

Thanks, for confirming i could find a limited list of adapters I wasn't sure what was out there. I did the DIY pier last time, the location of the observatory at my new house requires the pier to be removable.