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Orion AstroView Equatorial Mount
| Brand | Orion |
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| Availability | available |
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Product Info
Overview
Reviews
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Sep 27, 2008
Equatorial Mount and the EQ-3M Dual-Axis Electronic Drive.
Pros:Ease of assembly, polar alignment not difficult, smooth steady mount
Cons:No complaints
Comments:I have a 4.25" f/5 reflector for which I needed a mount and drive. The intended use was astrophotography, so I wanted a solid mount and smooth drive. After researching the astronomy forums I decided upon the AstroView Equatorial Mount and the EQ-3M Dual-Axis Electronic Drive. I have found that this combination satisfactorily meets my needs. I was pleased with ease of assembly and the improvements not mentioned in the catalog. The better polar-axis scope and improved dovetail mount were unexpected additions. (I did substitute the 13” Dovetail Mounting Plate (#07385) for the smaller one which is included.) The un-extended tripod is adequate for digital photography and when carefully aligned, the drive system is amazing. The forums abound with information on how to further improve the performance of this popular mount. For all but the most demanding, I rate this combination as a great value and recommend it for small telescopes.
Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? YesSep 4, 2007Orion's AstroView Equatorial Mount
Pros:Reasonably priced, more massive and stable than cheaper mounts
Cons:Loose polar alignment scope back cover, fixable slop in Dec. axis.
Comments:The Astroview EQ German equatorial mount is Orion’s “next up from the bottom tier” equatorial mount. This $219.95 mount, however, is a far step up from the basic EQ-1 or EQ-2 mount. I got the mount as part of Orion’s 120ST EQ package.
Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
The Astroview comes equipped with the usual things like setting circles, slow-motion control knobs and an accessory tray. The mount also has a tiny built-in bubble level and a polar alignment scope with a reticle designed for “precise polar alignment.” There are also screws and attachments for Orion’s EQ-3 motor drive.
The 23-pound equatorial head sits on aluminum tripod legs with a hinged brace for stability and easy fold-up. The head has a dovetail slot that would accommodate many scopes available with dovetail mounting brackets. The bracket gets held into place by a large 3/16" lock screw and a 10-32 "Safety Screw"
With the legs extended ¾ of the way out the mount was stable enough that vibrations were dampened out in about a second and a half with the 8.8-pound 120ST. At full extension, vibrations took considerably longer to dampen out but I seriously doubt I’ll be extending the legs more than halfway.
Slow motion controls are very smooth without backlash. Axis lock levers are prominent and easy to find in the dark.
There are two problems I found with the mount, one of which is basically insignificant, the other fixable. The polar alignment scope has a front and back cover for protection. The front cover fits very tightly and will probably never come off unintentionally. The cup-shaped back cover, however, press-fits over the R.A setting circles and is very loose. I added a small piece of non-skid rubber sheet to the inside of the cover which helps it stay in position just a little better than it would hold without it. The other problem I found was a very slight 1-degree slop in the Declination axis when it was locked down. An email to Orion’s support department got me a reply in less than 24 hours explaining how to easily tighten the worm gear.
In conclusion, the Astroview equatorial mount is a good stable mount for mid-sized telescopes and makes an excellent and reasonably priced upgrade from smaller mounts.Sort by
