Corvane Hollin equatorial mount, with steel pier

Specifications

Description

The Hollin is a manual equatorial mount for telescopes and binoculars with a combined load up to 12 kg. Once it is leveled and polar aligned, its polar axis points at the celestial pole, so you move the telescope in right ascension and declination, the two directions in which the sky appears to turn. Setting circles on both axes help you find objects from a star chart without a computer.

Slow-motion rods on both axes let you center an object in small steps, which matters at higher magnifications, where a few arcminutes of drift can carry a target out of the field within a minute. Friction knobs set how freely each axis moves. The mount has no motors as shipped, but you can add a single-axis drive to the right ascension shaft to hold objects in the eyepiece for longer.

Telescopes up to about 100 mm aperture and 8 kg total work best on the Hollin. Keep the combined load, including the diagonal, eyepiece, finder, and counterweights, well below the rated payload. Counterweights are not included, so you will need to add them to balance the tube on the declination axis.

Before observing, point the polar axis toward Polaris in the northern hemisphere or toward Sigma Octantis in the southern hemisphere, then adjust the altitude and azimuth bolts until the polar scope reticle matches the star. Setup takes about fifteen minutes on a level surface once the tripod is spread and the head is attached.

About this configuration

Each configuration of the Corvane Hollin equatorial mount uses the same mount head; the options change what it stands on and what ships with it. The steel pier raises the mount and leaves more room under the telescope for long refractors and cameras. A pier lets the telescope swing past the meridian without the tube or the camera hitting the legs. The padded carrying case protects the mount head during travel and keeps its parts together in storage.

The anodized black finish hides scratches and does not reflect the light of a red flashlight back at you. This is the 2025 edition, which enlarged the clutch knobs so you can operate them with gloves on cold nights. Check the saddle type in the specifications against the dovetail bar on your telescope before you choose a configuration.

What's in the box

• Equatorial mount head with dovetail saddle
• Two slow-motion control rods
• Polar scope with reticle
• Accessory tray
• Steel pier with leveling base
• Padded carrying case

Compatibility notes

• Accepts dovetail bars up to 50 mm wide.
• The 3/8-16 base thread fits most photo tripods.
• Suits telescopes up to about 100 mm aperture and 8 kg total with counterweights.