Corvane Scree GoTo alt-az mount, head only

Specifications

Description

The Scree is a GoTo alt-az mount for small refractors, short reflectors, and spotting scopes with a payload of up to 4 kg. Its altitude and azimuth axes are driven by geared stepper motors, which slew the tube to any object in a built-in catalog of 42,000 targets. The catalog covers Messier, NGC, and IC objects, bright stars, and the planets and Moon. You select a target on the hand controller, and the mount moves until the object sits near the center of the field.

Before the first session, level the tripod and run the two-star alignment. The hand controller prompts you to center two bright stars in the eyepiece, and the mount uses their positions to correct for leveling error and axis offset. Alignment takes about five minutes on a stable tripod. Once aligned, the mount tracks the sky on both axes, which keeps a target steady at low and medium power. Because the mount is alt-az, the field slowly rotates around the center of the view over the course of an hour, and this rotation is visible in long-exposure photographs but not during visual observing.

The saddle is a dovetail type that accepts bars up to 45 mm wide, with a safety screw that holds the bar while you tighten the main clamp. The head weighs 2.6 kg and has a 3/8-16 thread underneath for photo tripods. The mount runs on eight AA batteries in the handle or on 12 V DC from a power tank or car adapter.

Telescopes up to about 80 mm aperture and 1.2 kg in weight suit the Scree best. Heavier tubes fit within the 4 kg rating but take longer to settle after focusing and can strain the drive at high speed. Keep the total load, including diagonal, eyepiece, and finder, well below the rated payload.

About this configuration

The Corvane Scree GoTo alt-az mount is sold in several configurations, and the notes below describe what this particular one includes. This configuration is the mount head alone, so you supply a tripod or a pier with a matching top plate. Buying the head only makes sense when you already own a sturdy tripod or a permanent pier in the garden. No add-on is included, which suits observers who already carry their own cases, bars, and power supplies.

Titanium gray anodizing shows dust less than black and keeps a uniform look over the years. The 2025 edition keeps the same payload rating and gearing as the earlier years of the Scree line. The payload rating in the specifications applies to the mount head in every configuration of the Scree line.

What's in the box

• Alt-az GoTo mount head with dovetail saddle
• Hand controller with coiled cable
• Eight-AA battery holder
• Accessory tray

Compatibility notes

• Accepts dovetail bars up to 45 mm wide.
• The 3/8-16 base thread fits most photo tripods; a 1/4-20 adapter is included.
• Suits telescopes up to about 80 mm aperture and 1.2 kg for steady views.
• The 12 V DC input accepts a 2.1 mm barrel plug.