Northmere Bastion GoTo EQ mount, with steel pier

Specifications

Description

The Bastion GoTo EQ is a heavy computerized German equatorial mount rated for 30 kg. It suits large refractors, 11-inch and 14-inch Schmidt-Cassegrains, and imaging rigs with several cameras, and it is often installed on a pier in a backyard observatory.

The mount uses large worm wheels with belt drives on both axes, which keeps backlash low and makes guiding corrections precise. Periodic error correction records the repeating errors of the worm gears and cancels them during tracking. Through-the-mount cabling keeps power and data cables inside the axes, so they do not snag when the telescope moves.

For imaging, a practical load is about 20 to 22 kg, which covers a 130 mm to 150 mm refractor with cameras and accessories. For visual use, the full 30 kg payload covers a 14-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain on a long dovetail with a finder and diagonal.

The controller holds 60,000 objects and connects over the network to imaging and planetarium software. A polar alignment routine uses the mount's own motion, so you can align it even without a view of the pole. Meridian flips can be automated in software for overnight imaging sessions.

The head weighs 22 kg and splits into the right ascension and declination assemblies for transport. A steel pier or a heavy tripod is necessary. The counterweight shaft is 30 mm thick and takes two 7 kg counterweights.

The Bastion GoTo EQ runs on 12 V DC at up to 5 A. It is intended for observers who image regularly, often from a fixed site, and who need a mount that tracks large instruments through a full night.

About this configuration

The Northmere Bastion GoTo EQ mount is sold in several configurations, and the notes below describe what this particular one includes. 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. This configuration ships without extra add-ons, so the box holds only the mount and its support.

The anodized red finish makes the clamps and knobs easier to find by touch and by red light. This is the 2024 edition, which revised the altitude adjustment and the cable routing of the Bastion line. For steady views, keep the total load of tube, finder, and camera below the rated payload with some margin to spare.

What's in the box

• GoTo equatorial mount head with D-style saddle
• Two 7 kg counterweights and 30 mm counterweight shaft
• Hand controller with cable
• 12 V power cable
• Pier adapter plate
• Steel pier with leveling base

Compatibility notes

• The D-style saddle accepts D-style dovetail bars; Vixen-style bars need an adapter.
• Needs a steel pier or a heavy tripod rated for at least 60 kg.
• Controllable from imaging software over the network or USB.