Northmere Bulwark EQ mount, with steel pier

Specifications

Description

The Bulwark is a compact equatorial mount for small refractors, Maksutovs, and short reflectors with a total load up to 4 kg. Its right ascension axis is aligned with the celestial pole, so the telescope can turn in a single direction to follow the stars. Once the mount is polar aligned, targets stay centered in the eyepiece for longer, which helps on faint nebulae and galaxies at medium power.

Polar alignment uses a built-in polar scope with an illuminated reticle. Set the latitude scale to your site, then adjust the altitude and azimuth knobs until Polaris sits at the marked position in the reticle. Slow-motion rods on both axes handle fine pointing without touching the tube, and tension knobs set how freely each axis moves. The head weighs 3.2 kg and mounts on a standard 3/8-16 thread underneath for photo tripods, with a 1/4-20 adapter included.

The sidereal drive runs on the right ascension axis from a 12 V DC input or eight AA batteries, and it turns the tube at the rate of the sky. Declination remains a manual axis, so you recenter drift in that direction by hand. Keep the total load, including a diagonal, eyepiece, and finder, well below the rated payload. Longer tubes need a counterweight on the 1-inch shaft, and balancing the tube before each session keeps the drive from working against an unbalanced load.

Telescopes up to about 80 mm in aperture and 1.5 kg in weight are a good match for the Bulwark. It fits visual observing at medium and high power and short-exposure imaging with a light camera. For long-exposure astrophotography, a heavier equatorial mount gives steadier guiding.

About this configuration

The Northmere Bulwark 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. A weather cover suits observers who keep the mount outdoors on a pier or a covered patio.

The anodized black finish hides scratches and does not reflect the light of a red flashlight back at you. The 2023 edition uses the same gears and bearings as later years, with small differences in the clamps. 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 Vixen-style saddle
• Polar scope with illuminated reticle
• Two slow-motion control rods
• 1-inch counterweight shaft
• 12 V DC power cable
• Accessory tray
• Steel pier with leveling base
• Fitted weather cover

Compatibility notes

• Accepts Vixen-style 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 1.5 kg for steady views.