Northmere Strand GoTo EQ mount, head only

Specifications

Description

The Strand GoTo EQ is a computerized German equatorial mount for telescopes up to 18 kg. It is designed for astrophotography with medium refractors and Schmidt-Cassegrains, with belt-driven worms on both axes and a dual saddle that accepts both common dovetail standards.

Belt drives between the motors and the worms remove the gear backlash found in simpler mounts, which makes guiding corrections more precise. The worm gears are large in diameter, and the mount supports periodic error correction, which records and cancels the small repeating errors of the gears.

For imaging, keep the total load to about 12 to 13 kg, for example a 130 mm refractor with a camera, filter wheel, and guide scope. For visual use, the full 18 kg rating covers 9.25-inch Schmidt-Cassegrains and 8-inch Newtonians on long dovetails.

The GoTo database holds 60,000 objects. The hand controller supports two-star and three-star alignment and includes a polar alignment routine that uses the mount's own motion, so you do not need a clear view of the pole. A USB port allows control from imaging software.

The latitude range runs from 5 to 65 degrees. The counterweight shaft is 25 mm thick and takes two 5 kg counterweights. The mount runs on 12 V DC at up to 3 A, with a port for a dew heater controller.

The head weighs 13 kg and splits into two parts for transport, which keeps each piece manageable. The Strand GoTo EQ suits observers who are building an imaging setup and want room to grow into heavier telescopes.

About this configuration

Each configuration of the Northmere Strand GoTo EQ mount uses the same mount head; the options change what it stands on and what ships with it. 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.

The anodized red finish makes the clamps and knobs easier to find by touch and by red light. This is the 2023 edition of the Strand line, the earliest version that is still listed in the catalog. The payload rating in the specifications applies to the mount head in every configuration of the Strand line.

What's in the box

• GoTo equatorial mount head with dual saddle
• Two 5 kg counterweights and 25 mm counterweight shaft
• Hand controller with cable
• 12 V power cable
• Polar scope

Compatibility notes

• The dual saddle accepts Vixen-style and D-style dovetail bars.
• The ST-4 autoguider port accepts most guide cameras.
• Controllable from imaging software through USB.