Tessaro Basin 22 EQ mount, head only

Specifications

Description

The Basin 22 is a manual German equatorial mount for telescopes and camera loads up to 22 kg. Its head weighs 14.2 kg, and both axes are graduated, so you can set the right ascension axis toward the celestial pole and then find objects by their coordinates. A counterweight shaft carries balance weights on the opposite side of the head to offset the tube and accessories.

Slow-motion cables on each axis let you follow a target once it is centred in the eyepiece. Within the 22 kg payload, a 200 mm tube settles within a few seconds after focusing, but heavier loads take longer to damp. Tighten both clutches before observing; a loose clutch lets the tube drift under its own weight at high magnification.

The mount has no motors and does not track the sky. Without a drive, stars move across the field at about 15 arcseconds per second, which is 15 arcminutes in one minute. At high power, you will need to correct the position often, so use the cables in short, steady movements rather than pushing the tube by hand.

Polar alignment uses the reticle polar scope built into the right ascension housing. Mount the head on a pier or a tripod rated well above the combined weight of the mount, tube, and counterweights. A 22 kg load on a light tripod will vibrate in wind, and each vibration takes seconds to settle.

Use the Basin 22 for visual observing with a large refractor or catadioptric, or for long-exposure photography with a camera and telephoto lens. Check the total load before each session, including the tube, diagonal, eyepieces, finder, and camera, and keep it well below the rated payload.

About this configuration

Each configuration of the Tessaro Basin 22 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. A weather cover suits observers who keep the mount outdoors on a pier or a covered patio.

The white finish stays cooler in sunshine, which helps if you set up the mount in the afternoon. The 2023 edition uses the same gears and bearings as later years, with small differences in the clamps. The payload rating in the specifications applies to the mount head in every configuration of the Basin line.

What's in the box

• Equatorial mount head with 200 mm dovetail saddle
• Counterweight shaft
• Slow-motion cables for right ascension and declination
• Reticle polar alignment scope
• Accessory tray
• Fitted weather cover

Compatibility notes

• Accepts dovetail bars up to 50 mm wide.
• Rated for 22 kg of telescope and camera load.
• Suits large refractors and catadioptric telescopes within the rating, mounted on a pier or heavy tripod.