Tessaro Caldera EQ mount, with steel pier

Specifications

Description

The Caldera is a German equatorial mount for refractors, Catadioptric telescopes, and small reflectors with a combined load up to 8 kg. Its right ascension axis sits on a cast-aluminum yoke, and its declination axis turns on a pair of sealed bearings. Set the counterweights until the tube stays put when you release the clamps. You point the mount by hand, then use the slow-motion cables to center objects in the eyepiece.

Polar alignment starts with the built-in polar scope, which lights a reticle you align with the celestial pole. Once the mount is aligned, the right ascension motor follows the sky at sidereal rate, so a planetary or lunar view stays centered for an hour or more at medium power. The motor runs from a 12 V DC supply, so you can connect a 12 V battery for field use. Check the drive rate against the sky after the first hour, since small polar errors show up as slow drift in declination.

The dovetail saddle is 50 mm wide and has a safety screw that holds the bar while you tighten the main clamp. The head weighs 5.4 kg and sits on a standard 3/8-16 base thread for photo tripods. The counterweight shaft accepts standard 1-inch bore weights. Keep the total load, including the diagonal, eyepiece, finder, and any camera, well below the 8 kg rating.

The Caldera has no GoTo system, so you find each target by star hopping from a finder or a star chart, then use the slow-motion cables to center it. It suits observing from a permanent pier or a sturdy tripod, where the polar alignment can be kept between sessions.

About this configuration

Each configuration of the Tessaro Caldera EQ mount uses the same mount head; the options change what it stands on and what ships with it. 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 spare dovetail bar lets you keep a second telescope ready to swap onto the mount in a minute.

Anodized black is the standard finish of the Caldera line and matches most telescope tubes. The 2026 edition carries the mechanics over unchanged and updates small parts such as the knobs and covers. Check the saddle type in the specifications against the dovetail bar on your telescope before you choose a configuration.

What's in the box

• German equatorial mount head with dovetail saddle
• Polar alignment scope
• Right ascension and declination slow-motion cables
• 12 V DC power cable
• Counterweight shaft
• Steel pier with leveling base
• Spare 200 mm dovetail bar

Compatibility notes

• Accepts dovetail bars up to 50 mm wide.
• The 3/8-16 base thread fits most photo tripods.
• Suits refractors and Catadioptric telescopes with a total load up to about 8 kg.