Tessaro Stillwater alt-az mount, head only

Specifications

Description

The Stillwater is a manual alt-azimuth mount for telescopes in the 5 to 10 kg range, including Catadioptric tubes and other medium-weight optical tubes. It moves in altitude, up and down, and in azimuth, side to side, so you point it directly at the part of the sky you want to see. The fork head has a rated payload of 7 kg and weighs 4.6 kg on its own, which leaves room for a larger Maksutov or Schmidt-Cassegrain with its accessories.

Slow-motion rods on both axes let you make fine corrections without touching the tube. At high magnification, where a field of view may drift out of frame in under a minute, these rods keep the target centered and reduce vibration. Tension knobs on each axis set how freely the head moves, so you can hold a heavy tube steady while you focus.

The dovetail saddle accepts bars up to 50 mm wide. A safety screw holds the bar in place while the main clamp is tightened, which matters with a long tube that could otherwise slip. The head has a 3/8-16 thread underneath for photo tripods, and a 1/4-20 adapter is included.

Keep the total load well below the 7 kg rating. Include the diagonal, eyepiece, finder, and any dew shield in the calculation. Heavier loads take longer to settle after focusing, and a tube close to the limit will sway when the wind picks up.

The Stillwater has no motors and does not track the sky. At low and medium power that is rarely a problem, and an object will stay in the eyepiece for a few minutes before it needs a nudge. For longer sessions or higher magnification, a GoTo or tracking mount is a better fit.

About this configuration

Each configuration of the Tessaro Stillwater alt-az 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 spare dovetail bar lets you keep a second telescope ready to swap onto the mount in a minute.

The anodized red finish makes the clamps and knobs easier to find by touch and by red light. This is the 2026 edition, the most recent version of the Stillwater line in the catalog. 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

• Alt-az mount head with dovetail saddle
• Two slow-motion control rods
• 1/4-20 tripod adapter
• Accessory tray
• Spare 200 mm dovetail bar

Compatibility notes

• Accepts dovetail bars up to 50 mm wide.
• Rated for a 7 kg payload, including the tube, diagonal, eyepiece, and finder.
• The 3/8-16 base thread fits most photo tripods; a 1/4-20 adapter is included.