iOptron AZ Mount Pro

33 lb Primary Payload on a 13 lb Mount Head

The AZ Mount Pro head weighs 13 lbs including its internal battery and counterweight shaft, and supports a primary instrument of up to 33 lbs. The body is die-cast aluminum, with an aluminum worm wheel and brass worm gear.

The 128X microstep stepper motors drive through a synchronous belt transmission; they are whisper quiet and low-power, and the drive system is zero backlash. The resolution is 0.1 arc second.

"Level and Go" Alignment with its 32-Channel GPS

The setup is "level and go": you level the mount with its built-in level indicator and turn on the power. Using the on-board 32-channel GPS receiver and its position and angular detection sensors, the mount calculates its global position and the telescope orientation.

It then slews to an easily identifiable bright object, and you confirm the object is centered to activate tracking and GoTo. One, two and three star alignments are also available to improve pointing accuracy.

GoToNova System: 212,000+ Objects at up to 10°/sec

At the heart of the AZ Mount Pro is the GoToNova® guidance system, controlled by the Go2Nova® 8407 hand controller. The controller's library holds over 212,000 objects and has an 8 line illuminated LCD screen. Up to 60 comets and other user objects can be added.

The system features nine slew speeds, ranging from a precise 1x sidereal rate for centering objects in a high-power eyepiece to a maximum speed of approximately 10° per second (2400x) for moving quickly across the sky. Tracking is automatic, at celestial, solar, lunar and user-defined rates.

10-Hour Internal Battery

The AZ Mount Pro has a built-in 11.1V, 4.4Ah rechargeable Li-ion battery, rated for 10 hours at 20ºC.

A 100-240V AC battery charger (12.6V, 2000mA output) is included with every version; use only that charger and never charge below 0°C. A slowly flashing battery status LED means about 30 minutes remain. If the battery runs out during a session, a 12V DC source can be plugged in for temporary use when the temperature is above 0°C.

Wireless Control via Built-in WiFi and ASCOM Compatibility

The built-in WiFi adapter lets a smartphone, tablet or computer control the mount wirelessly; control options are ASCOM, iOptron Commander and SkySafari. The SSID can be changed and a password set.

Computer control is by PC via ASCOM, and by Mac, tablet or smartphone via WiFi. The firmware is upgradeable through the serial port, using the included RS232 serial cable.

6" Dual Saddle and 10 lb Secondary Payload Capacity

The AZ Mount Pro is equipped with a versatile 6-inch dual dovetail saddle that accepts both Losmandy-style and Vixen-style mounting plates.

For dual-scope observing, an optional secondary Vixen saddle can be mounted on the counterweight shaft. iOptron's spec gives a 10 lb secondary payload; the manual gives the maximum on the secondary side as 5kg (11lbs). The manual also notes that a light secondary OTA plus a counterweight can balance a heavier primary OTA.

Choosing Your Support: LiteRoc Tripod vs. Tri-Pier

The AZ Mount Pro is sold in three configurations.

• Head Only: This version includes the mount head, hand controller, and charger. No tripod, pier or counterweight is included.
• With LiteRoc Tripod: Adds the 1.75" heavy duty stainless steel LiteRoc tripod with 3 level adjustment screws, and a 10 lb counterweight.
• With Tri-Pier: Adds the iOptron Tri-Pier and a 10 lb counterweight.