| Because of the demand for a more open-source controller, Mesu has developed a new mount. Developments in the 3D printer world have made it possible to use 3d printer controller boards with stepper motors. With this technology we were able to increase the drive torque 3x by using 3 drive units at 360 degrees for each axis for a reasonable price. Alongside these are more advantages such as the nice mechanical force play that introduces the torque to the axle 100% isolated from the load support of the mount. This results in a more accurate telescope mount with better tracking and guiding performance than other mounts, and even Mesu-Mount predecessors. At the moment the mount comes with a controller board that is laid out for 6 stepper motors while only 2 are used. Focusers or other application can be controlled with the rest of the connections if needed. The result is an extreme high load capacity/head weight and therefore suitable for a very wide range of applications. |
Mount specifications
| Mount weight: | 18 kg |
| Max. tested payload: | 100 kg |
| Drive torque: | 30 Nm |
| Guiding: | 0.2 arc sec. |
| Flipless telescope setup | |
| cable management through axis | |
| Open-source control system |
Testing mount with 100kg payload
Something about the controller
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Currently, the mount comes with a controller board running OnStep open-source software.
The board used is the 3D printer board FYSETC S6,
which has space for upgrades such as focusers, field rotators, or other applications if needed.
The mount has been tested with this hardware and a recent version of OnStepX.
It was the first time I used it, and it ran fine after some initial setup tweaking.
I installed the OnStep app from the Play Store,
and the mount was fully operable from my phone. For me, it was important to test the mounts GoTo, tracking, and guiding performance. I only used the basic functions of the software, but much more is possible. Of course, my comments here don’t do justice to the OnStep project and its active user base. I plan to spend more time in the near future using OnStep and providing feedback on its performance with this mount. So far, I haven’t encountered any issues when using the tracking, guiding, and the very useful PHD2 auto-guiding software. |
Accessories
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| Tripod for meridian flipless operation, custom built for your latitude. | |
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To summarize, We sell a complete telescope mount custom-made for your location, including a tripod made for your latitude.
It comes with robust stainless steel saddle plate clamps with cable feed-through, a 40mm counterweight bar, and a controller pre-configured for direct use.
There is also a counterweight adapter for 2” Olympic dumbbell weights.
The ASCOM platform allows connection to software like Cartes du Ciel and PHD2, which I tested myself, but most other ASCOM-compatible software can also be used. I was initially a bit skeptical about this system because I had never used it before. I started with it due to a growing number of customer requests, and looking back, there was no reason to be skeptical at all.
Mesu-Optics also offers a wide range of other controller options. For example, I use Sidereal Technology controllers on other Mesu-Mounts with great success. Even though the mount has improved in every way compared to the Mesu-Mount 200 MKII, the combination of a different controller and use of stepper motors has stayed at an attractive pricepoint. |
| Price new Mesu-Mount €4500,00 (transport and VAT excluded) |
| Contact Mesu-Optics for a quotation or other astro mount related questions. |