New Sky-Watcher AZ-EQ5 Mount

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Sky-Watcher recently introduced the AZ-EQ5 Mount that has generated a lot of interest for it’s low price and very small stated periodic error of only ±5 arc seconds. That’s a native periodic error you would expect to find in a class of mounts more than double the AZ-EQ5’s size and price. That means this mount may wind up being a bargain option for astrophotographers at just $1350.

Part of the reason for this mount’s accuracy is the belt drive in place of the typical worm gear. This was first introduced in the larger Sky-Watcher AZ-EQ6 mount, which in the US is marketed by Orion as the Orion Atlas Pro AZ/EQ-G. Both mounts also support usage in either alt-az (useful for visual and outreach activities) and EQ modes (for astrophotography). Stated load capacity for the Orion Atlas Pro is 40 lbs, and for the Sky-Watcher AZ-EQ6, 30 lbs. Keep in mind that the practical weight capacity for astrophotography is probably about 1/2 to 2/3rds of that stated capacity for each mount.

Below text is from the Sky-Watcher Product description:

Quick Overview

Multi-purpose GoTo mount
Alt-Az, equatorial or dual-OTA configurations
30 pound payload capacity
SynScan hand controller with 42,000 object database
Counterweight shaft extension
Two 7.5 pound counterweights
Secondary mounting saddle for dual-OTA configuration
Steel tripod
DC power cord

The Sky-Watcher AZ-EQ5 gives optimal stability and pointing accuracy for a wide variety of professional photo and video equipment. It is a hybrid mount with alt-azimuth capability for general use, equatorial capability for astrophotography use and dual-OTA mode perfect for outreach. Stable, accurate, versatile and very portable –weighing only 33 pounds – the AZ-EQ5 is the perfect field mount. Supplied with a SynScan handset with dual AZ/EQ firmware, it can automatically find and track 42,900+ celestial objects from its database.

FEATURES

German Equatorial/Alt-Az/dual OTA mode.
Permanent periodic error correction (PPEC). PPEC can be trained with autoguider or PC.
Belt drive – Super smooth PE curve. Low backlash, silent slewing.
+/- 5 arc seconds native periodic error.
Dual shutter release control for batch exposures of astrophotography.
Motor controller with high torque and accuracy.
Includes two V-style saddles for mounting dual OTAs
Secure-fit power supply connections.
Polar alignment with optional polarscope.
Primary axis encoder tracks the mounts position. Users can push the mount at any time without worrying about losing the mount’s alignment.
Counterweight extension bar included.
Retractable counterweight bar.
Includes two 7.5 pound counterweights.