| The iOptron MiniTower altazimuth go-to mount has a standard payload capacity of 25 pounds (11.4 kg), plus eight pounds (3.6 kg) of additional payload on the balancing side of the mount, thanks to its heavy duty conical bearings and four steel ball bearings. It has a stable aluminum alloy and stainless steel tripod with 1.5" diameter outer section/1.25" inner section stainless steel legs; and all-metal worm and drive gears.
There are two Vixen-style dovetail adaptors on either side of the nine pound (4.1 kg) 10" high x 4.75" x 4" head to allow you to use two telescope optical tubes simultaneously. These allow the iOptron MiniTower to carry a wide variety of refractor and catadioptric optical tubes . . . and even a surprising number of reflectors, as well. Its payload capacity can be increased by more than 50% with additional counterweights and other heavy-duty accessories.
The iOptron MiniTower mount is extremely portable. All of its standard components (excluding the tripod) can be stored in its supplied hard case. The case (fully loaded with mount head, counterweights, & accessories) weighs only 29 pounds (13.2 kg). The tripod weighs only an additional 13 pounds (5.9 kg). This light weight and compact size lets you easily fit the iOptron MiniTower into your car trunk (or even take it as airline luggage). Once unpacked, the whole system takes only 10 minutes to assemble. This unlimited portability, combined with the internal GPS system, gives amateur astronomers extreme flexibility in selecting an observing location anywhere on earth.
The iOptron MiniTower is equipped with advanced SmartStar go-to technology, including a built-in GPS system for fast and accurate alignment on the sky. The standard hand controller has an 8-line back-lit LCD display, a database of 130,000 stars and objects it can locate and track for you, and a USB port for easy connection with any ASCOM compliant PC planetarium program. With a typical go-to accuracy of 1 arc minute and SmartStar precision auto-tracking, the iOptron MiniTower will consistently bring the celestial object of your choice to the center of the eyepiece field and keep tracking it accurately for hours.
There are many unique features built into the MiniTower. For example, it has automatic over-current protection; manual push-to for both axes with automatic clutch protection; a high accuracy level indicator with an easy 3-point leveling adjustment; dual telescope capability with two dovetails on opposite sides of the mount; and much more,
The mount can be powered by its supplied AC adapter or from an optional 12 volt rechargeable battery (such as the Celestron 4512V or 4517V) by using the supplied DC adapter cable with car cigarette lighter plug. Other supplied accessories include a USB cable, a counterweight; and the previously-mentioned hard travel/storage case.
With its large payload capacity, built-in GPS, and easy-to-use go-to computer with a 130,000 object database, the iOptron MiniTower is one of the most complete and user-friendly go-to mounts available today. It could well be the ultimate observing solution for people who are searching for a capable and portable go-to telescope mount that they can take to a dark sky site to get away from the light pollution in their backyards.
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