Explore Scientific iEXOS-100 PMC-Eight Equatorial Mount

Further details

he Explore Scientific iEXOS-100 PMC-Eight Equatorial Mount is an innovative, highly portable German Equatorial mount. Built for both visual astronomers and astrophotgraphers alike, this mount will take a visual payload of 19lbs/8.6kg, or a more modest imaging payload of 15lbs/6.8kgs - held in place by a standard Vixen-profile saddle plate. This mount makes an ideal pairing with 80 and 102mm refractors.

Android or Windows control
Controlled by the class leading PMC-Eight wireless control system, this mount doesn't require a handset and will run off any modern Android device, Apple iPads (running iOS12+), or Windows 10 tablets and computers. In addition to these packages, the PMC-8 is also fully ASCOM compliant and will connect to any ASCOM Standards Compliant POTH Client from Explore Scientific (either wired or wireless) to work with virtually any sky software that supports ASCOM. The Explore Stars control app can be downloaded from Android, Apple and Windows app stores and is a very intuitive piece of software, with the ability to use your device's GPS signal to download location and time/date data - no more entering info by hand. Explore Stars allows for simple setup with the click of a button. The PMC-Eight hardware is based around 8 separate CPUs - neatly apportioning different control instructions and calculations to each processor. This makes for very smooth control functionality and very accurate tracking and encoder responses. from a tracking and slewing point of view, the mount is very quiet, which users will doubtlessly appreciate when the using mount late at night, especially in more heavily populated areas.

Alignment takes place using either a two or a three star system (three giving the more accurate results). Simply roughly polar align the mount through the polar borehole and the PMC-8/Explore Stars system will correct for slight polar offset when using a three star alignment. If you require more accurate tracking, the mount is fully ST-4 auto guiding compliant with its own guide port, supporting both on camera and serial guiding.

The latitude altitude adjustment on the mount head is geared, whereas azimuth is a simpler revolving moment. The tripod of the iEXOS is lightweight but has a handy spreader tray which helps reinforce the spreader bar. A bubble level also helps the user keep the tripod as level as possible. RA and DEC clutches are operated by reassuringly solid helical knurled metal designs. Both mount and tripod have luminous "glow-in-the-dark" inlays, which help orientate the mount in the dark and may also prevent accidental knocking of the iEXOS, while in use in low light situations.

The iEXOS-100 is powered by a 12v battery pack (provided), which takes 8x C Cell batteries (non-rechargeable, not provided). This battery pack also comes with a leg-mounted holder. The mount can also be run from a good quality 12v DC mains power convertor, with a 2.5mm centre-positive input jack, or via a rechargeable 12v field battery, with a suitable cigar socket connecting cable.

Specifications:
Mount head weight: 4.28kg/9.45 lbs
Tripod weight: 2.42kgs/5.35 lbs
Tripod fully collapsed, no mount head: 64.77cm/25.5”
Tripod open, retracted legs, no mount head: 63.5cm/25”
Tripod open, retracted legs with the mount head: 97.8cm/38.5” at highest point, 91.44cm/36” to the center of the mounting bracket
Tripod open, legs fully extended, no mount head: 106.68cm/42”
Tripod open, legs fully extended with the mount head: 114.3cm/45” at highest point
Counterweights: 1kg/2.2lbs each
Mount weight capacity: 6.8kg/15 lbs Photographic; 8.6kg/19 lbs Visual (Equip & Weights)

Delivery charge £5.95

Reviews

  Superb service   What a lovely piece of kit the iexos 100 pmc eight is it was easy to set up and to use and for a budget mount I was surprised how sturdy the tripod is I would recommend this to both beginners and seasoned astronomers.  (30/08/2019) Gary - Worthing