Panther Mounting Head, including Hand pad, Cables, transport bag [TTS-160A]

Track the stars: Configurable telescope mount systemThe TTS-160 Panther telescope mount head is the heart of the highly flexible and configurable mount system. It’s possible to configure mount set-ups for visual observations, for long exposure astrophotography, several telescopes in parallel or ultra compact travel set-up. See the configuration chart for details.
Alt-Az telescope mount for stability, compactness and fast setup
The professional astronomers has known for years that the most compact and stable telescope mount is the ALT-AZ configuration. Now it’s available for you too. The benefits is a mount that’s stable, very compact and easy to transport, and very fast to setup.
Fits in just one compact transport bag.
Precise goto and tracking
The mount can automatically goto any objects selected from the handpad or a connected PC, Ipad, Iphone, etc. Precise tracking for astrophotography with autoguiding capabilities.
Perfect eyepiece position, no meridian flip
The Alt-Az movement pattern of the telescope mount ensures the eyepiece is always in a perfect viewing angle. This is especially important when using Bino Viewers.
The mount never needs to perform a meridian flip (unlike German Equatorial Mounts). Therefore all your installed equipment (finders, guide scopes, cameras, filter wheels …) always stays in the best position where you can easily acces it and you avoid cables being twisted unnecessarily. Finally keeping the optical tube assembly in the same angle minimizes the risk of destroying a good collimation of the optics by turning them upside down.
Simplicity on the outside, technology inside
All the technology and delicate working parts are sealed inside smooth anodized aluminum cylinders, so dirt, dust and moisture stay out. The streamlined, compact design also protects the mount from damage during transport or storage.
Convenient hand pad and intuitive user interface
enable easy operation – even with your gloves on! – The hand pad is specially designed to ensure simple operation. No need to search for the right button. Roller knobs make it possible to navigate through the interface quickly. Goto function lets you track any object in the extensive object catalog.
Interface connectors
You can connect a PC via the ASCOM (LX200) compatible connector to control the mount with any astronomy software supporting the ASCOM standard. Autoguiders can be connected through the dedicated ST4 standard connector. Finally the mount has a connector the the control of the optional telescope rOTAtor and a connector for the handpad.
Exact Drive – high precision tracking in a compact design
To be able to track the sky very precisely over long periods of time it is necessary to have a drive system with low and very smooth periodic error. Most high quality German equatorial mountings on the market tries to solve this problem with large diameter worm gear drives. These large diameter worm gear results in mountings that are large and heavy. For the TTS-160 Panther Az-drive we have created a drive system we call “Exact Drive”. A unique combination of a worm gear and a roller drive ensures optimal tracking performance – with lower periodic error values and no sudden changes in tracking speed. And, unlike other worm-gear drives, the TTS-160 is lighter and easier to carry.