JTW special offer for introducing the Trident GT

The JTW Astronomy workshop has unveiled a new pricing and customization program for its Trident GT telescope mount, part of the company’s well-known Trident series. Designed for astrophotographers who demand both precision and affordability, the latest offer makes it easier for users to configure a mount that fits their technical needs and budget, while maintaining the mechanical reliability and optical accuracy associated with JTW’s engineering standards.
Above photo credit: JTW Astronomy

Expanding accessibility to precision mounts

The Trident GT series has long been recognized among advanced astrophotographers for its combination of large payload capacity and direct friction drive technology. The new special offer reduces the entry cost for owners while adding a broader selection of configuration and finish options. JTW states that the Trident GT can support a photographic payload of 75 kilograms (165 pounds) with a mount head weight of 30 kilograms (66 pounds).

For users seeking portability, an optional weight reduction package lowers the total mass by approximately 30 percent. Despite the lower weight, the mount maintains its balance and tracking precision through a combination of stainless steel, ceramic-metal hybrid components, and high-tolerance roller bearings.

Technical foundation and design approach

At the core of the Trident GT is JTW’s Direct Friction Drive system—an approach that replaces conventional worm gearing with a friction-based drive made from hybrid stainless steel and ceramic materials. This mechanical simplicity helps minimize backlash and wear, while improving tracking consistency. According to JTW, the mount achieves a repeatable 16-minute periodic error cycle, easily corrected using optical periodic error correction (PEC).

The company emphasizes that the entire mount has been built with Design for Manufacture (DFM) principles, using standardized components wherever possible to simplify maintenance, assembly, and long-term servicing. Each mount is sealed for life, requiring no regular lubrication, and features a maintenance-free bearing system designed for continuous use under variable environmental conditions.

Open-source control through OnStepX

The Trident GT series operates on officially licensed OnStepX hardware, an open-source telescope control platform. JTW contributes actively to the OnStep project, ensuring that its mounts remain compatible with community-developed tools and interfaces.

Connectivity is another focus of the design. Users can operate the Trident GT through USB, Wi-Fi, or Ethernet, enabling full integration with popular software via ASCOM and INDI drivers. A mobile companion app turns smartphones or tablets into remote hand controllers, while an optional deluxe wireless hand pad adds tactile control for observatory installations.

Photo credit: JTW Astronomy

Remote safety and automation features

The Trident GT integrates a four-level remote safety system aimed at both personal observatories and automated imaging sites.

• Level 1: Software-defined limits persist across power cycles using non-volatile FRAM memory.
• Level 2: Hardware home positions employ optical sensors for precision resets.
• Level 3: Overtravel detection adds another layer of protection against motor runout.
• Level 4: Buffered hardware limits complete the safety sequence.

 

Additionally, a magnetic failsafe brake remains active in case of power failure, preventing uncontrolled motion. The mount’s tracking capabilities include dual-axis modeling with atmospheric refraction compensation, as well as variable rate tracking suitable for satellite or non-celestial object observation.

Users can also toggle between equatorial and Alt-Az configurations, making the mount suitable for multiple imaging or research applications.

Build quality and materials

JTW constructs the Trident GT from aerospace-grade aluminum and stainless steel, protected by a durable, metallic, outdoor-grade powder coat finish. The company highlights sustainability in its production process, ensuring long component lifespans and serviceability.

The mount offers 0.12-arcsecond resolution, slewing speeds up to 10 degrees per second by default, and the option to unlock speeds up to 20 degrees per second. Microstepping adjustments can be made dynamically to optimize either fine tracking or fast repositioning, and a StealthChop motor control mode ensures silent operation during observation sessions.

Customization and user choice

Customization plays a significant role in JTW’s current promotion. Buyers can select color finishes from Prismatic Powders, a U.S.-based manufacturer offering tens of thousands of powder coating colors and effects. Beyond aesthetic customization, users can tailor performance options such as encoder precision, tracking mode, and control accessories.

This level of configurability aligns with JTW’s philosophy of designing modular systems that encourage long-term user ownership and ease of upgrade. The company’s open stance on right-to-repair ensures that end-users can maintain, modify, or improve their equipment with minimal proprietary restrictions.

Streamlined production and delivery process

JTW attributes its lower pricing to efficiency gains achieved through simplified design and production. Decades of industrial engineering experience have allowed the workshop to refine the Trident GT’s manufacturability while preserving key mechanical tolerances.

During the current promotion, JTW is covering shipping and tariff costs, offering courier-delivered DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) orders in which customers pay only the listed price. The company notes that the waiting list for the Trident GT has shortened significantly due to increased production capacity.

Typical delivery times range from 6–8 weeks for standard builds and up to 12–14 weeks for models with advanced encoder options or custom finishes. JTW also extended the tariff-inclusive pricing retroactively to customers with recent orders or pending deliveries.

Field performance and reputation

Over the past several years, JTW has delivered hundreds of Trident mounts to customers worldwide. The series has developed a reputation for dependable operation, smooth tracking, and high payload handling suitable for large optical systems.

Users report that once configured, the mount performs quietly and consistently during extended imaging sessions. The stability and automation features make it well-suited for remote observatories and professional imaging setups that require long unattended operation.

Introducing the Trident GT - JTW special offer

The latest Trident GT initiative demonstrates JTW Astronomy’s continuing commitment to affordability, openness, and mechanical refinement in astrophotography equipment. By combining accessible pricing with precision-engineered performance and community-supported control systems, the company aims to make high-quality astrophotography mounts available to a broader audience.

As the Trident GT continues to evolve, its emphasis on reliability, modular design, and open-source control reflects a trend toward sustainable, user-friendly hardware across the astrophotography community.

Buy the Trident GT