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25 mounts astronomy news items found

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Delta Pier tripod launches with discount

Thursday, March 19, 2026 by Richard Harris

SouthPolar Obs announces the launch of the DELTA PIER, a pier style tripod engineered for astrophotographers and visual observers who want a compact support platform without sacrificing rigidity. Built in South Korea with a focus on practical design choices, the system brings together a stable pier form factor and the flexibility of a tripod footprint. The result is a f...

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Astrophoto processing: when you've gone too far

Wednesday, March 18, 2026 by Richard Harris

I have two truths rattling around in my head every time I sit down to process a deep sky target. The first is that we are standing on a pile of new tools that really do make this hobby easier. The second is that the same tools can quietly move us from astrophotography into something closer to digital illustration if we do not keep a hand on the wheel. "Should th...

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ASCOM Platform 7.1 Update 2 Released

Tuesday, February 10, 2026 by Richard Harris

The ASCOM community announces an update to the widely adopted interoperability platform that connects astronomy software with a broad range of observatory devices. ASCOM Platform 7.1 Update 2 expands the platform’s reputation for stability and compatibility, bringing refinements that help imagers, visual observers, and research teams run sessions with greater conf...

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Astro Weather Station by Astro-Smart launches

Thursday, February 5, 2026 by Austin Harris

Astro Smart has announced the introduction of a purpose built meteorological monitor designed for backyard observers and small observatories. The product combines environmental sensing with software interfaces that support automation and remote alerting. It is intended to give astronomers continuous reliable readings to help protect instruments and to make scheduling ob...

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OpenAstro AlpacaBridge launches and why it matters

Tuesday, January 13, 2026 by Richard Harris

After spending decades in the field setting up mounts in the dark, chasing cables across frozen ground, and trying to make mismatched software talk to hardware it barely understands, I have learned to pay attention when someone tries to solve a real problem instead of adding another layer of noise. AlpacaBridge from OpenAstro is one of those efforts that comes from live...

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Astrophotography burnout

Monday, December 22, 2025 by Richard Harris

Astrophotography Burnout is something many beginners (and even seasoned astrophotographers) encounter at some point. One night you're full of excitement, marveling at the galaxies and nebulae appearing on your laptop screen. The next, you're dreading another tedious battle with your equipment or feeling disappointed by a lackluster image. I've been ther...

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Yuri Petrunin: The man behind TEC Telescopes

Thursday, December 18, 2025 by Richard Harris

When you sit down with Yuri Petrunin, founder of Telescope Engineering Company, the first thing you notice is his strong Russian accent. The second is how little he seems to care whether or not you’re impressed by it. He speaks modestly, carefully, and without pretense. He’s not trying to sell you something. He’s just telling you what he knows. And wha...

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MLAstro SAL-33 harmonic mount setup and safety guide

Saturday, December 13, 2025 by Austin Harris

The MLAstro SAL-33 harmonic drive mount is still new on the scene, arriving in small production batches and just beginning to find its way into the hands of early adopters. Even so, it has already sparked interest among mobile astrophotographers looking for a budget friendly harmonic drive mount that does not feel like a compromise. On paper and in early field use, it c...

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Portable astrophotography observatories that elevate night sky imaging

Friday, December 12, 2025 by Richard Harris

Most astrophotographers know the feeling of setting up in an open yard or at a dark site and immediately negotiating with the environment. A light breeze nudges the telescope just enough to show up in guiding. Dew slowly settles on cables and focusers. A neighbor's porch light flicks on at the exact moment a long exposure begins. None of this is surprising, yet it a...

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Conquering cable chaos the astrophotography powerbox revolution

Tuesday, December 9, 2025 by Russ Scritchfield

The pursuit of astrophotography is a journey into the sublime, capturing the ethereal beauty of the cosmos. Yet, beneath the serene images of nebulae and galaxies lies a complex array of electronic equipment, each demanding precise power and data connections. For many enthusiasts, this technical foundation often devolves into a frustrating tangle of cables, multiple pow...

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Star tracker with a strain wave gear in Optron HST MiniTracker

Monday, December 8, 2025 by Richard Harris

iOptron has introduced a new strain wave gear approach to sky tracking with the HST MiniTracker. Just as jet engines revolutionized aviation by packing far more power into a compact form, strain wave gears have transformed modern astronomy - first in high-end GOTO mounts, and now, finally, in ultra-portable sky trackers as well. The HST MiniTracker is designed with this...

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ClearSky ST-17 R harmonic mount

Friday, December 5, 2025 by Richard Harris

2025 was definitely a year for harmonic drive mounts. With so many choices appearing in quick succession it is easy for a new piece of gear to slip past unnoticed, especially when the big names like ZWO, Sky-Watcher, and iOptron take up most of the space in the conversation. The ClearSky ST-17 R is not trying to compete with those companies directly. Its real compe...

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High end refractor telescope sale: APQ fluorite discounts

Wednesday, December 3, 2025 by Austin Harris

APQ has adjusted pricing on its line of fluorite polychromat refractors, covering six models with apertures from 100 mm to 200 mm. The series spans compact wide-field instruments to larger refractors built for detailed visual and imaging applications. Each model uses an oil-spaced, multi-lens objective incorporating fluorite and specialized optical glass to support broa...

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EZT Astro harmonic EQ Alt-Az MEQ-17EX is now available

Tuesday, November 11, 2025 by Richard Harris

The South Korean manufacturer EZT Astro has introduced a new dual-mode telescope mount, the MEQ-17EX, a harmonic-drive equatorial and alt-azimuth hybrid designed for serious astrophotographers and observatories seeking compact power and stability. The mount combines harmonic gear technology, dual-axis control, and a minimalist body that weighs just six kilograms, making...

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Astronomy in November 2025

Wednesday, November 5, 2025 by Richard Harris

This month offers a bit of everything: a once-in-a-lifetime interstellar visitor passing through, a brilliant supermoon lighting up the sky, two bright comets fading out after their October glory, planets dancing in interesting ways, and even a couple of meteor showers (plus the promise of the auroras glimmering for those far north). It&rsq...

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UMi 17X harmonic drive telescope mount from Proxisky

Tuesday, November 4, 2025 by Richard Harris

Proxisky has introduced the UMi 17X, a compact German equatorial and Alt Az telescope mount designed for astrophotographers who value both precision and portability. It is built for those long nights under the stars when every arcsecond of tracking matters just as much as every pound of gear you carry. The UMi 17X has a servo driven strain wave gear system, the same ...

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ASCOM Platform 7.1 released

Monday, November 3, 2025 by Russ Scritchfield

The ASCOM Platform 7.1 update is another big step forward for backyard astronomers and observatory users alike. It offers smoother performance, wider compatibility with different gear, and better communication between your telescope, camera, and dome. As the platform continues its march toward better support and smarter automation, this release makes it even easier for ...

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ZuluAlpha remote observatory phase 1 reservation now open

Monday, October 20, 2025 by Austin Harris

The newly launched ZuluAlpha remote observatory near Sutherland, South Africa, is now accepting reservations for Phase 1 of its remote hosting facility. Built on a high plateau under some of the darkest skies on Earth, the observatory allows astronomers, astrophotographers, and research institutions to operate telescopes and instruments remotely. The site has been desig...

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JTW special offer for introducing the Trident GT

Wednesday, October 15, 2025 by Richard Harris

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 maintainin...

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PiFinder software updates to new version

Thursday, October 9, 2025 by Russ Scritchfield

The PiFinder project has introduced a major upgrade to its open-source astronomical navigation software, releasing a new version that refines accuracy, performance, and overall usability. Built on contributions from its active community, this update continues PiFinder’s mission of providing a precise, independent, and fully open system for telescope users who pref...

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New harmonic drive mount from MLAstro: The SAL-33

Wednesday, September 17, 2025 by Richard Harris

Astrophotography gear often comes from familiar big-name brands, so a new mount from a small solar-imaging company might raise some eyebrows. MLAstro, a Vietnam-based startup known for its cutting-edge spectroheliograph (narrowband solar imaging device), has taken a bold leap from capturing sunspots to tracking the entire night sky - I have one and it's am...

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Astrophotography gear power controller: SV241 Pro from SVBONY

Saturday, September 6, 2025 by Richard Harris

Rigging your astrophotography gear often comes with a familiar headache: juggling multiple power packs and untangling a mess of cables. The SV241 Pro Astro Power Controller was built to eliminate that frustration. Compact and efficient, it centralizes both power delivery and data management, transforming cluttered setups into clean, streamlined systems. Designed with as...

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NOBLEX ultra-wide-angle anastigmatic eyepiece is here

Tuesday, September 2, 2025 by Austin Harris

When we talk about astronomy equipment, the conversation usually circles around telescopes, mounts, and cameras. Eyepieces are sometimes treated as accessories, when in truth they are the final translators between the light gathered by the telescope and the eye of the observer. The NOBLEX ultra-wide-angle anastigmatic eyepiece belongs to that class of optical tools that...

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Teseek 14: A $500 strain wave gear mount from AliExpress

Thursday, August 28, 2025 by Richard Harris

Do we have a new challenger in the harmonic drive arena ? Enter the $500 Teseek 14 mount! Strain wave gear mounts also called harmonic drive mounts, have become the hot ticket in astrophotography over the last few years. Their light weight, compact design, and counterweight-free operation have made them the darlings of portable astrophotography rigs. Typically, tho...

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AM3N harmonic equatorial mount arrives

Wednesday, August 27, 2025 by Richard Harris

There’s a special kind of relief that washes over a backyard astronomer when setting up under the stars becomes easier. I remember nights wrestling with a bulky mount and a counterweight heavy enough to anchor a canoe (anyone rememember the Atlas mounts?). If old Mark Twain were here, he might chuckle at the sight of me tiptoeing around a tripod, trying not to dro...

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ASIAir and Software Bisque mounts Started By rharris on 9/15/2024 1:57:29 PM

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