A telescope can reach the point where the mount starts deciding how often you use it. A 5-inch refractor, a 180mm Maksutov, a larger SCT, or a binocular telescope may be perfectly manageable on its own, but add a conventional GoTo mount, counterweight shaft, weights, and a heavy tripod and suddenly a quick observing session becomes a small moving project.
The iOptron HAZ46 is built to change that equation. The mount head weighs just 12.3 lb (5.6 kg) with its saddle installed, yet iOptron rates it for a 44 lb (20 kg) payload without a counterweight or counterweight shaft. Both axes use high-torque strain-wave gearing, allowing the mount to carry substantial telescopes while operating intentionally unbalanced.
The HAZ46 is an Alt-Az mount designed first for visual observing, outreach, large binoculars, lunar and planetary work, and other applications where fast setup matters more than long-exposure equatorial imaging. Built-in GPS, automatic zero-position sensing, GoTo, tracking, and an internal rechargeable battery mean there is remarkably little to assemble before you start observing.
That internal battery is one of the differences between the HAZ46 and the smaller HAZ31. Charge the mount before you leave home and there is no mount-power cable running down to a battery on the ground while the telescope turns through the night. Combined with a 12.3 lb mount head and no counterweights, it makes the HAZ46 unusually easy to move for something capable of carrying a serious visual telescope.
Key Features
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44 lb payload without a counterweight. iOptron rates the HAZ46 for 20 kg (44 lb) of payload while the mount head itself weighs only 12.3 lb.
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Strain-wave gearing on both axes. Altitude and azimuth each use a 640:1 strain-wave drive, providing the torque needed to operate without conventional balancing.
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Built-in rechargeable battery. An internal 11.1V, 4.4Ah lithium-ion battery lets the mount operate without a separate field battery and power cable under normal use.
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Built-in GPS. The mount can automatically acquire location information during setup.
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Assistant Alignment Wizard. Automatic zero-position sensing, GPS acquisition, and bright-star calibration simplify setup.
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Go2Nova 8409 hand controller. Includes a database of approximately 212,000 objects and can operate the mount without a phone or computer.
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Wi-Fi through the hand controller. Compatible applications such as iOptron Commander Lite and SkySafari can control the mount wirelessly.
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USB computer control. Supports iOptron Commander and ASCOM under Windows, with third-party INDI support available on other platforms.
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Vixen / Losmandy-D convertible saddle. Supports both common dovetail formats.
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Dedicated binocular mounting position. The saddle can be moved from its normal side-mounted telescope position to an up-mounted position for large binoculars.
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6° per second maximum slew speed. Fast enough to move efficiently between widely separated targets.
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Satellite tracking capable. The HAZ46 can work with iOptron's Ultimate Orbit Tracker or compatible third-party software.
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Electronic friction brakes on both axes. Designed to stop movement safely during a planned or unexpected interruption in power.
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Built-in zero-position sensing. Internal sensors let the mount establish a repeatable reference position during setup.
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Low power consumption. iOptron specifies approximately 0.7A while tracking and 1.2A during GoTo operation.
- All-metal CNC-machined construction.
- Carrying case included.
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Two-year limited warranty. The internal rechargeable battery carries a 90-day warranty.
44 Pounds Without the Counterweights
The HAZ46's defining specification is not simply its 44 lb payload. It is carrying that payload on a 12.3 lb mount head without a counterweight system.
That opens the door to telescopes that normally turn a portable visual setup into something considerably more involved. A 5-inch refractor, 180mm Maksutov, 8-inch SCT, compact Newtonian, or large binocular telescope can all fall comfortably within the HAZ46's intended range when the complete system and its geometry are appropriate.
The geometry part matters. iOptron's 44 lb rating assumes the payload's center of gravity is approximately 200mm from the mount's rotation axis, or an optical tube around 220mm in diameter.
A compact 25 lb Maksutov and a long 25 lb refractor do not place the same mechanical load on the mount. Length, diameter, accessory placement, center of gravity, and wind exposure all matter along with actual weight.
That is why the HAZ46 should be thought of as a high-capacity portable mount rather than simply a scale with a 44 lb limit.
The Built-In Battery Changes the Setup
The HAZ46 contains an 11.1V, 4.4Ah rechargeable lithium-ion battery.
For visual observing, that is more useful than it may sound. There is no power cord hanging from a rotating Alt-Az mount, no field battery sitting where someone can trip over it, and one less piece of equipment to carry from the car.
The included charger accepts 100–240V AC and supplies 12.6V DC at 2A. The mount's DC input can also power the HAZ46 or charge its internal battery.
iOptron specifies approximately 0.7A power consumption while tracking and about 1.2A during GoTo operation. Actual battery runtime will vary with temperature, slewing, payload, battery condition, and use.
For longer sessions, an appropriate external supply can still be used through the mount's DC input.
Level It and Let the Mount Find Itself
There is no polar alignment because the HAZ46 is an Alt-Az mount.
Setup instead begins with a stable, reasonably level tripod. After the telescope and accessories are secured, turn the mount on and start the Assistant Alignment Wizard.
The HAZ46 uses internal sensors and GPS to establish its reference position. During the automatic process, the mount rotates through 360° in azimuth, finds the altitude zero position with the telescope pointed toward the zenith, acquires GPS information, and then slews to a bright star for final calibration.
Because the mount moves through a full azimuth rotation during that process, make sure the telescope, diagonal, cables, and accessories have enough clearance before starting the wizard.
Center the calibration star as instructed and the mount is ready for GoTo and tracking. If you later move into another part of the sky and want to refine local pointing accuracy, the hand controller's Sync to Target function can recalibrate the mount around a known object.
Two Saddle Positions, Two Different Uses
The HAZ46 uses the same multi-position saddle idea as the other HAZ mounts.
For a conventional telescope, iOptron's normal configuration puts the dovetail saddle on the side of the altitude assembly. Refractors, Maksutovs, SCTs, and Newtonians ride beside the mount in the familiar Alt-Az arrangement.
For large binoculars, the saddle can be moved to the top of the adapting plate. The binocular assembly then sits above the altitude axis, giving it a much more useful geometry for comfortable two-eyed observing and access near the zenith.
The saddle itself can also be configured for either Vixen-style or Losmandy-D dovetail plates.
Built for Larger Visual Telescopes
The HAZ46 starts to make particular sense with telescopes that are just large enough to make lighter Alt-Az mounts feel marginal.
A 5-inch apochromatic refractor becomes a very capable lunar, planetary, double-star, and deep-sky instrument. A 180mm Maksutov offers enough focal length and aperture for serious high-power planetary observing without requiring a large equatorial mount. An 8-inch SCT adds substantially more light gathering while remaining compact enough to suit a counterweight-free Alt-Az system very well.
The mount is also unusually well suited to large astronomical binoculars. Moving the saddle to its binocular position lets the HAZ46 provide GoTo and tracking while preserving the comfortable observing geometry that makes binocular telescopes so enjoyable in the first place.
For outreach, that payload-to-weight ratio has another advantage: you can bring a substantial telescope without bringing a substantial mount system along with it.
Under the Night Sky
The HAZ46 earns its keep when magnification goes up.
Put Jupiter in the field with a 180mm Maksutov and you can wait for moments of good seeing without continually nudging the telescope back into position. Saturn remains centered while you study the Cassini Division and look for fainter moons. On the Moon, a crater field stays put while you work along the terminator at high power.
That same tracking is valuable for double stars. Rather than spending the night finding and recentering one pair after another, GoTo handles the move and tracking gives you time to concentrate on the split.
With a 5-inch refractor, the emphasis shifts toward wide, clean views of open clusters, nebulae, and Milky Way fields. With a larger SCT, globular clusters, planetary nebulae, galaxies, lunar detail, and planets become the natural territory.
With a binocular telescope on top, the HAZ46 becomes a completely different kind of instrument: two-eyed visual observing with GoTo and tracking rather than a heavy binocular assembly that has to be repositioned manually after every target.
Park It and Come Back Later
The HAZ46 can preserve its alignment information between observing sessions when it is parked correctly and left physically undisturbed.
Before shutting down, use one of the mount's parking positions. The controller retains the alignment information and reference points associated with that position.
If the mount remains in that parked position and the tripod is not moved, you can power it on later without necessarily repeating the entire initial setup.
That can be particularly useful at home or at a multi-night observing site where the mount remains assembled.
If you move the mount, tripod, or telescope out of the stored relationship, perform the normal alignment again.
From the Cloudy Nights Community
HAZ46 owners have used the mount with an unusually broad range of equipment, including 5-inch refractors, 180mm Maksutovs, Newtonians, binocular telescopes, and solar setups.
One detailed Cloudy Nights review describes traveling with a 127mm triplet and the HAZ46 in a very small car, then being up and observing within roughly 10–15 minutes of reaching the site. The same owner found the mount rigid, quick to settle, and comfortable at high magnification with several very different telescope types. :chatgpt-content-reference{index="6"}
The owner's experience with parking was also useful: after parking and powering the mount down for several hours without moving it, the system retained its reference well enough to return accurately to a morning target.
That's a good example of where the HAZ46 fits. It is not simply trying to carry the largest possible telescope. It is trying to make a capable visual telescope easier to use frequently.
What About Astrophotography?
The HAZ46 is an Alt-Az mount, so traditional long-exposure deep-sky astrophotography is not its intended job.
As an Alt-Az mount tracks across the sky, the field gradually rotates relative to the camera. That becomes increasingly visible as individual exposures become longer.
Lunar, planetary, and solar imaging are different. Those applications generally use video or large numbers of very short exposures, making field rotation much less important. Short-exposure electronic-assisted observing and live stacking can also be practical depending on the target, camera, exposure length, and software.
For conventional multi-minute guided exposures of galaxies and nebulae, use an equatorial mount.
Tripod and MiniPier Choices
The HAZ46 mounts through a 3/8"-16 threaded base and can be used with several support options.
iOptron's 8061A carbon-fiber tripod is the lightweight companion to the HAZ46. It keeps the entire system highly portable and is particularly attractive when the goal is to minimize the weight carried to the observing site.
With longer or more demanding telescope systems, tripod rigidity becomes increasingly important. A 44 lb payload rating does not mean every 44 lb configuration will behave identically on every tripod.
Long refractors may also need additional height to keep the diagonal, focuser, or camera equipment clear of the tripod legs near the zenith.
iOptron's current 8044 MiniPier provides approximately 7 inches (178mm) of additional height and can provide three-point fine leveling when used with the 8061A carbon-fiber tripod.
What's Included
- iOptron HAZ46 strain-wave Alt-Az GoTo mount head
- Built-in 11.1V, 4.4Ah rechargeable lithium-ion battery
- Convertible Vixen / Losmandy-D dovetail saddle
- Go2Nova 8409 hand controller
- 6P6C coiled hand-controller cable
- USB cable for computer connection and firmware updates
- 100–240V AC / 12.6V 2A battery charger for indoor use
- Carrying case
Not included: tripod or MiniPier.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the HAZ46 weigh?
The mount head weighs 12.3 lb (5.6 kg) with its dovetail saddle installed.
How much can the HAZ46 carry?
iOptron rates it for 44 lb (20 kg), assuming the payload's center of gravity is approximately 200mm from the mount's rotation axis. Telescope length and geometry matter along with actual weight.
Does the HAZ46 need counterweights?
No. It is designed to operate without a conventional counterweight or counterweight shaft.
Does the HAZ46 have a built-in battery?
Yes. It contains an 11.1V, 4.4Ah rechargeable lithium-ion battery. The mount warranty is two years; iOptron specifies a 90-day warranty for the battery.
Does it require polar alignment?
No. The HAZ46 is an Alt-Az mount, so there is no polar axis to align.
Does it have GPS?
Yes. GPS is built into the mount and is used during automatic setup.
Does it have Wi-Fi?
Yes. Wireless connectivity is provided through the included Go2Nova 8409 hand controller.
How fast does it slew?
The maximum published slew speed is 6° per second.
Can I control it from a phone or tablet?
Yes. iOptron supports Commander Lite and compatible applications such as SkySafari through the hand controller's Wi-Fi connection.
Can the HAZ46 carry a 180mm Maksutov?
A typical 180mm Maksutov falls well within the published payload rating and its relatively compact tube geometry makes it a natural match for the HAZ46. Include the diagonal, finder, eyepiece, dew equipment, and other accessories when calculating total load.
Can it carry an 8-inch or 9.25-inch SCT?
Many configurations fall within the 44 lb rating, particularly because SCTs are comparatively compact for their aperture. The complete weight and center of gravity should still be considered before choosing a support system.
Can it carry a 5- or 6-inch refractor?
Weight alone may put many refractors within the published limit, but tube length and moment arm become increasingly important as aperture and focal length grow. A long refractor may benefit from a more rigid tripod and a MiniPier even when its total weight is comfortably under 44 lb.
Is the HAZ46 suitable for large binoculars?
Yes. Large-binocular mounting is an intended feature of the design. The saddle can be repositioned on top of the mount for a more useful binocular-observing geometry.
Can the HAZ46 do astrophotography?
It is well suited to lunar, planetary, and solar imaging and can also be used for some short-exposure EAA and live-stacking work. It is not designed for traditional long-exposure deep-sky imaging because Alt-Az tracking produces field rotation over time.
Will it remember its alignment after I turn it off?
It can retain its alignment information when properly parked and left physically undisturbed. If the mount or tripod is moved after parking, perform the normal alignment procedure again.
HAZ31 or HAZ46?
The HAZ31 emphasizes minimum weight: an 8.2 lb mount head with a 31 lb payload rating. The HAZ46 increases capacity to 44 lb, weighs 12.3 lb, and adds an internal rechargeable battery. The better choice depends on the complete telescope's weight, length, center of gravity, and how much capacity you want in reserve.
What tripod works with the HAZ46?
iOptron's 8061A carbon-fiber tripod is a current lightweight option. The mount uses a 3/8"-16 mounting connection, and other properly configured supports can also be used.
What MiniPier fits the HAZ46?
iOptron's current 8044 MiniPier fits the HAZ46 and adds approximately 7 inches of height. When used with the 8061A tripod, it also provides three-point fine leveling.
Accessories
iOptron 8061A Carbon Fiber Tripod, Version A (sold separately): a lightweight 5 lb support that keeps the HAZ46 system highly portable.
iOptron 8044 MiniPier (sold separately): adds approximately 7 inches of height for long refractors and rear-mounted accessories and provides three-point leveling when paired with the 8061A tripod.
External power source (optional): useful for extended observing sessions or when you want to operate the mount without depending solely on its internal battery.
Final Thoughts
The HAZ46 is for the observer who owns a substantial telescope but doesn't want the mount to turn every clear night into a project.
A 12.3 lb mount head capable of carrying up to 44 lb without a counterweight changes the practical side of using a 5-inch refractor, large Maksutov, SCT, or binocular telescope. Add the internal battery and the usual pile of mount accessories gets smaller still.
The built-in GPS, automatic zero-position search, GoTo, tracking, 8409 hand controller, and Wi-Fi handle the repetitive work while the strain-wave drives provide the torque needed to carry the telescope without conventional balancing.
It is not intended to replace an equatorial mount for long-exposure astrophotography. That's not the point. The HAZ46 is about making a serious visual telescope easier to take outside, easier to travel with, and easier to use once you get there.
If the mount has been the part of your larger telescope that makes you think twice about observing, that's the problem the HAZ46 was designed to solve.
