ZWO AM3 Harmonic Equatorial Mount With Carbon Fiber Tripod
Manufacturer Part # ZWO-AM3-TC40
The AM3 is an extremely portable mount designed with the astro-photographer in mind.
ZWO has extended their harmonic mount line with the AM3 Harmonic mount. Can you believe a mount head that only weighs less that 9 pounds can carry a payload of 17.6 pounds without the use of any counterweights? If you add some optional counterweights the payload goes all the way up to 28.6 pounds! Realistically it is easy to carry most small astro-photography rigs without the need of counterweights.
The harmonic drive of each mount is measured and has very low periodic error. The secret sauce is the harmonic drive speed reducer and synchronous belt. This combination allows precision and negates the need for counterweights with rigs up to 17.6 pounds. The ability to use the mount in either equatorial mode or alt-azimuth mode is just icing on the proverbial cake. There is a status light on the mount head that tells you which mode the mount is in. Red is for equatorial, while green is for alt-az. It is truly one of the most versatile mounts available today.
This package includes the ZWO TC40 Carbon Fiber Tripod
What really makes this interesting is the AM5's ability to work in the ZWO family of products.
ASIAir integration? No problem. Control your entire rig from your smart device or tablet.
Don't want to use the ASIAir? No problem. The mount is WiFi compatible so you can use an approved app on your smart device or tablet to control the mount.
Don't want to go WiFi at all? No problem. The mount comes with a wireless controller.
| Mount Type | Dual Alt-Az/Equatorial |
|---|---|
| Type of Mount Electronics | Computerized - GoTo |
| Weight Capacity (lb.) | 17.6 lb. no counterweight, 28.6 lb. w/ optional counterweight |
| Mount Includes Tripod or Pier? | Yes |
| Power Requirements | 12V - 3A |
| Couterweight Shaft Thread | M12 |
| Includes Manual Slow Motion Controls? | No |
| Mount Slew Speeds | 6°/S |
| Motor Type | Harmonic Drive and Synchronous belt (Reduction Ratio: 300:1) |
| Stepper Motor Resolution | 0.17" |
| Mount Latitude Range (°) | 0° - 90° |
| Azimuth Angle Adjustment Range | ±10° |
| Drivers Available | ASCOM |
| Includes Integrated WiFi? | Yes |
| Included Accessory Ports | USB, ST4 |
| Includes GPS? | No |
| Periodic Error Correction? | Yes |
| Periodic Error Duration | 432 s |
| Saddle Type | Dual - Vixen or Losmandy |
| Hand Controller Included | Yes |
| Polar Scope Included? | No |
| Mount Weight (lb.) | 9 lb. |
| Warranty | ZWO - 2 Years |
| Slew Rates | 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 4x, 8x, 20x, 60x, 720x, 1440x |
Tech Details:
| Weight | 9 |
|---|---|
| Warranty | 2 years |