A telescope mount is only as steady as the support beneath it. You can have accurate gears, excellent tracking, and a finely made optical system, but if the tripod moves every time you touch the focuser or a breeze crosses the observing field, the image in the eyepiece or camera will move right along with it.
For observers who have found a regular place to set up their equipment, iOptron's Tri-Pier offers an alternative to a conventional field tripod. The iOptron 8036-26 adapter allows owners of the CEM26, GEM28, HEM27, and HAE29 mounts to install their existing mount heads on the standard iOptron Tri-Pier (#8034). There's no need to replace a perfectly good equatorial mount simply because you want to change the support underneath it.
Why Consider a Tri-Pier?
A conventional tripod is a very practical piece of equipment. Its legs fold for transportation, the height can usually be adjusted, and a good one provides adequate stability for a properly matched telescope. For observers who travel frequently to dark sky sites, portability is an important advantage.
However, the demands change when a telescope spends most of its time in the same backyard or observing location. Portability may become less important than having a rigid, repeatable platform for the mount.
iOptron's Tri-Pier combines a central pier column with three adjustable supporting legs. The column provides a substantial structural connection between the mount and the support, while the legs give the assembly a freestanding base that can be leveled on suitable ground. Unlike a permanently installed concrete pier, the Tri-Pier can still be disassembled and transported when necessary.
The additional rigidity of an appropriately installed pier can be particularly useful when observing at high magnification or taking long-exposure astrophotographs. A small movement that might go unnoticed at low power can become objectionable when examining fine lunar details or trying to record stars as round points of light over several minutes.
A pier isn't a cure for every vibration problem, of course. Wind can still move the telescope, a flexible optical tube can still shift, and an unstable observing surface can transmit movement through the support. Nevertheless, a more substantial foundation is often worth considering before deciding that the mount itself needs to be replaced.
Made for Four Compact iOptron Mounts
The 8036-26 is designed to provide the mounting interface between iOptron's standard Tri-Pier and four of its compact computerized mounts: the CEM26, GEM28, HEM27, and HAE29.
The CEM26 and GEM28 are conventional worm-driven equatorial mounts, while the HEM27 and HAE29 use strain-wave gearing to achieve relatively high payload capacities in compact mount heads. Although these mounts use different drive designs, they share a compatible mounting arrangement for this adapter.
The adapter is particularly useful for someone moving from a portable tripod-based system to a more established observing setup. The existing telescope, saddle, dovetail plate, and mount electronics remain unchanged. You're replacing the support beneath the mount rather than the equipment that locates and tracks the objects you're observing.
The adapter itself is not a complete mounting system. You will need a compatible Tri-Pier, and iOptron notes that customers are responsible for the additional accessories or hardware required to secure their particular mount head to the adapter. We recommend checking the mounting hardware for your specific telescope mount before ordering, especially if you purchased the mount secondhand or no longer have its original attachment components.
Observing Tip: Making Setup More Repeatable
If you regularly use a Tri-Pier in the same observing location, take a little time to establish a repeatable setup. Once you've found a satisfactory location, level the support, orient the mount toward the celestial pole, and complete your polar alignment.
Before taking everything apart, mark the positions of the Tri-Pier's feet on the observing pad or patio. Small, removable reference marks can make it easier to put the support back in approximately the same position on subsequent nights.
You'll still need to check and refine polar alignment whenever the support is moved, but returning it to a consistent location and orientation can save some of the preliminary setup work. It's a simple improvement that becomes especially welcome when you have only a short evening available for observing.
FAQ
- Which telescope mounts does the 8036-26 fit?
- The iOptron CEM26, GEM28, HEM27, and HAE29 mounts.
- Which iOptron support is this adapter intended for?
- The standard iOptron Tri-Pier (#8034). Compatibility with other iOptron pier models should be confirmed separately before ordering.
- Does the adapter include a Tri-Pier?
- No. The 8036-26 is the mounting adapter only. The Tri-Pier and telescope mount are sold separately.
- Is additional mounting hardware required?
- Possibly. iOptron specifies that customers are responsible for the accessories needed to attach their particular mount head to the adapter. Check your mount's existing hardware or contact Astronomics before ordering.
- Will a Tri-Pier improve my telescope's tracking accuracy?
- A more rigid support may reduce vibration and unwanted movement, but it does not change the mount's inherent periodic error or drive accuracy. Proper polar alignment, balance, and mechanical setup are still important.
What's Included
- One iOptron 8036-26 Tri-Pier mounting adapter for CEM26, GEM28, HEM27, and HAE29 mounts
The iOptron Tri-Pier, telescope mount, and any additional mount-specific attachment hardware are not included.
Compatible Support
iOptron Tri-Pier (#8034), sold separately: A freestanding support combining a rigid central pier with adjustable tripod-style legs. The 8036-26 allows compatible compact iOptron mounts to be installed on this support.
Final Thoughts
There's no particular reason to replace a telescope mount you're happy with simply because your observing habits have changed. A CEM26 or GEM28 that once traveled to star parties every weekend may eventually find itself spending most nights in the backyard. The same can be true of the compact HEM27 and HAE29 strain-wave mounts.
When that happens, improving the support beneath the telescope may make more sense than purchasing a larger mount. The 8036-26 is a relatively simple piece of equipment, but it serves an important purpose: allowing your existing compact iOptron mount to take advantage of the standard Tri-Pier.
Sometimes the most useful improvement to an observing system isn't another electronic feature or a larger telescope. It's simply giving the equipment you already own a better place to stand.
