- Economical motor drive provides hands-free celestial tracking for small telescopes
- Cordless DC servo motor works on Orion EQ-1 and Min-EQ mounts
- Adjustable drive speed control knob allows precise tracking of both solar system and deep-sky objects
- Ideal for short-exposure piggyback and planetary astrophotography with small telescopes
- Requires 9V battery, which provides approximately 35 hours of motorized operation
This cordless, precision DC servo drive allows motorized tracking of objects in space as they appear to migrate across the night sky due to Earth's rotation. The Orion AstroTrack Drive works with Orion EQ-1 or Min-EQ mounts, or on Orion telescopes supplied with those mounts.
The Orion AstroTrack DC Motor Drive provides precise electronic, hands-free tracking of celestial objects as they move across the sky. This cordless drive is designed for use with the Orion EQ-1 and Min-EQ equatorial mounts. AstroTrack counteracts the axial rotation of the Earth, making celestial objects appear to stand still in a telescope's field of view. You won't have to reposition the telescope to re-center an object in the eyepiece as the object moves across the sky - a welcome convenience! The Orion AstroTrack has variable-speed tracking control, allowing adjustment to the exact sidereal tracking rate as well as to speeds slightly slower or faster than sidereal. This ensures accurate tracking of both solar system and deep-sky objects, and allows for correction of any inherent deviation in the motor from the sidereal rate. The AstroTrack Motor Drive provides sufficiently accurate tracking for piggyback and short-exposure planetary astrophotography. It is not recommended for prime focus, long-exposure photography.
The Orion AstroTrack Drive is equipped with an adjustable speed control knob. Adjustable speed has several benefits for nighttime observing of stars, planets, and more. First, it allows you to achieve a precise sidereal tracking speed for your telescope. The term "sidereal" refers to the speed at which most celestial objects appear to move across the sky. When set at a precise sidereal speed, the AstroTrack drive will keep most celestial objects centered in your telescope's field of view so you can enjoy observing the object hands-free for as long as you like, without having to manipulate manual slow-motion controls (a 9-volt alkaline battery provides about 35 hours of operation). Second, adjustable drive speed allows correction for any inherent deviation from the sidereal rate in the motor itself. Third, you can use the adjustable drive speed to track objects that appear to move at a rate different from sidereal. The Moon, for instance, moves at a slightly slower rate, so the motor speed would be reduced for precise, centered tracking.
Add an Orion AstroTrack Drive to your EQ-1 Mount and start enjoying accurate tracking of celestial objects for more enjoyable observations!
