Losmandy mounts have long enjoyed an outstanding reputation. They are characterised by precise controls and great attention to detail.
This Losmandy mount not only has an elegant exterior finish, but its interior is also made of precision-machined aluminium and stainless steel components. Adjustable slip clutches in both axes make handling and navigation in the sky easier. You don't have to search blindly for clamping levers at night – the mount stays where you want it.
The GM8 mount is extremely compact, portable and weighs only about 4.5 kg. Nevertheless, it can carry instruments weighing up to 15 kg. This makes the GM8 well suited for most amateur optics. For example, you can mount a 20 cm f/5 Newtonian or a 10-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain on the wide 3-inch saddle plate. Then there is even enough capacity for a guide scope.
The mount is equipped with the Gemini 2 GoTo system:
- the colour touchscreen guides you clearly through the menu in four pre-selectable languages: English, German, French and Spanish
- On the back of the hand controller are four raised buttons for manual movement of the axes. This allows you to move the telescope with precision, even with your eye at the eyepiece or computer screen, without using the touchscreen.
- Database with over 40,000 objects
- DC servo motors instead of less accurate stepper motors
- GPS-compatible with optional receiver
- Saves the last settings even after switching off
The positioning accuracy of 0.5 arc seconds is a welcome relief for astrophotographers. Periodic Error Correction (PEC) compensates for inaccuracies and gives you the precision you need for modern astrophotography. Are you planning astrophotography with an autoguiding camera? That's possible too. You can connect your camera via an autoguiding port (TTL). The control also has two USB ports. Connect the mount to your PC without any driver problems and control it using a planetarium programme. Thanks to firmware updates via the Internet, you will always have the latest version.
The advantages at a glance:
- Compact and high-quality workmanship
- Mount with high load capacity
- Precise aluminium and stainless steel components
- Stable 3-inch saddle plate for 3-inch prism rails
- Ultra-fast assembly
- Smooth operation thanks to needle bearings
- Mount for optional polar finder scope, but polar alignment is electronic as standard
- Includes counterweight
Our expert comment:
The Gemini 2 computer now includes "Level 6".
(Jan Stroeher)
