DDM85 BASIC / STANDARD / PREMIUM
The "workhorse". A mount for professional Astrophotographers and it is still suitable for portable use.
DDM160
The "flag ship" of ASA mountings. 160 mm thick hollow axles and many hundred newton meters of torque has brought into being one of the most stablest observatory class mounts of our century.
Overview
- Fast polar alignment with laser (optional) and software
- Excellent high-precision pointing and tracking without guiding
- Zero wear and no operation noise
- Zero drift, zero play (no periodic errors or backlash)
- Software compensation of telescope hysteresis
- Control-, Pointing- and Tracking-Software included in delivery
The mission over the past few years, has been to develop a new mount with similar tracking technology used by professional Observatories, and offer that mount at a fair price. We have achieved this objective with this line of new mounts!
ASA Product Folder
The accuracy of any manufactured part is generally limited by the mechanical characteristics. Even the finest astronomical mounts, relying on mechanics lone, cannot solve all the problems experienced during a common astronomical imaging session. Thus we have to look with one eye at the development status of the professional Observatories where mechanical limits are also shared by the best commercially available mounts. Borrowing a page from the professionals, we too seek to overcome those issues with well-engineered, electronic solutions that come with a very costly price tag. However, we have managed to find ways to lower the cost of these incredible electronic solutions without compromising the performance quality. Therefore we present them to you within an affordable price range.
Our answer is to employ high resolution encoders mounted directly on the axes of the mount. Renishaw Encoders are used, which are verified electronically and resolve to an unbelievable 0.01 - 0.02 arcseconds. Positioning information is communicated by the mellow software developed by Philipp Keller (Astrooptik, Germany). The tracking accuracy is accomplished by comparing the actual position of the system, 100 times per second in real time. This permits any required corrections to be applied immediately. Dependent on the diameter of the encoder a tracking accuracy of 0.2 - 0.4 arcseconds is provided without guiding. The Torque motors (direct drives without gears and no backlash) we are using could operate in a range of one-hundredth of arcseconds.
Thus in most cases guiding is not necessary and the use of ancillary support systems such as adaptive optics (Starlight, SBIG) is no longer necessary. Because of this excellent tracking, purchasing a direct drive dount can begin to immediately pay for itself over more traditional mounts. The tracking accuracy makes this an unbeatable purchase decision.
By collaborating with Dipl. Phys. Philipp Keller, we saved significant development time and cost. After all why should we too reinvent the wheel? Dr. Keller's proven designs have already stood the test of time and one just needs to view the legendary history of the current professional observatories that use his time tested technology.
Of particular interest one might be amazed to learn that Autopointing (plate solving) via CCD camera is no longer required. Thus these mounts can be very quickly and easily used in the field. Actually the normal tracking operations disrupted by a momentary gust of wind will be quickly and easily compensated with this technology. Also no more wasted time and frustration searching for a guiding star. The direct drive mount can also be used very easy and reliably in remote controlled operations.
Prices on request!