Astronomy – October 2019

58 ASTRONOMY • OCTOBER 2019

8
Celestron CGX

Equatorial Mount and Tripod

Recently redesigned, the CGX German equatorial

mount is Celestron’s most advanced to date. All

mechanical components are enclosed, creating a

polished design with sleek lines and sculpted

edges. Inside, belt-and-pulley drive systems on

both axes minimize backlash and gear slap. The

CGX includes optical sensors on both axes to

make sure the mount doesn’t swing too far during

operation. While this isn’t as important when the

observer is standing next to the instrument,

Celestron recognizes that many imagers prefer

remote operation, especially during colder nights.

The sensors will stop the motors before the scope

runs into the mount, all while maintaining align-

ment. There are mechanical hard stops on each

axis should a sensor fail.

$2,299 • http://www.celestron.com

11
Daystar SS60-ds Solar Scout

Daystar is well known for its premier filters, both for night viewing and day-

time solar studies. One of its latest innovations is the SS60-ds Solar Scout, a

dedicated 2.4-inch achromatic refractor with a built-in, electronically regulated

QUARK Hydrogen-alpha filter specifically built for viewing the Sun’s chromo-

sphere and prominences. The optical system is designed to better accentuate

details than traditional single-stack filtering systems. Two versions of the

SS60-ds are available. The base unit includes the scope, QUARK system, a

power cable, wall charger, Solar Bullet finder, and a Vixen-style dove-

tail plate. The SS60-ds bundle adds an international power

adapter, a 25mm Plössl eyepiece, a 1¼" mirror diag-

onal, and a 10,000-mAh battery and

mounting strap.

$695 (base); $875 (bundle)

• http://www.daystarfilters.com

12

Farpoint

Bahtinov Focus

Mask

Focusing a telescope for the eye alone is easy, but

achieving a sharp focus when viewing through a

camera viewfinder can be quite another matter. To

ensure a sharp focus the first time, use Farpoint’s

Bahtinov Focus Mask. Angled slots in the mask

create a diffraction pattern with three spikes. Two

create an X, while the third lies in between. By

adjusting the focus, the central spike moves side to

side within the legs of the X. When it is positioned

centrally, the telescope is properly focused.

$13 to $30 • http://www.farpointastro.com

10

CentralDS cooled DSLRs

Amazing astroimages are possible using today’s

latest DSLR and mirrorless cameras. But one

thing inherent to CCD and CMOS imaging

chips plagues them all: electronic noise. It results

in “snow,” which diminishes image quality. The

problem can be reduced dramatically by lower-

ing the temperature of the chip. CentralDS offers modified Canon, Sony, and

Nikon camera bodies that do just that — by moving the chip into an external

cooling unit for both passive cooling and active thermoelectric cooling. Up front,

the cooler has a standard lens mount to accept normal camera lenses, while an

integrated drop-in filter makes it possible to install filters without removing the

lens or detaching the camera from the telescope.

$1,450 to $4,950 • http://www.centralds.net

9

Celestron NexYZ 3-Axis

Universal Smartphone

Adapter

Today’s smartphones can take some incredible

images of the Moon and planets through tele-

scopes. The biggest challenge is aiming them

squarely through the eyepiece and holding them

steadily during the exposures. Celestron’s NexYZ

smartphone adapter meets those challenges head on. Unlike other adapters,

which move along two axes, the NexYZ moves in three — X (left-right), Y (up-

down), and Z (in-out) — as you turn its directional knobs. The adapter’s quick-

release eyepiece clamp fits eyepieces with outside diameters between 1.4 and

2.4 inches (35 to 60 mm). The phone clamp accepts a wide range of models,

including larger models from Apple, Samsung, and others.

$59.95 • http://www.celestron.com