62 ASTRONOMY • OCTOBER 2019
27
QHYCCD
PoleMaster
Electronic
PolarScope
One of the most daunting tasks faced by anyone who
uses a portable German equatorial mount (GEM)
for astrophotography is aligning it to the celestial
pole. QHYCCD’s PoleMaster helps ease this stress.
Designed to work with today’s most popular GEMs,
the PoleMaster attaches in front of the polar axis, in
place of an optical polar scope. To use it, roughly aim the
mount toward Polaris. The PoleMaster’s integrated cam-
era then captures images of Polaris as well as the sur-
rounding field of fainter stars. Based on the location of
those stars, the included Windows-based software cal-
culates the position of the North Celestial Pole and
determines where the right ascension axis is aimed. The
software then displays a screen showing the locations of
both points. Polar alignment is achieved by adjusting the
mount until they overlap. Visit the company’s website to
find a dealer near you.
$269 • http://www.qhyccd.com
28
Revolution Imager
Fine Finger Feather Focuser
I love simple, inexpen-
sive gadgets that solve
long-standing chal-
lenges. For years, own-
ers of many popular
catadioptric telescopes
have lamented their
inability to focus per-
fectly using the stock
focuser knob, especially
at high magnifications.
Many have spent hun-
dreds on aftermarket
focusers to fix the prob-
lem. Revolution Imager has introduced a simpler, cheaper solution: the
tongue-twisting Fine Finger Feather Focuser. Press the fine focus lever
over the telescope’s standard focusing knob. Then, with the touch of a
finger, gently push the end to make fine adjustments. Afterward, slide the
focus lever off and use the integrated 1¼" dust cap to store it in the back
of the telescope or in your eyepiece tray. Four sizes are available: two for
different Celestron SCTs and two for Meade ACFs.
$19.99 • http://www.revolutionimager.com
30
Sky-Watcher
Evostar 150DX
Sky-Watcher’s 5.9-inch f/8 Evostar 150DX
refractor is a great example of a midpriced
refractor that delivers top-notch performance.
One of the two elements in the apochromatic
objective lens is made of extra-low-dispersion
glass to help muff le unwanted chromatic aber-
ration while enriching contrast and clarity.
The resulting images are tack sharp with
excellent contrast and plagued by minimal
false color. Sky-Watcher includes a dual-speed
3.4" rack-and-pinion focuser, rotatable tube
rings, a Losmandy D-style dovetail plate, and
more with the 150DX.
$3,200 • http://www.skywatcherusa.com
29
Sky-Watcher
AZ-GTi Mount
A multipurpose mount, Sky-Watcher’s
AZ-GTi is designed for anyone looking
for a compact go-to travel mount for
small scopes weighing up to 11 pounds
(5 kg) or a camera-tracking platform for
creating video time-lapse sequences. The
AZ-GTi features an integrated interval-
ometer for triggering a DSLR’s shutter
at a preset 60-second exposure setting.
The mount’s built-in Wi-Fi allows wireless
control with a smartphone or tablet using the
free SynScan app (iOS and Android).
$379 • http://www.skywatcherusa.com