Description
The CRUX 170HD is a technological marvel - it's incredibly light, weighing only 4.9 kg (10.8 lbs) without counterweights and yet is able to carry payloads almost 5 times its weight with optional counterweights with extremely accurate tracking. It is the traveling astrophotographer's dream mount!
No counterweights are required for payloads of up to 10 kg (22 lbs), with a maximum payload capacity of 24 kg (52.9 lbs) with the optional counterweight and counterweight shaft. This gives the CRUX 170HD the best weight to capacity ratio of any mount in its class
The harmonic drive is the key to the performance of this special mount - the harmonic drive gears exert 10 times the normal friction and cover 10 times the gear surface contact area, allowing for much larger loads than traditional mounts. This ensures lower costs and much greater freedom in transporting the mount to remote locations - You can easily travel with it in your checked-in air travel luggage or even take it as carry-on. The harmonic gears are rated to last more than 100 years with near-continuous use, and are unaffected by temperature changes.
The 170HD offers excellent tracking performance due to its zero-backlash design. It utilizes the P-motion PEC system to control cycle errors in the gears. This can minimizes the tracking error to less that ±2 arc seconds. This enables feats like taking a 20 minute exposure using a medium sized refractor without using any guiding system.
The CRUX 170HD comes equipped with a very advanced telescope control system - the TiTaN TCS (Telescope Control System). It's very easy to use and flexible system, working with or without a computer. The TiTaN TCS controller supports advanced wireless environments as well as a connection via serial or USB.
The mount uses Takahashi Style 35mm Spacing for the telescope connection. Inexpensive Losmandy-Takahashi adapters will covert it to use a Losmandy saddle.
All Crux mounts come with a hard-shell carrying case.
The included counterweight bar utilizes standard 25mm (.98") counterweights.
Telescopes Canada is proud to be the exclusive Canadian distributor of Hobym Harmonic Drive mounts.
Note: This item requires 2 to 4 weeks for delivery
Mount Comparison Chart
Model | CRUX 320HD/320HD LONG | CRUX 200HD | CRUX 170HD |
CRUX MINI |
Computerized | Yes - Titan-TCS | Yes - Titan-TCS | Yes - Titan-TCS | Yes - Titan-TCS |
Drive Type | Harmonic Drive | Harmonic Drive | Harmonic Drive | Harmonic Drive |
Head Design | German Equatorial | German Equatorial | German Equatorial | German Equatorial |
Instrument Capacity | 132 lbs | 88 lbs | 53 lbs | 22.0462 lbs |
Mount Head Weight | 25 kg / 55 lbs | 13 kg / 28.6 lbs | 4.9 kg / 10.8 lbs | 2.5 kg / 5.5 lbs |
PEC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Ports | Micro USB Type B | Micro USB Type B | Micro USB Type B | Micro USB Type B |
Ports | RJ12 | RJ12 | RJ12 | RJ12 |
Ports | RS232 | RS232 | RS232 | RS232 |
Ports | USB Type A | USB Type A | USB Type A | USB Type A |
Power Consumption | 12V 2A | 12V 2A | 12V 2A | 12V 2A |
Slew Speed | 600x Sidereal | 800x Sidereal | 1000x Sidereal | 2000x Sidereal |
Telescope Connection | Takahashi Style 35mm Spacing | Takahashi Style 35mm Spacing | Takahashi Style 35mm Spacing | Arca Swiss |
Weight Capacity | 60 kg / 132 lbs | 40 kg / 88.2 lbs. | 24 kg / 52.9 lbs. | 10 kg / 22 lbs. |