Looking for a mount that is portable, lighter than your traditional equatorial mount? Look no further than the strain wave mounts. I just got the ZWO AM3. Let's unbox it!
WHAT IS A STRAIN WAVE MOUNT?
So what is a strain wave mount, also known as a harmonic mount? Traditional mounts use move your telescope through gears that are moved by small motors and gears. My Skywatcher HEQ5 equatorial mount has a worm drive turning a worm gear, connected to a middle gear, then a stepper move gear driven by a stepper motor.
Strain wave gearing uses a flexible spline with external teeth - that is deformed by a rotating elliptical plug to engage with the internal gear teeth of a an outer spline. Some advantages to this gearing system is that is suffers from no backlash, it is compact and light weight, has high gear ratios, and high torque capability.
According to the ZWO AM3 manual, this mount is great for astrophotography because the mount has low periodic error, stable transition, and a high torque output.
The AM3 features a large load capacity of 8 kilograms (a little over 17 lbs). My telescope and associated gear weighs about 6 kilograms or 13 lbs. Adequate for the AM3. The AM3 can handle up to 13 kilograms with a 5kg counterweight.
The AM3 can operate is two modes - equatorial mode and alt-azimuth modes for both visual observations and astrophotography.
You can operate the mount through the included hand controller, an APP, or through your computer.
UNBOX
1. Case x1
2. AM3 x1
3. 2-meter USB-B to USB-A 2.0 cable x1
4. AM3 Periodic Error Report x1
5. Quick Guide Brochure x1
6. Hand Controller x1
7. 2-meter Hand Controller Cable x1
8. M6 Allen key x1
9. M4 Allen key x1
They provide a light and portable option to their heavier counterparts. I just got my first one, the ZWO AM3. Check out my unboxing video below!
"Astronomy compels the soul to look upwards and leads us from this world to another". Until next time, take care.
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