ZWO AM5 Harmonic Equatorial Mount - GoTo travel mount - Mount head

The new mount for astrophotography with telescopes up to 13 kg - only 5 kg weight - altazimuth and equatorial mode possible.

♦ Supports telescopes up to 13 kg without counterweight and telescopes up to 20 kg with counterweight (counterweight and counterweight rod are optional).

♦ Can be used in equatorial mode for astrophotography and in altazimuth mode for visual observation

♦ Handheld controller and app for control are included - no more cables needed thanks to WiFi

♦ Designed for astrophotography with very high tracking accuracy - each mount is precisely measured by ZWO before delivery.

♦ ST-4 autoguiding interface for long time exposures with guider

♦ The mount can be used at any point on earth, from the equator to the poles - an ideal travel mount

♦ GoTo, Live Preview and much more easily controllable via smartphone - ideal for ASIAIR as well

♦ ASCOM compatible (LX200 protocol)

♦ Compact handbox for wireless control included in delivery

♦ Stable altitude adjustment with fine adjustment in azimuth and elevation for accurate polar alignment

♦ Suitable for stable photo tripods or astro tripods (a tripod is not included)



 

ZWO AM5 Equatorial Mount with Harmonic Drive Gears

ZWO offers with the "Harmonic Equatorial Mount AM5" a transportable mount for astrophotography. The mount weighs less than 5 kg and carries telescopes up to 13 kg without counterweight. With counterweight and the counterweight rod (optional) the mount can even carry telescopes up to 20 kg. Several years of development and various patents have gone into this exciting mount.
 

Many functions and easy operation

The AM5 can be operated equatoriallly and azimuthally. For astrophotography, the equatorial mode is used. The mount must be aligned as accurately as possible with the celestial pole. For visual observing or lunar and planetary photography, the altazimuth mode is sufficient. The mount is then ready for use in a few minutes. The status indicator always shows in which mode the mount is: Red represents equatorial mode and green represents altazimuth mode.
 

No more counterweights needed

Normally, German equatorial mounts need counterweights to balance the telescope weight. This is the only way to ensure proper operation. The AM5 uses robotics technology, it does not require counterweights up to a telescope weight of 13 kg. This makes the AM5 lighter, more compact and easier to operate. Only for heavier telescopes we recommend counterweights to keep mount and tripod in balance.
 

Smooth tracking is guaranteed

ZWO checks and measures every AM5 mount before delivery and guarantees a periodic error ("PE") of less than +/-20 arc seconds. The periodic error occurs very slowly, so that the autoguider has enough time to correct it. Of course, the mount has an ST-4 autoguiding interface. Via ASIAir or other software the PE can also be reduced electronically.
 

Useable anywhere on Earth

As you would expect from a true travel mount, the AM5 can be used anywhere on Earth, from the equator to the poles. The mount has room in any flight baggage.
 

Polar alignment of the mount for astrophotography

In equatorial mode, the mount must be aligned exactly with the celestial north or south pole. Small errors are of course corrected by autoguiding. Aligning the mount is done quickly and easily with ASIAir or other suitable software.
However, Teleskop-Service and ZWO are working on an optional solution with a polar finder that is mounted parallel to the mount.
 

No more cables thanks to WiFi

All functions of the mount can be controlled via smartphone. Of course, the AM5 works especially well with ASIAir from ZWO. With ASIAIR, everything from the camera to autoguiding to the mount can be controlled via app using a smartphone or tablet. The mount can also be operated with the handbox without a smartphone. The handbox also works wirelessly, of course.
 

Important notes:

There is an ASIAIR finder shoe attached on the AM5´s side panel, meant for attaching a polar finder. The finder shoe is not suitable for mounting an ASIAIR at this point, since both cables and the antenna of the ASIAIR can be crushed.

If you therefore want to attach the finder shoe to a different location, such as on the side of the Losmandy & Vixen style dovetail saddle plate, then make sure not to screw the two rest hex screws FULLY into the side panel. Keep the length of the inner part between 3~5 mm. Alternatively, you can use M4x3.5mm or M4x4mm screws there, which are available from ZWO, but also at hardware stores.

If you completely screw the M4x8mm screws in, considering the compact structure of AM5, the cables inside the mount might get pressed and damaged which may lead the mount not to work!

Newer mounts have M4x3.5mm screws screwed into the saddle plate, these go into the side panel when the finder shoe is attached to the saddle plate along with the M4x8mm screws (it will not hold with the short screws).


 

Mount type:	German equatorial mount
Operating mode:	Altazimuth or equatorial
Gear:	Harmonic Drive
Periodic error:	less than +/- 20" - passing time 432 seconds
RA Motor:	Stepper motor NEMA42 - Harmonic Drive gear - reduction ratio 1/100
DEK Motor:	Stepper motor NEMA35 - Harmonic Drive gear - reduction ratio 1/100
Maximum load capacity:	13 kg without counterweights - 20 kg with counterweights
Weight of the mount head:	5 kg
Operating range:	0° to 90° north / south latitude
Telescope mount:	Losmandy and Vixen style quick coupling
Connection for counterweight rod:	M12 female thread
Maximum adjustment speed:	6° per second
Correction speeds:	0.5x, 1x, 2x, 4x, 8x, 20x, 60x, 720x and 1440x
Power supply:	12 V - max 1.5 A (with GoTo)
Autoguiding:	ST4 port