For the most demanding enthusiast, our new Orion Sirius EQ-G GoTo 180mm Mak-Cass Telescope sets the standard for high-power performance and compact design. With 7" of aperture and that long focal length Maksutov aficionados love, you'll get tack-sharp views and clearly defined photos with subtle detail and high contrast. And with GoTo motorized computer guidance you can automatically point the telescope to any of 42,900 objects in the controller's database. Just select an object to view from the user-friendly menus on the hand controller and let GoTo do the rest!

The reason for the outstanding high-power performance is the 180mm (7.1") optical system with its 2,700mm focal length (f/15). With 44% more light grasp than the 150mm Mak, you'll get brighter astro images and better resolution. And the Maksutov-Cassegrain optical design produces larger images with less eyepiece magnification than other telescopes. It's the perfect combination of brightness, contrast, and definition for planets, close double-stars, clusters, and well-defined deep-sky targets. The meniscus lens is fully multicoated for maximum light transmission, further enhancing the bright, well-defined images. No other optical design can deliver such potent optical specifications in a package that measures just 22" long and weighs in just under 16 lbs.

And all that power is so easy to control! GoTo is a simple yet reliable (and very high-tech) way to control your telescope. Two stepper motors on the Sirius mount power the telescope to the object you select at a brisk 3.4° per second, putting it right in your eyepiece's field of view. You will enjoy more productive viewing sessions, seeing way more wonders in a single evening than you ever thought possible. The GoTo system will even take you on a guided sky tour of the best sights each month! Just do an easy initial alignment and you're ready to go!

The visual back accepts 1.25" eyepieces and accessories, and a dovetail bracket on the rear cell accepts any Orion finder scope or EZ Finder. The dovetail rail on the underside of the tube makes it easy to remove the telescope or attach it to the mount for easier setup. Attach an Orion StarShoot Solar System and you'll capture gorgeous high-resolution color images on your PC!

The legendary Sirius EQ-G mount provides a steady base no matter how rugged your viewing conditions are. This substantial mount features internal dual-axis stepper motors that slew the telescope at up to 3.4° per second. Includes an illuminated polar-axis scope, 8.3" dovetail mounting bar, and an 11 lb counterweight. The tripod is remarkably sturdy with 1.75"- diameter stainless steel legs and metal spreader plate. And, of course, the GoTo controller makes harnessing all that power a snap! Requires an external 12-volt power source, like the Orion Dynamo Pro (#2307), or an AC-to-DC adapter.

Power, versatility, portability - if you're a serious big Mak fan then this one is for you! One-year limited warranty.

For owners of the Sirius EQ-G GoTo Mount whose version of the GoTo hand controller is 3.0 or greater, the GoTo hand controller's firmware can be updated over the internet.

Updating the GoTo Hand Controller's Firmware
From version 3.0 and up, the GoTo hand controller's firmware can be updated over the internet.

System Requirements

• GoTo hand controller version 3.0 or greater
• Windows95 or later
• An available RS-232 COM port on the PC
• Computer interface cable (supplied)
• DC power supply (7.5V to 15V @ 100mA or greater output with 2.1mm tip positive plug)

Preparing the Computer for the Update

1. Create a folder where you will store the files necessary for the update.
2. Click on the Download Firmware Files link below and save the Firmware Loader program to the folder you have created on your computer. You will need to download this program only once; after it is saved on your computer, only the firmware data file is needed for future updates.
3. Download and save the firmware update date file to the folder you created. The file will be named OrionVxxxxEQ.ssf, where xxxx indicates the version number of the firmware.

Updating the GoTo Hand Controller

1. Plug the modular plug end of the computer interface cable into the middle jack in the hand controller. Plug the serial connector end of the cable to the COM port on your PC.
2. Press and hold down the 0 and 8 numerical buttons simultaneously, then plug the power supply into the hand controller's DC power jack. The hand controller will beep and display "SynScan Update Ver. x.x" on the LCD screen.
3. Run the Firmware Loader program on your computer.
4. Click on the "Browse" box and select the OrionVxxxx.ssf file location where it was saved previously on your computer.
5. Click on the "Update" button, and the new firmware will begin loading into the hand controller. The Firmware Loader will show the progress of the update on your computer screen. It will usually take approximately 5 minutes for the new firmware to load into the hand controller. It may take significantly longer if a serial-to-USB adapter is employed on your computer.
6. When the download is complete, the Firmware Loader will display "Update Complete".

The firmware in the GoTo hand controller has now been updated. You can click on the "HC. Version" button to confirm the new version number of the firmware (and possibly the database, but the hardware version will not change with internet updates).

Note: If the error message "Can not connect to a SynScan hand control" appears on your computer, check all cable connections. Also, try closing all other computer programs that might be attempting to use the COM port.

Note: If the error message "Firmware update failed..." appears on your computer, remove the power plug from the hand controller, and then reconnect it. Now, repeat the firmware update procedure.

By default, the data communication rate between the GoTo hand controller and the computer is 115kbps. The RS-232 port on some PCs may not support this high data transfer rate. If the firmware update procedure fails after a few tries, try reducing the data transfer rate by pressing the SETUP button on the hand controller. This will reduce the data transfer rate to 9.6kbps. The controller's LCD screen will show "Lo" in the lower right hand corner to indicate the lower transfer rate setting. The firmware update procedure remains the same except it will take much longer for the firmware to load into the hand controller.

Download Firmware Files