Orion EQ-26 Motorized Equatorial Telescope Mount and Tripod

Best for imaging:

Solar, lunar, planetary & Messier objects
User level:

User level

Beginner Level - Suited for a wide range of uses, these products are simple to operate and set up. Some initial assembly may be required depending on the type of product. Optical instruments with this rating will have very good optical and mechanical quality. Great for families, young people, and folks who don't want to mess with equipment and complexity. Beginning level telescopes will show you countless lunar craters, Saturn's rings and a myriad of star clusters and nebulae! Referring to the manual is recommended.

Intermediate Level - These products offer higher performance and more advanced features than Level 1: Beginner models. They typically take a bit longer to learn and need some set-up or adjustments. But anyone with the slightest technical bent will have no problem getting familiar with these models. Referring to the manual is recommended.

Advanced Level - These products provide the best performance but may require more skill to master and appreciate. Optical instruments with this rating have exceptionally fine optics and mechanics. Some are easy to use but might be on the large or heavy side. Some are intended for specialized uses. These products will appeal to the more technically inclined. Referring to the manual is highly recommended.

Intermediate
Astro-imaging capability:

Astro-imaging capability

The astro-photographic capability of the telescope is based on the style, stability, and accuracy of the mount and tripod. Telescopes on either very lightweight mounts or non tracking mounts (such as Dobsonians) are capable of only very short exposures such as lunar photographs. If a motor drive is attached to an equatorial mount, even a small lightweight mount is capable of capturing some planetary detail. Larger EQ mounts that utilize very precise tracking and excellent stability are capable of longer exposure deep-sky photography.

Lunar & planetary
Weight rating:

Weight rating

The weight rating is a measure of how much the mount can handle before vibration become excessive. This specification is dependent on the shape of the telescope. For example, if you have two telescopes that both weigh 15 lbs., but one is a Cassegrain with a very short tube and the other is a very long focal length refractor, the Cassegrain will be more stable due to the fact that the tube itself is much shorter. The extra length of the refractor tube acts as a "lever arm" and vibrations become much more prominent. So be careful as you approach the weight capacity limit that you don't overload the mount with a very long tube.

26 lbs.
Dovetail bar system:

Dovetail bar system

A universal attachment system for holding the optical tube onto the tripod. A dovetail bar is attached to the tube rings, then it slides onto the mount itself, making for quick assembly and disassembly.

Yes
Motor drive compatibility:

Motor drive compatibility

A motor drive automatically moves the telescope in right ascension at the same rate as the east-west drift of the stars so stars can be continuously tracked in the eyepiece without manual adjustment. Motor drives are usually equipped with a hand control that allows the telescope's tracking speed to be slightly increased or decreased, which is particularly critical when taking long-exposure astro-images.

Clock drive included
Alignment procedure:

Manual polar alignment with built-in polar scope
Tracking rates:

Sidereal
Motor speeds:

Sidereal to 800x sidereal
Motor type:

Microstep driven stepper motors
Power requirement:

12-volt DC - 5A (tip positive)
Setting circles:

Yes
Polar-axis scope:

Included
Counterweights:

Two 5.5 lb.
Tripod material:

Steel
Tripod leg diameter:

1.75 in.
Counterweight bar length:

13 in.
Diameter of counterweight shaft:

20mm
Height range of mount:

Height range of mount

The height range specification is a measure of the tripod itself - not the eyepiece height. Since telescopes come in all shapes and sizes, the eyepiece height will vary, even when using the same tripod. For an EQ tripod the mount is set up so the counterweight shaft is horizontal, and then the height is measured from the ground to the center of the mounting plate.

36.00 in. - 49.00 in.
Weight, mount/tripod:

19.5 lbs.
Weight, fully assembled:

31.0 lbs.
Additional included accessories:

Dual-axis hand controller, DC cigarette-lighter style power cable, Hand controller holster
Other features:

Vixen-style dovetail saddle, Spreader brace / accessory tray, Bubble level
Warranty:

Warranty

This warranty gives you specific legal rights. It is not intended to remove or restrict your other legal rights under applicable local consumer law; your state or national statutory consumer rights governing the sale of consumer goods remain fully applicable.

One year

User level

Astro-imaging capability

Weight rating

Dovetail bar system

Motor drive compatibility

Height range of mount

Warranty