Explore Scientific EXOS-2 PMC-Eight GOTO Mount

The Explore Scientific EXOS2-GT with PMC-8 Electronics is a big leap forward in goto mount design and functionality. Based on the Exos2 German Equatorial mount architecture, Explore Scientific have added new belt driven dual stepper motors, the unique military grade PMC-8 wireless goto hardware (featuring 2 channel 8-CPU microprocessor), all controlled with the Explore Scientific ExploreStars Open Goto App, which runs on Windows PC, tablets and Smartphones. This delivers a mount which is whisper quiet in operation, with high positional accuracy, low periodic error, wireless control AND wireless ST4 protocol autoguiding functionality too - plus class leading electronic hardware.

Most of the serious amateur goto mounts on the market today offer controllers with single processors. The PMC-8 electronics are extremely robust in comparison. They include a 2-Channel Multi-Processor Micro-controller with 8 CPUs that run independently and are completely deterministic in their behaviour – hence the name PMC-8.

Within this multi-processor system is a 64 Kbyte EEPROM Non-Volatile Memory bank used to store parameters; a Wireless Ethernet 10/100 with full IP function which permits operation from anywhere using a browser, ASCOM, or APP over the web or serial port; and Non-Volatile Memory used to store user selected parameters.

The electronics also includes an Auto-Guide port (ST4 contact input) and features the only wireless ASCOM driver on the market. The belt driven system uses 2 timing pulleys (1-45 groove and 1-10 groove) with fibreglass reinforced neoprene belt, connected to high quality Nema11 bi-polar stepper motor (0.67 amps 12ncm). Precise ball bearings in both axes ensures minimal backlash at all nine possible tracking speeds.

The included battery pack (12 V) takes eight size "D" batteries, though naturally can be run from 12v mains supplies and field batteries (supplied separately). The mount head rests on a very tough and rigid stainless steel tripod with adjustable 2" legs from 26.8" to 42.5" and can support up to 12.7kg/28 lbs. of equipment. 2x 4.5kg counterweights are supplied as standard.

Explore Scientific EXOS2-GT with PMC-8 Electronics is controlled from a Windows PC, Windows Tablet or Windows Smartphone with a beautiful full colour graphical user interface (switchable to red nightvision mode), using Explore Scientific’s own ExploreStars OpenGoto® Software. The ExploreStars OpenGoto® Software has the same basic functions as most goto mounts on the market today. ExploreStars is a free App downloadable from the Microsoft App store. The basic download includes a standard 2 star or 3 star alignment procedures, over 70,000 star database, the Messier Catalogue and Solar System objects. The software interface features a Classic four-button pattern for guiding, centring, moving and slewing on the touch screen of your tablet or phone. Pull-down menus open to offer the intuitive 2 star and 3 star alignment procedure, selection of the various catalogues, guided tours, the sync button, the park position, search feature and the coordinate input screen to enter RA and DEC coordinate information. Numerical key pad allows for selectable and user enterable GOTO speeds for slewing, centring and guiding rates. You can also set sidereal, king, lunar, solar, and user defined tracking rates.

What makes the ExploreStars OpenGoto® Software software different is that YOU can write your own code and import it into this software. Create a Messier challenge. Create a selectable list of objects you want to photograph and program that information into the software. With the ability to write your own code, you can create whatever your heart desires. Share it with the community of astronomers that are using this software.
In addition, this mount can be controlled by any ASCOM compliant software using the built-in wireless ASCOM driver. GPS-compatible and auto time / date settings are dependent on optional receiver on computer, tablet or phone.

Here are most of the ASCOM software packages available for use with the Explore Scientific EXOS2-GT / Losmandy G-11 with PMC-8 mounts: ACP; APT; AST / ATC & Ricerca (Omega Lab); AstroArt; AstroMB; Cartes du Ciel / Sky Chart; CCD AutoPilot; DeepSky; Deepsky Planner; DFM Engineering; Earth Centered Universe Pro; EasySky; Eye and Telescope; Project Pluto; Hallo Northern Sky; Maxim DL; MaxPoint; PinPoint Astrometric; Prism; Sequence Generator Pro; Sidereal Technology; The Sky; SkyMap Software; SkyTools 3; Star Atlas PRO; Sky Observer; StarryNight; Stellarium; Virtual Moon Atlas; and WorldWide Telescope.

VIDEO REVIEW:
https://youtu.be/tmNPajsd9H4

IMPORTANT NOTE:　
To start using ExploreStars, download the free app and download the celestial data set that contains the astronomical catalogues, reference images, and reference text. This dataset can be found at http://www.explorestars.com/downloads.html

Simply unzip the ExploreStars folder containing the expanded celestial data set into your Pictures directory, you will expand the native database from a thousand objects to over seventy thousand objects.

More Information and Download-Service:

www.explorestars.com

Specifications:

Unique PMC-8 Open Goto System

Beautiful full graphical user interface using Explore Scientific’s very own ExploreStars OpenGoto

Controlled from a Windows PC, Windows Tablet or Windows Smartphone

Classic four-button pattern for guiding, centring, moving and slewing on the touch screen

Intuitive 2 star and 3 star alignment procedure

Multiprocessor Micro Controller with 8 CPU´s

Micro-Stepper Motors NEMA-11

Highly accurate and silent Belt-Drive System

ASCOM Driver available: YES

YOU can write your own code and import it into this software

GPS-compatible and auto time / date settings are dependent on optional receiver on computer, tablet or phone

What’s In The Box:

Explore Scientific EXOS2-GT with Open GOTO PMC-8

Stainless steel tripod ST-3 with 2" legs and bubble level

Counter weight 2 x 4.5 kg　

Polefinder with illumination unit

Battery pack 12 volts for 8 x D size batteries (batt. not included)

ExploreStars Software via download

IMPORTANT NOTE:

This package doesn´t include any WINDOWS Computer, Tablet or Smartphone.

Some items that are showing as in stock are in stock at our holding warehouses, not at the shop. To double check the stock levels at the shop, please contact us on 01909774369 or sales@rothervalleyoptics.co.uk.

The delivery times for most items is 1 - 2 days but again, please double check stock levels on important orders before placing an order via the website.

The delivery costs for courier next day are for mainland UK only. If you live in the Scottish Highlands/Islands, Channel Islands or Northern Ireland, then a shipping surchage will apply. please contact us for prices. Smaller items can still go 1st class via Royal Mail.

Please note that if you are wanting to take advantage of our Saturday and Sunday timed services or next day pre 12 or pre 10:30 services, you MUST check that the stock is here at the shop before placing orders. Also, orders using the Saturday and Sunday services must be placed before 1pm the previous working day. Also, please remember to check that the stock is here at the shop before placing orders. If the stock is not at the shop, we won't be able to ship on any of the timed services. 

Please note International customers will need to contact us for a shipping price prior to ordering via the website. We don't ship all items internationally. It is at our discretion what we ship outside of the UK. This all depends on the size and weight of the items. Please get in touch with us for any postage costs. Please note we do NOT ship telescopes or heavy items outside of the UK. This is due to massive postage costs and problems regarding returns.

If you have any questions regarding stock levels or delivery, please get in touch.

Zygo Interferometer Testing For ED Refractor Telescopes!

We are extremely pleased to announce our Zygo Interferometer is now installed and ready for use! Our experienced staff can test refractor lenses up to 120mm aperture and provide a comprehensive 2 page report showing the optical quality and Strehl ratio, plus much more information. We are using the very latest Zygo MX software to provide a more detailed report compared to other standard reports.

The interferometer is essentially a measuring instrument. Within the interferometer is a calibrated laser that is pointed through the optical test surface, then onto a high quality reference sphere, then back through the test subject then to an internal camera which gives us the measurement on the screen. From this, we can adjust the position of the test optic and the reference sphere to obtain a perfectly calibrated system. The more central the laser to the test optic and then on return, the better and more accurate reading and measurement we can take. This takes a lot of adjustment to get the best results from the optical surface. Once the measurement has been taken, we are provided with a series of results that show the optical quality of the surface plus other information. Continue reading for an explanation of the individual values and you can also see a test report that was done on one of our RVO Horizon 60 OTAs. 

We are offering certain telescopes with a Zygo test at an extra cost. Mainly ED doublets and triplets. All available telescopes with a Zygo test report are listed here. Just select Zygo Test Report from the drop down box at the top of the listing and we will test the optics in house and provide a full 2 page report with your scope. This will show you the optical quality of your telescope optics. We can also offer this service on your refractor telescope. Please get in touch for more details about this. 

At Rother Valley Optics, one thing we pride ourselves on is customer service and quality of our equipment. When we test your telescope, we will ensure that it is of the highest quality otherwise, we will reject the scope under our strict quality control and test another model for your peace of mind. One of the main values to look at when testing a refractor is the Strehl ratio. The higher this number, the higher quality lens you have. At Rother Valley Optics, we will guarantee the highest possible Strehl ratio for your telescope.  We will aim to provide 0.95 Strehl or higher on Takahashi, RVO Horizon, William Optics and many more! Generally, the higher the Strehl ratio, the lower the Astigmatism and Coma meaning a better image quality from your instrument. 

Other measurements such as the PV and RMS are important too. With these measurements, the lower the number the better as it shows less curvature on the lens. The flatter an optical lens, the better it will perform. The PV rating (Peak To Valley) is a measurement from the highest point (Peak) to the lowest point (Valley). From this we get the RMS (Root, Mean, Square). This is a similar figure to the PV and measured exactly the same way. The RMS is basically an average height difference from the PV so again, the lower the better. As you can see form the example below, we measured an RMS of just 0.027 wave which is a very good value.

We also measure the Power with our systems which is essentially the error from the reference sphere to the test optic. The reference sphere we use on our system is a very high quality sphere so the closer to zero the Power, the less error between the 2 elements thus ensuring a higher quality optical surface. 

You will also see some more values such as Astigmatism and Coma. Again, these are measured by the interferometer when we take measurements of the optical surface after adjustment. These are values which ideally would be at 0 but as our test optics are all curved lenses, there will always be astigmatism and coma present. The lower the number, the less of these aberations you will effectively see but with most refractors, you can buy field flatteners which will compensate for the coma anyway. The astigmatisms value is explaining the error between the symmetrical curvature of the lens. Basically, no lens will be perfectly symmetrical, the lower the astigmatism, the more symmetrical the lens surface is. 

Once the Zygo test report has been completed, the optical alignment is thoroughly tested and tuned to ensure they are spot on before they leave us. 

All available telescopes are on the website at the link below and ones we've tested already that are available straight away are also listed.

https://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/zygo-tested-refractors.html

Here is an example of the test what we provide. This was a test on one of our Horizon 60 ED OTA's.

For any questions about this amazing new service, please either call 01909774369 or email sales@rothervalleyoptics.co.uk.

Are you interested in this product but would like to speak to someone with some more information? Simply fill in the form below and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

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