Paramount MX User Guide
40 | Page
Figure 13: Paramount MX Versa-Plate technical specifications.
The table below lists the most common hardware used to mount telescopes (or optical tube assemblies)
and the advantages and disadvantages of each system.
OTA Mounting Advantages Disadvantages
Losmandy-
compatible Dovetail
• Mounting the OTA to the Versa-Plate is
relatively fast and easy.
• Hardware is available, or integrated into
telescopes from several different
manufacturers, including ADM Accessories,
Celestron International and Losmandy
Astronomical Products, Meade Instruments
and Officina Stellare.
• Dovetails are not always
rigidly mounted to the
OTA itself. This can
introduce flexures that
affect overall pointing
accuracy and
repeatability.
Cradle
•
Extremely rigid mount-to-telescope
attachment.
• Allows multiple optics to be rigidly mounted.
• Repeatable all sky pointing.
•
expensive.
Parallax
Instruments OTA
• Extremely rigid mount-to-telescope
attachment.
• Allows multiple optics to be rigidly mounted.
• Hardware is usually more
expensive.