Software Bisque Paramount Series 6 Taurus 400 Equatorial Fork Mount

Introducing the new Taurus 400 Series 6 equatorial fork mount. 

The Paramount Taurus 400 includes the advanced MKS 6000 telescope control system which lets you connect via USB C, Ethernet, and Wi-Fi.  Its instrument panel includes high-power XT60 connectors and a pass-through Ethernet port.

Taurus equatorial fork mounts allow uninterrupted horizon-to-horizon imaging and accommodate Schmidt-Cassegrain or open-truss telescopes up to 17 inches (0.4 m).

Hardware Specifications

• 150 lb. (68 kg) instrument capacity
• All sky pointing accuracies at or below 30 arcseconds RMS (see Software Specifications below for details)
• No meridian flips or dangling counterweights
• Tracks objects up to six (6) hours beyond meridian
• Maximum seven (7) arcseconds peak-to-peak periodic error before correction
• After a one-time training, periodic error is 1 arcsecond, peak-to-peak or less
• Optional 26-bit Renishaw encoders eliminate periodic error and the need for homing and operates in temps as low as –40° C
• On-axis absolute encoders can be installed in the field
• As there’s some confusion about what encoders can and cannot do, there’s an FAQ below that elaborates on that and whether they’re right for you
• All electronics and through-the-mount cables are housed inside the mount with ample room for additional cables
• Advanced MKS 6000 telescope control system lets you connect via USB C, Ethernet, and Wi-Fi
• Three high-power XT60 ports on instrument panel
• Belt-driven gears with spring loaded worm gears produce virtually zero backlash
• Durable and fade-resistant red powder coating and black anodized finish; components are aluminum
• Integrated azimuth and elevation polar-alignment adjustments
• Counterweight system corrects imbalances from asymmetries in the optical tube and imperfect centering between fork tines
• Optional Scope Rail System lets you easily change your imaging equipment by moving instruments fore and aft along optical axis
• Clutch-free design helps maintain its TPoint™ assisted pointing accuracy
• AutoHome™ homing capability ensures the mount always knows its orientation (after performing an initializing process called “homing” that typically takes less a minute or less)
• Slews at 3.5 degrees per second in both axes; if you need faster slew speeds, check out our Taurus 500/600/700 direct-drive models
• Exceptionally comfortable access to eyepieces
• Power supply and PC-to-mount cabling included

Software Specifications  

• Paramount’s unsurpassed pointing and tracking wouldn’t be possible without its TPoint™ and ProTrack™ software.
• By employing TPoint’s calibration and telescope modeling tools, you’ll enjoy all sky pointing accuracies at or below 30 arcseconds RMS. Nothing outperforms that — and that’s without on-axis absolute encoders.
• Operating in conjunction with TPoint™, ProTrack™ continuously updates the mount’s position across both axes to correct system-wide tracking errors including tube flexures, atmospheric refraction, polar misalignment, harmonic errors from mis-centered encoders, and more.
• On-axis absolute encoders alone cannot correct such errors which exist with all telescopes. A properly applied telescope model is necessary to achieve superior tracking.
• Without those encoders, 5-to-10-minute unguided exposures are common with many enjoying up to 20 minutes.
• For more information about what encoders can and cannot do, please see the FAQ below.
• All the included software is integrated into a single, easy-to-use, application consisting of TheSky™ Professional, TPoint™, Cameras+, Domes, Multi-OS+, and Weather modules. Enjoy the simplicity of controlling your cameras and astrophotography devices with one application.
• It runs on Windows™, macOS™, and Linux.
• Regardless of the operating system you run it on, it appears and operates identically. You can even switch between operating systems and its license allows up to six computers. Why paint yourself or your institution into a corner?