Description

The Astro-Physics designed Guider Bracket greatly expands the versatility and functionality of the Baader 10 x 60 Vario-Finder Scope.  By removing the Finder Scope’s 45° prism and reticle-eyepiece and substituting T-2 extension tubes, the finder transforms into a straight-through guidescope.  This unique Guider Bracket provides the robust, flexure-free structure to hold even the heaviest guide cameras.   Whether you use a feather-light camera, such as the SBIG ST-i, QHY5L-II and Starlight Xpress Lodestar, or a heavy-weight, such as the SBIG SG-4, this Guider Bracket will help you master autoguiding.

An enlarged Quick-Release Base (QRBASEG) provides the rigid foundation on which the bracket rests.  The male dovetail base-rail allows the bracket to be positioned for proper balance, while providing an attachment point for the stabilizing guide ring.  The guide ring is the key to rigidly holding the focuser’s draw tube and the guide camera flexure-free.

Starting in early October of 2013, we started to ship bases that were approximately 3/8" (9.5 mm) taller, so that the guide bracket rail will more easily clear the mounting rings of our refractors. This will allow the scope to rotate without interferance.

As your Astro-Physics mount precisely tracks around the sky, the protective felt lining of your telescope’s rings can allow a minute amount of scope flexure, affecting the otherwise perfect star shapes.  Because this entire guidescope configuration is attached directly to your telescope (rather than the scope’s rings), guiding will follow your scope’s movement, not that of the scope’s rings and mounting plates.  This will ensure that you get the imaging results you seek.

The Guider Bracket rail can be directly attached to many Vixen-style and D-style universal dovetail plates for mounting convenience. See this link for the attachment hole pattern.

Please click this link for a clearance diagram.

The Second image shows the SBIG ST-i used as a guide camera. It is a very light weight camera configuration.

The third image shows a heavier SBIG ST-402 camera being used as a guide camera. Inspite of the weight, the Guider Bracket rigidly supports the drawtube without flexure. Using an SBIG SG-4 Stand-alone Autoguider and a DSLR on the main scope makes for a superb, computer-free imaging setup!

Specifications

Vario-Finder and Guider Bracket Kit includes:

• 10 x 60 Baader Vario-Finder, includes the Finder's 45° erecting prism and reticle eyepiece for use as a finder.
• 10 x 60 Quick Release Guider Bracket (S1060QRGB)
• Base for Quick Release Guider Bracket (QRBASEG)
• T-2 Extension Tubes - 40 mm (BP25B) and 15 mm (BP25A)