Explore Scientific iEXOS-100-02 PMC-Eight Equatorial Tracker System with WiFi and Bluetooth®

Long exposures of the night sky need a mount that turns with it, or the stars trail. The iEXOS-100-02 is a computerized German equatorial GoTo tracker for small telescopes and DSLR cameras, controlled from a tablet over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth with Explore Scientific's free ExploreStars app.

Key Features

• PMC-Eight motion control. Eight independent CPUs, each dedicated to its own task, which Explore Scientific credits with better responsiveness, timing precision and tracking accuracy.
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth built in. ExploreStars runs on Windows, Android, Amazon Fire and Apple tablets, to align the mount and find targets.
• ASCOM support. The PMC-Eight ASCOM driver and POTH client, wired or wireless, let most ASCOM astronomy software drive the mount.
• Quiet belt drives on both axes. Dual-axis stepper motors, with clutched worm gears for balancing and quick repositioning.
• Polar alignment without a polar scope. A sight hole through the RA axis, a bubble level and precision altitude adjustment.
• Glow-in-the-dark markings on the mount and tripod, for setting up in the dark.

Ideal For

• DSLR and small-telescope astrophotographers who want GoTo tracking in a portable package: the whole system weighs 14.8 lb.
• Visual observers who want a light GoTo mount. Explore Scientific rates it to 19 lb in total, telescope, accessories and counterweights included.
• Observers who run their setup from software, through ExploreStars on a tablet or ASCOM programs on a computer.

Accessories & Compatibility

• Power. The battery pack mounts on a tripod leg bracket and takes 8 C cells (not included). Explore Scientific says alkaline cells typically last under two hours before voltage drop affects the motors, and recommends a lithium-ion power bank or an AC adapter; it measured about 8 hours on its iEXOS 100 with the Explore Scientific USB Power Bank.
• Counterweights. Two 1 kg counterweights are included; heavier optical setups may need more.
• Upgrades. The iEXOS-100 Polar Finder and Adapter for precise polar alignment, the iEXOS-100 Azimuth Adjuster Adapter for fine azimuth adjustment, and the Twilight Medium Duty Tripod, which Explore Scientific offers to add stability and weight capacity (it needs the azimuth adjuster adapter).