The Astro Engineering AC421 research grade observatory pier for all wedge mounted Meade and Celestron SCTs

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This superb British made observatory pier system is made of steel and aluminium. The AC421 is AE's top model pier for observatory based SCTs designed to be mounted on a concrete base and features unique anti-vibration technology not found on other piers available to the amateur astronomer.

All Astro Engineering piers are the result of direct research into the causes of vibration found in typical medium to large size commercial telescope installations. Astro Engineering is one the worlds leading designers and suppliers of custom observatory piers. Astro Engineering piers are in use by leading amateur and professional astronomers as well as University and school installations all over the world.

Beware of inferior copies that are based on photographs of AE piers rather than a profound understanding of how anti-vibration technology piers actually function.

The Pro-pier is 1.1m high and has a removable machined aluminium wedge marry plate.

What's so great about the AC421 Pro-pier?

The AC421 is AE's top model pier designed specifically for use with Meade's larger model (12" & 14") LX200R. They will support the telescope and wedge much more rigidly than the standard tripod or typical amateur made pier. The pier features unique anti-vibration technology (even the construction method is specially adapted to eradicate harmonic vibration within the pier structure). The removable marry plate allows the pier to be employed with other telescope systems should a change ever be required.

The AC421 Pr-pier was designed by Robert J. Dalby FRAS, one of the worlds most experienced telescope pier designers and relies heavily on research carried out by AE on the causes of vibration and the best methods of minimising the deleterious effects of vibration on telescope performance. AE's research revealed that although amateur astronomers spend much time decrying there seeing conditions, instrumental shake and vibration (especially oscillatory vibration) is an equal if not more widespread cause of stellar wander (the motion that causes blurring on a CCD or film image) than the effects of sky or seeing conditions.

In the designer's own words: "... the blurring motion of stars at the image plane is very commonly, and incorrectly, blamed on seeing conditions when in fact unscheduled movement of the instrument is the true cause of the problem. An unfortunate error as, in contrast to stellar wander induced by seeing conditions (originating typically at the boundary layer and above) instrument vibration is relatively easy to counter if not check completely". From a presentation: Problems with high-resolution CCD imaging, By R J Dalby - delivered in 1999 at the Imaging the Sky CCD imaging conference in Portland, Oregon USA.