Mounting system
The cleverest mounting system.
Mount your secondary telescope or camera directly on the counterweight bar. The equipment itself does the balancing: no extra counterweights needed, less total weight, more flexibility.
In a conventional setup, a guide scope or camera rides on top of the primary telescope. This raises the centre of mass and requires more counterweights to compensate, adding weight to fight weight.
DuoScope reverses this logic. The secondary instrument attaches to the counterweight bar on the opposite side of the mount, acting as its own counterweight. The result: the system balances with less metal, the total assembly weighs less, and the mount is less stressed.
Five interchangeable configurations cover single telescopes, dual telescopes, camera-only and mixed setups. Any configuration converts to another through available accessories: you keep your investment as your needs change.
If you plan to do astrophotography, good advice is not to exceed half the maximum load capacity of the mount recommended by the manufacturer. Starter telescope-mount combinations often already approach or surpass this threshold, and adding a secondary instrument with its own counterweights makes staying within it harder—DuoScope helps by eliminating the need for extra counterweights.
Does DuoScope fit my mount? Measure your counterweight shaft's diameter with calipers or a ruler at the tip of the shaft. DuoScope is available for 18mm and 20mm counter-shaft diameters; for other measurements, contact us and we'll send you a customised quote.
All DuoScope models share the same bar-mounting principle and are interchangeable through accessories. Choose the configuration that fits your current workflow and change it later if you need to.
Attaches a telescope or camera to the end of the counterweight bar with full fine-positioning controls: ±9° in declination and ±6° in elevation. Available in standard and Vixen dovetail versions.
A good starting option: as focal distance diminishes, tracking is less demanding. It also enables reciprocal roles—guiding with the secondary while photographing with the primary, or vice versa—and multiple-focal-length astrophotography sessions.
Foundation modelHolds a single telescope (50–80mm aperture) using rings, with several mounting positions and adjustable spacing between the rings. Rings are available for internal diameters of 80mm and 100mm.
Mounts two telescopes simultaneously on the counterweight bar, leaving the main telescope free. Run parallel observation sessions, imaging and guiding, or two independent instruments at once.
Most versatile for imagingPositions a single camera—including heavy telephoto lenses—anywhere along the counterweight bar. The adjustable mounting point lets you fine-tune balance without moving counterweights.
Note: due to the overall system width, it could interfere with one of the tripod legs; we recommend programming the R.A. limits of your mount to prevent any damage. On pier mounts this possibility doesn't exist and the system is perfectly suited.
Combines telescope and camera attachment in one assembly, with independent balance adjustment for each. It's the most versatile configuration because it can also be mounted with just the camera adapter (as One-C) or just the telescope adapter (as One-T), so you can reconfigure it without buying an entirely new system.
Note: due to the overall system width, it could interfere with one of the tripod legs; we recommend programming the R.A. limits of your mount to prevent any damage. On pier mounts this possibility doesn't exist and the system is perfectly suited.
Most versatile overall| Counterweight shaft | 18mm & 20mm (standard) |
| Custom shaft sizes | Available on request |
| Telescope aperture (One-T) | 50–80mm |
| Dovetail variant (Swivel) | Vixen standard |
| Declination adjustment (Swivel) | ±9° |
| Elevation adjustment (Swivel) | ±6° |
| Bar positioning (One-T, Two-T, One-C, Mix) | Adjustable along full bar length |
| Configuration change | Via accessories, no full replacement |
All DuoScope configurations available from the European store.
eu.lunaticoastro.com →Worldwide shipping from the international store.
shop.lunaticoastro.com →Assembly and use guide for the DuoScope Swivel and VX models. In Spanish.
Download PDF →Assembly and use guide for the telescope ring and mixed configurations. In Spanish.
Download PDF →