The Altair TMS "Losmandy" Dovetail Plate is compatible with modern refractors with the standard 30mm M6 hole spacing. The Altair LDP range is perfect for any telescope, and is available in different lengths. The Losmandy format US style plates offer a large flat surface and form the basis of a rigid, secure mounting system. They are more compatible with other Telescope Mounting System (TMS) components, because we can add more hole patterns to the larger surface, something which isn't possible with the smaller Vixen/Synta Far East style dovetail bars because they're too narrow. All Altair TMS components are CNC machined in aluminium and hard-anodised in Altair Blue.
The image shows an Altair LDP plate mounted on the Altair LSP (Losmandy Saddle Plate) for illustration purposes,
click for more views.
Telescope compatibility: The Short Losmandy Style plate fits the Altair Astro APO range, Astrotech, William Optics and Skywatcher Equinox tube rings. In fact any tube rings which have the standard 30mm M6 Metric hole spacing, which is by far the majority of telescopes on the market. Add another plate on top, and you have a "piggyback" mounting platform for Guide Scope Rings, or you can attach another telescope with normal tube rings piggyback style on top of that, using the second set of metric holes provided. In fact, you could stack an infinite number of telescopes on top of each other using this system.
Using the LDP in side-by-side mode: You can attach a Losmandy Saddle Plate to each end of the Altair LDP plates, even the Vixen Saddle Plate (VSP), enabling you to mount two telescopes side by side, for example if you want to place a guide scope next to your main imaging telescope, or a camera lens. (Please note, because it's too shorts, this isn't possible with the 180mm LDP-180).
Mounting Guide Scope Rings: Unlike other plates on the market, the Altair TMS plates are able to accept guide scope rings directly. To add tube rings, you usually need to buy adaptors which clamp on to the underside of the plate. We feel this is unnecessary, so we've designed the Altair LDP to accept the Altair TMS Guide Scope Rings directly, even if you piggyback them on a telescope. With the TMS plates you just flip them over and screw the rings in from the underside, using a second row of holes provided - quick and easy, plus more stable!
Many different combinations are possible using the TMS. In the example below, an 8" F4 Imaging Newtonian telescope is carried next to a 102mm refractor which has a guidescope piggbacked on top. (Note this is just a demo - not all EQ6 mounts can track accurately with this load, in fact, this mount has been tweaked). The foundation of the setup is the EQ6 Puck which is bolted to the heavy duty Universal Saddle Plate (USP). This supports an
LDP-350 (350mm Losmandy Dovetail Plate), which can be moved from side to side to achieve balance. The 8" F4 Imaging Newtonian telescope is carried on a
VDB-250 (250mm Vixen Dovetail Bar) is held in a lightweight
VDC (Vixen Dovetail Clamp), which is in turn bolted directly to one end of the
LDP-350. On the opposite side, an
LDP-180 (180mm Losmandy Dovetail Plate) is used to mount a 102mm refractor, which in turn has a
GSR-120 (120mm Guide Scope Rings) on top of it "piggyback" style, to carry a 70mm guide scope. To attach the guidescope rings, an additional
LDP-180 is flipped over, and bolted to the top side of the refractor tube rings via the standard M6 refractor hole pattern. The guide scope rings are then bolted to the underside of the LDP-180.
Please choose an LDP length in the options menu below:
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