10micron GM3000 HPS Astronomical Mount - Unboxing, Installation and Test

With a payload of 100kg and high precision encoders on both axes, the 10micron GM3000 HPS German equatorial mount is currently the ultimate observatory mount for the amateur astrophotographer. "HPS means “High Precision and Speed” and is the name for the new series of astronomical mounts by 10micron. The HPS mounts feature two high-precision absolute encoders mounted directly on each axis to ensure unprecedented pointing and tracking accuracy, and high performance servo motors and drivers for high speed pointing." When I first saw the GM3000 at the Astro Trade Show ATT here in Essen, Germany, right next to the GM2000 HPS, I thought to myself: this is the perfect observatory mount - larger than the GM2000 for more payload, but not as exceptionally large as the GM4000, which is massively oversized for most amateurs. But at that time this was still a long way off for me and I was satisfied with my GM2000QCI, which for a long time was the measure of all things for astronomical mounts. But with the years, the telescopes grow - an experience that probably many astronomers make - and so do the ambitions. And since one is not getting any younger, at some point the thought came to finally stop playing and start working seriously - after all, life time is limited. However, I have to admit that my small home observatory is not the best place on earth to observe stars. Here, in the northern part of the Ruhrgebiet, one of the largest metropolitan areas in Europe, it does not get dark at night. Under a Bortle 7 sky you can hardly observe visually and astrophotography is possible only with many tricks - and quite sure not on a world class level. Is it still worth investing a lot of time and money in such an equipment and hobby? Well, the simple answer I have found for myself is: here I am at home and here I want to get the best out of it! So let's get started with unboxing and setting up the GM3000! For more information on this mount please visit my website: http://www.theinvisibleuniverse.com/A... For more astrophotography, visit my Deep Sky astrophotography site: http://www.theinvisibleuniverse.com/G... Music in this Video by Danya Vodovoz, Royalty free.