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Mounting Hardware

Mounting Hardware

Steady beats sharp every time

Clamshell rings, Vixen dovetail bars, azimuth adjusters and polar finders. Tell us both halves of the pairing and we will confirm the fit.

4Products
VixenStandard
$69.99From
Mounting Hardware

The Bracket Between a Good Telescope and a Steady One

Mounting hardware is the least glamorous part of a setup and the most common reason a perfectly good telescope gives a disappointing view. A tube that shivers for four seconds after you touch the focuser is not an optics problem.

These are the rings, bars, adapters and finders that connect a specific tube to a specific mount — clamshells sized to the tube diameter, Vixen-standard dovetails in three lengths, and the adapters that let an iEXOS-100 sit on an ST2 or ST3 tripod.

Vixen-style is close to a universal standard, but not quite. If you are matching hardware across two brands, check with us first.

Lunt clamshell mounting ring for solar telescopes
1

Sized to the tube

Clamshells and rings are matched to a diameter, not to a category.

2

Vixen standard, checked

Most of this is Vixen-style, but we confirm the pairing before it ships.

3

Machined, not stamped

CNC clamshells and machined dovetail bars, which is where rigidity actually comes from.

4

Free shipping on all of it

Every part on this page ships free within the United States.

Every mounting part we stock

Four products across clamshells, dovetails and mount adapters.

Lunt Clamshell Mounting Ring
Lunt Solar Systems

Lunt Clamshell Mounting Ring

CNC clamshell ring that grips the tube and carries a Vixen-style dovetail.

$85.99
View details →
Lunt Vixen Style Dovetail Bar
Lunt Solar Systems

Lunt Vixen Style Dovetail Bar

Vixen-standard dovetail bars in 4, 6 and 12 inch lengths.

From $25.99
View details →
Explore Scientific iEXOS-100 Azimuth Adjuster Adapter
Explore Scientific

Explore Scientific iEXOS-100 Azimuth Adjuster Adapter

Adds fine azimuth adjustment and adapts the iEXOS-100 to ST2 and ST3 tripods.

$69.99
View details →
Explore Scientific iEXOS-100 Polar Finder and Adapter
Explore Scientific

Explore Scientific iEXOS-100 Polar Finder and Adapter

Polar finder and mounting adapter for aligning the iEXOS-100 on the pole.

$99.99
View details →

Mounting questions, answered

The pairing questions we field most.

Is Vixen-style genuinely universal?

Almost. The Vixen dovetail is the closest thing to a standard in amateur astronomy and most small and mid-size mounts accept it. Saddle depth and clamp width do vary between manufacturers, so if you are pairing a Lunt bar to a non-Lunt saddle, send us both models and we will confirm.

What size clamshell do I need?

It is set by the outside diameter of your optical tube, not by aperture. Two 60mm telescopes from different makers can need different rings. Tell us the exact model and we will match it.

Does a longer dovetail bar help?

Yes, within reason. A longer bar gives you more fore-and-aft travel to balance the tube once a diagonal, eyepiece and camera are hanging off the back. It does not make the mount stiffer.

Do I need the polar finder?

Only on an equatorial mount, and only if you are tracking for long periods or imaging. For visual observing a rough alignment by eye is usually enough; for exposures beyond a few seconds it is not.

Where to go next

Hardware connects the tube to the mount. These pages cover both ends.

Mounts & Stands

8 mounts and tripods

Solar Filters

9 Lunt filters and etalons

Focusers

Rack-and-pinion and helical

Cases, Covers & Shrouds

5 cases, soft and hard

Observation Accessories

Binoviewers, diagonals, finders

Power & Cables

Field power and controllers

Buyer's Guide

How to choose your first telescope

Talk to us

We answer the phone