Equatorial fork design for uninterrupted horizon-to-horizon imaging Supports Schmidt-Cassegrain or open-truss telescopes up to 17 inches Advanced MKS 6000 control system with Ethernet, USB-C, and Wi-Fi Achieves all-sky pointing accuracy of 30 arcseconds RMS or better with TPoint™ Includes the complete TheSky Universal software suite for integrated observatory control Description FAQ Specifications Downloads Warranty Software Bisque Paramount Taurus Model 400 Equatorial Fork Mount The Software Bisque Paramount Taurus Model 400 is an observatory-class robotic mount engineered for uninterrupted imaging, weighing a substantial 150 lbs and accommodating telescopes up to 17 inches in diameter. Its advanced MKS 6000 control system leverages TPoint™ modeling to deliver all-sky pointing accuracy at or below 30 arcseconds RMS. This integrated system, measuring 36 × 36 × 16 inches, eliminates the mechanical and software complexity of managing meridian flips, allowing for continuous data acquisition on any target from horizon to horizon. A 150 lb Fork Mount for Uninterrupted Imaging The core design principle of the Taurus 400 is to maximize imaging time. Its massive 150 lb equatorial fork structure provides the rigidity necessary for large optical tubes, such as a 17-inch SCT or CDK, while completely avoiding the need for a meridian flip. For automated observatories or long-exposure projects, this means no more sequences interrupted mid-session, no risk of a pier collision during a flip, and no time wasted reacquiring and re-guiding your target. MKS 6000: Ethernet, USB-C, and AutoHome™ Recovery At the heart of the Taurus 400 is the MKS 6000 Telescope Control System, offering modern, robust connectivity via Ethernet, USB-C, and Wi-Fi. The instrument panel is designed for clean cable management, featuring high-power XT60 connectors and a pass-through Ethernet port to route connections to your imaging equipment. In the event of a power failure, the mount's AutoHome™ capability uses an initialization process to re-establish its exact orientation, ensuring your pointing model remains valid and you can resume operation quickly and reliably. 30 Arcsecond Pointing with TPoint™ and ProTrack™ Paramount's legendary pointing and tracking precision comes from its sophisticated software. TPoint™ creates a comprehensive telescope model by mapping out pointing errors across the sky, achieving a repeatable accuracy of 30 arcseconds RMS or better. ProTrack™ then uses this model in real-time to actively correct for system-wide tracking deviations, including atmospheric refraction, tube flexure, and polar misalignment—errors that on-axis encoders alone cannot address. This software-driven correction is so effective that unguided exposures of 5 to 10 minutes are common, with some systems achieving up to 20 minutes without autoguiding. TheSky Universal: A $1,095 Software Suite for Total Control The Taurus 400 includes a full license for TheSky Universal, an integrated software package valued at $1,095. This single application replaces a complex stack of separate programs, providing unified control over the mount, cameras, domes, and weather sensors. The software runs identically on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and a single license can be installed on up to six computers, offering unmatched flexibility for your observatory and processing workflow. Taurus 400 Fork vs. German Equatorial: The Meridian Flip Advantage While a German Equatorial Mount (GEM) offers flexibility in swapping different telescopes, its primary operational drawback is the mandatory meridian flip. The Taurus 400's fork design fundamentally eliminates this problem. Uninterrupted Tracking: A fork mount tracks an object continuously from its rise to its set, which is critical for photometry, exoplanet transits, and long-form LRGB or narrowband imaging projects. Reduced Complexity: By removing the meridian flip, you remove a major point of failure in an automated imaging sequence, simplifying scripting and improving reliability for remote observatories. Instrument Clearance: The primary trade-off is that a fork mount is typically dedicated to a specific instrument or instrument class, unlike a GEM that can easily accept different OTAs via a universal dovetail saddle. What is the difference between the Motor-Based and On-Axis Absolute Encoder options for the Paramount Taurus 400? The core pointing and tracking accuracy of the Taurus 400 is delivered by the TPoint™ and ProTrack™ software, which models and corrects for real-world errors like atmospheric refraction and tube flexure. The standard Motor-based encoders are sufficient for this system to achieve its benchmark performance. The optional On-Axis Absolute Encoders provide an even higher level of precision by directly reading the position of the axis, offering immunity to gear train errors and ensuring the mount's reported position is always exact, which is especially valuable for remote, unattended operation and instant recovery from power loss without re-homing. How does the Taurus 400's ProTrack help when imaging the Leo Triplet (M65, M66, NGC 3628)? As the Leo Triplet moves across the sky for several hours, your telescope experiences changing gravitational forces (causing tube flexure) and looks through a different amount of atmosphere (causing refraction). ProTrack™ uses the pointing model created by TPoint™ to continuously calculate and correct for these dynamic errors in both axes. This ensures your tracking remains precise over the entire imaging session, resulting in tighter stars and eliminating field rotation that autoguiding alone cannot fix. Can the Paramount Taurus 400 be used for visual observing? Yes, absolutely. While the Paramount Taurus 400 is engineered as a robotic imaging platform, its exceptional pointing accuracy makes it a superb visual instrument. After creating a TPoint model, the mount will place any object in the center of the eyepiece with remarkable precision, saving you significant time star-hopping and maximizing your time at the eyepiece. What kind of pier is required for the 150 lb Paramount Taurus 400? A mount of this size and capacity requires a permanent, rigid pier. The 150 lb weight of the mount itself, plus the weight of a large telescope, necessitates a steel or concrete pier that is isolated from any vibrations from the surrounding observatory floor. Software Bisque offers a dedicated pier for the Taurus 400 (sold separately), and we can help you determine the optimal height and configuration for your specific telescope and location. I have a 16-inch f/8 Ritchey-Chrétien. Why is the Taurus 400's fork design a good match? A 16-inch f/8 RC is a powerful but demanding imaging instrument. The Taurus 400 fork mount is an ideal platform because it allows you to conduct uninterrupted, hours-long exposures without a meridian flip. This is crucial for capturing faint details with long narrowband exposures or collecting many hours of LRGB data without the risk of field rotation or other artifacts introduced by a mid-session flip, which is a common challenge for this type of telescope on a German Equatorial Mount. Does the included TheSky Universal software control my camera and dome with the Taurus 400? Yes. TheSky Universal is a complete observatory control package. It's not just for controlling the Taurus 400 mount. It includes native support for a wide range of cameras, filter wheels, focusers, rotators, and observatory domes. This allows you to manage your entire imaging workflow from a single, integrated application, greatly simplifying automation and remote operation. Weight 150 lbs Dimensions 36 × 36 × 16 in Encoder Options Motor-based encoders or On-axis absolute encoders Download Manual Download Software Software Bisque 2-Year Warranty
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