Solid Steel 1kg Counterweight Rod

This counterweight rod is manufactured from solid cold-drawn steel, weighing exactly 1kg and measuring 200 mm in length with a consistent 16 mm diameter. It has a single M16 × 1.5 mm thread, cut to DIN 13-1 standards, ensuring full compatibility with European-sourced telescope hardware. Its primary function is to increase the moment arm of the counterweight system, thereby improving static and dynamic equilibrium across all axes — especially important during long-exposure astrophotography where sub-arcsecond stability is required. The rod does not rotate independently; it locks rigidly to the shaft, becoming part of the balanced assembly. The surface is treated with a matte black oxide finish that meets RoHS compliance and offers passive corrosion resistance. It has been validated for repeated use on both portable and permanent pier-mounted setups across UK latitudes, including high-humidity sites near coastlines and elevated inland observatories. Common pairing includes use with 5–8 kg class equatorial mounts, where users report improved guiding RMS and reduced need for frequent recalibration during multi-hour imaging runs.