Confused by the many MSM phone mount options?
We have several phone mount/holder options, and it can definitely be confusing to know which one you need. The good news is that all four options can be used with NOMAD, in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
The main difference is where the phone is mounted and how you use it for polar alignment.
Quick Comparison
| Option | Phone Position | NOMAD | Both Hemispheres | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSM Phone Mount | Back of NOMAD | ✅ | ✅ | Direct phone-to-NOMAD setup |
| Richard's Phone Clamp | Wedge / ball head | ✅ | ✅ | Aligning the mounting platform first |
| Eric's Phone Holder | Side of NOMAD | ✅ | ✅ | Side-mounted phone setup |
| Phone Mount Adapter for Polar Scope | Polar scope | ✅ | ✅ | Using the MSM phone mount with NOMAD or another compatible polar scope |
1. MSM Phone Mount
Want to attach your phone directly to the back of NOMAD?
This is the most straightforward option. The phone mount attaches to the back of NOMAD, allowing you to use your phone for polar alignment.
Works in: Northern & Southern Hemispheres
Setup guide:
Watch the setup guide
Polar alignment guide:
Watch the polar alignment guide
2. Richard's Phone Clamp
Want to use your phone to align the wedge or ball head first?
Instead of attaching the phone directly to NOMAD, you attach the phone clamp to the wedge or ball head — the part that connects NOMAD to your tripod.
You then use your phone and the alignment app to adjust the wedge or ball head until it is correctly aligned with the celestial pole for your hemisphere.
Once the alignment is complete, remove the phone clamp and attach NOMAD to the wedge or ball head.
With this method, you use the phone to align the mounting platform first, rather than aligning NOMAD directly.
Works in: Northern & Southern Hemispheres
3. Eric's NOMAD 3D Phone Holder
Want to attach your phone to the side of NOMAD?
This phone holder attaches to the side of NOMAD. Although Eric originally designed it to make polar alignment easier for users in the Southern Hemisphere, it can be used in both hemispheres.
There is one important thing to understand about this holder:
Once your phone is placed on the holder, the phone's alignment direction is exactly opposite to NOMAD's normal alignment direction.
Therefore, you need to align your phone toward the opposite celestial pole from the one you would normally use for NOMAD.
For example:
- Northern Hemisphere: NOMAD normally aligns toward the North Celestial Pole. With Eric's phone holder, the phone is facing the opposite direction, so you need to align the phone toward the South Celestial Pole / Sigma Octantis.
- Southern Hemisphere: NOMAD normally aligns toward the South Celestial Pole. With Eric's phone holder, you need to align the phone toward the North Celestial Pole / Polaris.
4. Phone Mount Adapter for Polar Scope
Want to attach the MSM phone mount to a polar scope?
This adapter was mainly developed for users who want to attach the MSM phone mount to a polar scope, including the NOMAD polar scope and compatible polar scopes from other trackers such as Sky-Watcher.
So, if you already have a polar scope and want to use the MSM phone mount with it, this is the adapter you need.
Works in: Northern & Southern Hemispheres
Still not sure which one to choose?
Phone directly on the back of NOMAD
→ MSM Phone Mount
Phone on the wedge / ball head
→ Richard's Phone Clamp
Phone on the side of NOMAD
→ Eric's Phone Holder
Phone mount attached to a polar scope
→ Phone Mount Adapter for Polar Scope
In short: all four options can be used with NOMAD and in both hemispheres. The main difference is where the phone is mounted and how you perform polar alignment.