The Vixen AP 81/625 optics: This double-lens apochromat impresses with its absolutely pure colour optics, which outshine many comparable optics. With a focal length of 625 mm, this instrument is an ideal compromise between visual and astrophotographic applications.
The SD special glass FPL53 from Ohara, Japan, ensures a clear and sharp image. The special lens material suppresses chromatic aberration, a colour defect inherent in all refracting telescopes.
This new version of the Vixen SD81SII does not use spacer plates in the objective, which results in significantly better image quality than the older version, especially with bright stars. This means that there are no longer any spikes on the stars in photographs, which were otherwise caused by the spacer plates.
You will be amazed when you look at the moon or the brighter planets and see the lunar craters in sharp focus and with extremely high contrast. Observe the ringed planet Saturn or the cloud bands on Jupiter.
But of course, brighter deep sky objects such as the Orion Nebula or the Andromeda Galaxy can also be observed impressively.
In combination with the new optional SD Reducer HD Kit or SD Flattener HD, this refractor provides illumination with a 44 mm image circle for full-frame SLR cameras.
The SX2 mount continues the tradition of the legendary Vixen Sphinx range of mounts: it can be combined with various optics, is expandable according to your needs, and has an ergonomic design for easy handling.Additionally the SX2 Sphinx mount can be set up in just a few minutes and can also be easily transported. This makes them interesting for beginners and experienced amateur astronomers alike.
At the heart of the SX2 are the precision stepper motors, ensuring better performance and response than the previous versions. The micro-step motion control system has powerful and yet very quiet drive properties for both tracking and high-speed pans. Smooth running is taken care of by four ball bearings in the worm shafts of the right ascension and declination axes, along with the needle bearing in the the declination clamp unit. While other mounts in this class reminds you of a circular saw, the SX2 purrs like a cat.
The motor units are mounted on the opposite side to the telescope optics and thereby act as counterweights. You will be surprised how little counterweight you have to drag through the countryside in order to to balance the mount. For transportation, you can easily slide the counterweight shaft into the body of the mount.
The mount is supplied with a cigarette lighter connection, so you can drive the mount directly with your car battery, a power tank or a mains adapter with the appropriate plug.
The SX2 is certainly not the cheapest mount in its class, but with the SX2 you get excellent mechanics of very high quality from the Japanese manufacturer Vixen. You will get years of enjoyment from it!
The Star Book One is a versatile yet easy-to-use control, which allows tracking in the R.A. and Dec axes with variable speeds. Among the tracking options available are not only the important sidereal tracking, but also speeds for time-lapse recordings and lunar and solar observations. In addition, the control system offers many useful functions, such as backlash compensation, autoguider port, PEC, and a built-in red LED light.
The Star Book One control is intended for, among others, the Vixen Advanced Polaris and SX2 mounts, and is an integral part of the Advanced Polaris R.A. motor module. Please note: if the Advanced Polaris mount is also to be motorised on the declination axis, then the declination motor module is additionally required. In contrast, all motors are already already installed in the SX2 mount.
The motorisation of the right ascension axis is sufficient for tracking the mount during observations or photography. The tracking of the right ascension axis ensures that the movement of the celestial sphere is compensated for.
- Dimension of the Star Book One: 13.7 x 6.5 x 2.1cm
- Weight: 110g
- CPU: 32-bit CISC Processor.
Most important features at a glance:
- The four arrow buttons on the Star Book One directly control the motors.
- The two-line LCD display has an adjustable red background for night-time observation, so that you will not be dazzled and lose your eyes’ dark adaption.
- The menu language is English.
- A variety of tracking speeds are available, in particular the direction of rotation can be changed depending on the hemisphere.
- In order to home in on celestial objects there are four different speeds for you to choose from.
- The backlash compensation ensures that the control is more responsive if the motion direction is changed. This is very welcome when trying to center a celestial object in the eyepiece at high magnification.
- The Star Book One can be used for autoguiding.
- PEC Control: The tracking compensates for the inevitable errors that inevitably occur in each gear. This periodic error correction is important for images requiring long exposure times.
SX-HAL130 aluminium tripod: Strong aluminium section legs and a large receiving area for SX and SXD mounts ensure very high torsional rigidity. This result can be seen immediately when the tripod is used for astrophotography - vibration becomes a thing of the past. For the taller among us, the height adjustability of 81 to 130cm really comes into its own. With a weight of only 5.5 kg, it is wonderful for use on excursions.
It not only matters which telescope you buy but also where you buy it. Our additional services:
- We are a leading telescope dealer and know the devices we sell. Our customer service team will gladly help you after your purchase if you have problems with assembly or operation.
- We provide a copy of the 80-page Telescope ABC beginners handbook with every telescope.
