Vixen AP-SM Mount with RA Motor Module and Star Book One Controller

The AP mount provides a secure, stable support for your telescope. Thanks to the slip clutch mechanism, the mount can be adjusted quickly to the target object. There is a wide range of optional accessories. The ADVANCED POLARIS mount is perfect for both beginners and advanced observers who require a lightweight travel mount. STYLISH DESIGN The AP mount features an ultra-smooth finish without any projecting parts. Simply place your telescope on the mount and move it to the desired celestial object without having to loosen any clamps! QUICK POLAR ALIGNMENT The slip clutches allow you to adjust the telescope to your target object easily – no more searching for adjustment clamps in the dark! An optional polar meter is available, which enables you to locate the celestial pole when it is hidden by trees or buildings. OPTIONAL POLAR FINDER SCOPE The innovative polar finder scope provides a new way to polar align your telescope. Simply align the stars in the crosshair reticle with the same stars in the night sky. Polar alignment is achieved using 3 reference stars. The polar finder is illuminated to facilitate orientation and switches off automatically after 3 minutes to save battery power. OPTIONAL POWER SUPPLY The RA and DEC motor modules are powered by four AA alkaline, Ni-MH or Ni-CD batteries. The RA motor module has a USB Micro-B port for an external power supply. A USB power pack or car charging cable can be used for longer observation sessions. OPTIONAL STAR BOOK ONE CONTROLLER The STAR BOOK ONE is a multifunctional and intuitive controller that tracks in the RA and DC axis with a range of different speeds. The tracking options are designed for time lapse cameras at a wide range of speeds, including sidereal, lunar and solar rates. The controller also offers many useful functions such as backlash compensation, autoguider port, PEC and a built-in red LED light. The STAR BOOK ONE controller is designed for the AP-SM mount and is an integral part of the RA motor module. NOTE The STAR BOOK ONE controller is not sold separately but is only available with the Motor Module Set! FEATURES R.A. Worm wheels: 58.4 mm Ø gear wheel with 140 teeth DEC. Worm wheels: 58.4 mm Ø gear wheel with 140 teeth Azimuthal adjustment: Twin adjusting screws Altitude adjustment: Twin adjusting screws Number of ball bearings: 7 Polar finder: Optional Motors: Optional Tracking: Manual fine adjustment Counterweight bar: 20 mm WHAT’S INCLUDED AP mount 1.0 kg counterweight

The DEC motor module from Vixen allows the declination axis to be controlled by a motor in conjunction with the RA motor module #25804. This makes it possible to make fine adjustments without touching the mount. This is essential for astrophotography with longer exposure times and focal lengths.FEATURESMotorised fine adjustments of the DC axis Ideal for astrophotography For retrofitting an AP mountDELIVERY CONTENTMotor moduleHex keyScrews

Vixen has developed a new generation of SX mounts for demanding observers and astrophotographers. The SX2WL mount is simply operated via a Wifi module with a smartphone or tablet. By controlling the mount with your smartphone using the free STAR BOOK Wireless app, you can easily use sky navigation functions such as automatic GoTo panning of celestial objects via your smartphone or tablet. By eliminating the power consumption of the conventional LCD (STAR BOOK TEN), the power consumption on the mount is reduced by up to 20%, thus enabling longer astronomical observation and astrophotography. When the desired celestial object is selected from a list, it is automatically panned into the telescope's field of view and tracking begins.An existing STAR BOOK TEN controller can also be used on this mount without any problems. Equipped with the same precision stepper motors as the top model, the AXD mount, the SXD2WL brings a new standard of performance and precision to the Vixen mount family. With a photographic load capacity of 12 kg, the axis cross of the mount weighs just 7.0 kg (15.4 lbs) making it ideal for mobile observations.In addition, the motors mounted in the lower part of the mount also serve as a counterweight, so the mount requires fewer weights for balancing. The SX2 mount in detail Precision stepper motors and micro-step motion control systemAt the heart of the SXD2 are the precision stepper motors, which offer better performance and response than previous models. The micro-step motion control system offers powerful and yet very smooth drive characteristics, which are given both in fine movements and in fast pans. Built-in bearings The bearings of the RA and DEC axes and the worm shafts have been significantly improved to reduce the load on the motors. As a result, the motors move much more smoothly than in previous models. High-precision worm gearsHigh-precision processing technologies eliminate worm gear errors. The edges of the two worms and worm wheels are particularly smooth, enabling very precise tracking. Declination axis as counterweightThe solid motor units are installed in the lower part of the declination axis so that the center of gravity of the SXD2 is below the intersection point of the RA and DEC axes. This means you need fewer additional counterweights. Latitude setting The latitude is adjustable between 0 and 70 degrees (divided into 3 zones and adjustable +/- 15 degrees per zone, for high, medium and low latitudes); latitude scale in 2-degree increments; fine adjustment with a tangent screw head, approx. 0.8 degrees per turn. The wireless module in detail The Vixen Wifi adapter for EQ mounts allows you to control your Vixen mount via a smartphone or tablet. With the smartphone app STAR BOOK Wireless (free of charge) you can navigate the sky without any cables. The app turns your smartphone or tablet into a control unit for the equatorial mount in no time at all. The response delay of the mount, which is considered the biggest disadvantage of wireless connections, has been reduced to a level comparable to wired connections. Reduced power consumption compared to conventional controllers with LCD monitor The power consumption of the mount is reduced by up to 20%, allowing longer observations than with conventional wired controllers such as the STAR BOOK TEN. Operation similar to the STAR BOOK TEN controllerThe STAR BOOK Wireless app has a similar structure to the STAR BOOK TEN controller. Depending on the star map setting, it contains up to 259,000 celestial objects. Tap on a celestial object in the object list and start the GoTo. The mount will now automatically move to this target and bring it into the telescope's field of view. All the popular features of the STAR BOOK TEN are retained. Convenient operation When looking through the telescope operate the mount by swiping on the app's star chart. As there are no buttons, simply slide your finger over the star chart to operate the mount conveniently. Extensive astronomical data included In addition to data on easily observable celestial bodies such as Messier objects, NGC objects and IC objects, this also includes the sun, moon, planets, comets and dwarf planets. High-precision alignment By aligning the mount to one or two stars, you can already achieve fairly precise positioning. By aligning the mount to three or more stars, you can achieve high-precision alignment of the mount for high magnifications. The objects are then approached precisely and centrally in your telescope's field of view. The alignment information is saved and can be retained even when the device is switched off. By leaving the telescope in its current state after completing an observation without moving it, you can start the automatic installation with the same settings for the next observation.  Individual setting options As with the STAR BOOK TEN control unit, the app offers various individual settings, such as gear backlash compensation, night mode in red, autoguider and variable GoTo speed and LED brightness. You can also set the timing of the reversal of the objective tube (meridian flip) as desired. Even if the object moves to the south during tracking, you can prevent the telescope tube from reversing. Important note: Cannot be used on old SX mounts with the old blue Star Book! Technical information about the Wifi module: CPU with 32-bit CISC processor 120 MHz The unit is connected to the mount via a D-SUB 9PIN connector as with the STAR BOOK TEN. It has a 6-pin 6-wire modular plug for external autoguider operation. Supported operating systems are Android 6 or higher, iOS 9.0 or higher, WLAN standard: IEEE 802.11b/g/n. FEATURESRA sprocket: 180 teeth DEC sprocket: 180 teeth Shaft material and diameter: Carbon steel / Decl. 35 mm, RA 40 mm thickness  Fine height adjustment: 0° to 70°, (fine adjustment +/- 15°, height) Backsight rod: 20 mm diameter Azimuth adjustment: worm fine adjustment Power supply: DC12 V; 0.4~1.7 A Maximum load: 12 kg, photographic, without counterweight Counterweight: 1x 1.9 kg  Tripod connection: 45 mm spigot Dimensions: 36 cm (H) x 12 cm (W) x 36 cm (L), weight: 7.0 kg (15.4 lbs), without counterweight 32-bit CISC processor 120 MHz Operating system: Android 6 or higher, iOS 9.0 or higher Connection: D-SUB 9PIN connector Autoguider input: ST4 Power consumption SX2WL+Wireless unit: DC12V / 0.3-2.0 A (load 8 kg), 0.4-2.2 A (load 12 kg) SCOPE OF DELIVERYSX2WL EQ mount Wireless unit Counterweight: 1.9 kg (1pc) Mounting tools Cigarette lighter cable

The APP-TL130 tripod is a lightweight, portable tripod for all standard Vixen mounts with a 45 mm support. Compatible tripods include the Vixen HF2, SX, AP and AXJ mounts. The tripod is adjustable in 3 sections and can be retracted to a very small size. Weighing just 3 kg, it is ideal for astronomy trips. FEATURES Leg section: 3x extendable Maximum extended height: 1296 mm Minimum retracted height: 598.4 mm Material: Aluminium Weight: 3.0 kg Maximum height: 1159 mm (height above the ground) Minimum height: 526 mm (height above the ground) WHAT’S INCLUDED Aluminium tripod Adjustment pins for GP2, GPD2, AP and SX mounts

Simple force of friction keeps the telescope in place. Easily direct the telescope to your desired celestial object without loosening a screw. The friction automatically holds the telescope in position. The AP mount provides a secure, stable support for your telescope. Thanks to the slip clutch mechanism, the mount can be quickly adjusted to the target object. There is a wide range of optional accessories. FEATURES Azimuthal telescope mount with manual fine adjustment Easy to use and quick to install Designed for telescopes up to 8 kg WHAT'S INCLUDED Mount Wheel for fine adjustment

Vixen’s latest design of polar finder, allows a simple, hassle-free method of polar alignment. The Vixen Polarscope PF-L II for AP & SX mounts has a reticule showing the Pole star (Polaris) and two other stars (Delta UMi and 51 Cep) in their precise positions. By turning the Polarscope you can easily match the reticle with the asterism of these stars in the sky and mechanically adjust your mount’s azimuth and altitude axes to align to the true North Pole. You can then adjust the Polar star to a more precise alignment using the reticule’s year marking (which runs from 2015 to 2040, but in practise can be used much longer after this) . Using this alignment process, with visual reference to the actual stars in the sky, a complicated alignment, using date and time to calculate Polaris offset from the pole is unnecessary. For alignment in the Southern Hemisphere you simply use the Trapezium asterism (Sigma, Chi, Tau and Upsilon Octantis) of the constellation Octans and position the reticule with the trapezium stars aligned to their marked positions. The Polarscope has built-in LED illumination, which is dimmable in many stages, and ensures an automatic shut-off after 2 minutes, saving your battery life. The PFL-II also has an improved edge sharpness, when compared with its predecessor. FEATURES Lighting: LED illumination, with automatic shut-off Power supply: 3v button cell Accuracy: ≤ 3 arc minutes Dimensions: 47 x 55 x 127 mm Weight: 155g Compatibility: Vixen AP, SX, AXJ, AXD Mounts SCOPE OF DELIVERY PF-L II Allen key Battery CR2032 3v

Sturdy case for AP, AP-SM and APZ mounts and individual accessory modules.The outer side is equipped with a reflector strip to improve visibility in the dark.The inside of the case features elastic straps for securing accessories.FEATURES Tailor-made case for AP mountsElastic straps inside case for securing accessoriesSeparate compartments keep the mount separate from the accessoriesThe outer side is equipped with a reflector strip to improve visibility in the darkDELIVERY CONTENTAP carry case