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Vixen POLARIE U Step-up Kit

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Guides & Tips

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

That is normal. Finder scopes are only used to make objects easy to locate. The image orientation does not matter for observation.

  • Alt-azimuth: easy to use, moves horizontally and vertically
  • Equatorial: enables precise tracking of objects with only one axis – ideal for high magnifications and astrophotography

  • Moon: from 30 mm
  • Planets: from 100 mm
  • Deep sky: from 150 mm
Are you a member of an astronomy club? Find out here what your benefits are.
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Product and safety instructions


Manufacturer: 
Bresser GmbH, Gutenbergstraße 2, 46414 Rhede

Contact: 
www.bresser.de


Warning notes
  • General safety instructions DANGER Risk of suffocation! Improper use of this product can result in suffocation, especially for children. Therefore, carefully observe the following safety instructions. Keep packaging materials (plastic bags, rubber bands, etc.) away from children! There is a risk of suffocation! Keep cords, ribbons, and similar materials away from children! They could accidentally strangle themselves and suffocate! NOTE Risk of material damage! Improper handling can damage the device and/or accessories. Therefore, only use the device according to the following safety instructions. Do not dismantle the device! In the case of a defect, contact your dealer. They will contact the service center and may send the device in for repair.
  • Never look at the sun through an eyepiece/telescope without a certified protection filter. A moon filter can never be used for solar observation. The moon filter is only suitable for moon observation. The solar filter must be mounted in front of the telescope opening, not at the eyepiece. Otherwise, the concentrated light beam through the optics will immediately destroy the filter foil, leading to severe eye damage, including permanent blindness.
  • Never leave the optics unattended. Children and inexperienced adults could point the telescope at the sun without proper precautions and lose their eyesight.
  • Do not expose the device to high temperatures.
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Accessories

Vixen POLARIE U Star Tracker
The POLARIE U is an ultra-compact automatic star tracking device that can be easily transported.In addition to the functions of conventional star trackers, which track a camera for a long exposures, accurately tracking the regular movement of celestial objects, the POLARIE U has a speed adjustment function, which allows it to be used as a panning mount too for time lapse photography.Using a smartphone, you can control the shutter release intervals of the images. Through the communication between the smartphone and the POLARIE U Star Tracker, you can control the exposures and take beautiful, sharp pictures of the stars and the Milky Way without getting any star trailing.The Star Tracker is very small and light weight, making it ideal for mobile use or air travel.The Vixen POLARIE U Star Tracker in detail:Star-scape photography (stars and landscape).A silhouetted landscape on earth is photographed together with the starry sky. The beauty of a landscape and the starry sky can be shown together on one photo. POLARIE U opens up a wonderful foreign world of star-scape photography and makes this possible for both beginners and advanced photographers.Conventional telescopic astrophotography photographs a relatively narrow area of the sky. Star-scape photography mainly uses a wide-angle lens and takes impressive photos in which stars, and other celestial targets such as the majestic Milky Way and landscapes are combined. The possibilities of the compositions are endless and a completely new kind of landscape photography opens up.Weight reduction of more than 20% and improved load capacity.The structure of the original POLARIE has been completely changed. The distance between the two bearings that support the rotating shaft is about four times the distance of the previous model. This leads to a higher load capacity despite the weight reduction of 20%. The maximum load capacity is 2.5 kg (approx. 2.5 kg at 10 cm from the centre of rotation) when used for wide-field astrophotography. The maximum load capacity is increased to 6.5 kg (approx. 6.5 kg at 10 cm from the centre of rotation) when a POLARIE Multi mounting block (optional) and a dovetail slide rail DD (optional) are combined. In addition, used in vertical configuration, the POLARIE U can reach a load capacity of 10 kg (approx. 10 kg 10 cm from the centre of rotation) for time-lapse photography and is therefore suitable for heavy camera equipment.Settings via SmartphoneCommunication between tracker and smartphone via the Vixen Polarie U App enables various settings via smartphones or tablet. For star/landscape photography, the speed is selected in user-defined mode, and for time-lapse photography, settings for interval time, exposure, and rotation speed can also be easily programmed.Five different speeds:Star-scape photography (half star speed). This setting is intended for displaying a landscape together with the starry sky. The stars are not tracked exactly, but slower in order not to blur the landscape in the foreground. This way you get beautiful images of the landscape and the starry sky.Wide Field Astrophotography (Star Speed)When this mode is selected, the POLARIE U follows the stars at the same speed as the daily movement of the stars. In this mode, widefield long time exposures of comets, nebulae, star clusters and the Milky Way are made and tracked precisely.Solar Tracking (solar speed)For recording solar eclipses over a long period of time.Moon Tracking (moon speed)For recording lunar eclipses over a long period of time.Custom ModeThis allows you to set the POLARIE U to the desired tracking speed. The initial setting is four times the star speed. If you want to change the setting for a different speed, a smartphone or other wifi device and application software are required.Shoot-Move-Shoot ModeIt is possible to stop the movement of the camera during the exposure and restart it after the end of the exposure. It is also equipped with a camera connector (shutter release) that controls the camera shutter during shooting with SMS or interval shooting. If the camera in use is connected with the cable release, the settings can be easily adjusted using a smartphone. A Wi-Fi connection is required when using this feature. An additional cable is required to connect the camera and POLARIE U together.Autoguider portCommercially available autoguiders can be used with the POLARIE U (Usable only in R.A.).  An important new feature over the original Polarie - attach a small Guidescope, or Off Axis Guider and autoguiding camera to your main camera and use the standard ST-4 protocol port to guide the Polarie U in Right Ascension, ensuring absolute accuracy of tracking (requires additional separate computer, or standalone guider). FEATURES    Speeds: Sidereal rate, 0.5X star speed, sun, moon. North / South hemisphere compatible    Operating System: Android 4.4 and over or iOS 9.9 and over Wi-Fi: IEEE 802.11b/g    Worm gear: RA gear rim with 144 teeth (58.4 mm Al alloy)    Screw: 9.8 mm brass    RA and DC axis: 40mm, aluminium alloy    Motor drive: electric motor drive with impulse motor (stepper motor)    Load capacity: 2.5 kg standard, 6.5 kg with special accessories, 10 kg with fast motion    Wi-Fi function for Smartphone    Direction finder tube: 8.9 degree field of view without magnification.    Power supply: USB Type-C or 4x AA batteries    Dimensions: 88.5mm x 72mm x 110.5mm    Weight: 575gSCOPE OF DELIVERY    POLARIE U Star Tracker    Attachable direction finder

Available

€599.00*
Vixen POLARIE Multi Mounting Block
The Vixen POLARIE Multi Mounting Block was developed to fit Vixen profile dovetail rails, such as the Vixen Dovetail Slide Bar DD, to the Polarie Star Tracker. In this way you can increase the load capacity of the tracker up to 6.5 kg! By releasing the clamping lever on the multiple assembly block, you can move the dovetail freely and clamp it again, making balancing of your camera or telescope rig an easy task. The hole in the middle of the multiple mounting block enables the photographer to carry out the polar alignment without removing the POLARIE polar finder PFL with the dovetail rail DD or the dovetail rail PG. Using one of these combinations, you can easily put deep sky photography into practice with a telephoto lens, or compact telescope. PROPERTIES Allows the inclusion of dovetail rails The Star Tracker can hold up to 6.5 kg in weight Allows the use of telephoto lenses Polar alignment possible without removing the polar finder Weight: 440g WHAT'S INCLUDED POLARIE multiple assembly block Assembly tool

Available

€159.00*
Vixen Quick Release Panorama Plate
Attachment plates, such as the ARCA SWISS are compatible with this quick-release panorama plate. (Note: angle plate is not included in # 35527). The base of the Vixen Quick Release Panorama Clamp can be rotated 360 degrees so that the position of the mounted camera system can be adjusted simply by loosening the clamping lever. In addition to the recommended Vixen dovetail bar DD and top plate, the camera mount is also compatible with other devices with 1/4 ", 3/8" inch screws. The recommended accessory is the X000096 Angle L Bracket for portrait and landscape photography. PROPERTIES Can be rotated 360 degrees ARCA SWISS compatible Weight: 320g WHAT'S INCLUDED Quick-release panorama plate Screws and tools

€105.00*
Vixen Polar fine adjustment unit DX
​For precise polar alignment of the POLARIE U Star Tracker.With this fine adjustment unit DX you can make sensitive movements in all directions in order to achieve an exact polar alignment.There is a quick-release fastener at the head of the fine-adjustment, which is compatible with the Vixen quick-change angle plate, or the Arca Swisssystem. You can attach or remove your Star Tracker quickly. An optional dovetail plate mounting block is available for versatile use.Thanks to the two M8 threaded holes at a distance of 35 mm on the head, the quick release can be exchanged for the separately available dovetail mounting block.This enables the straightforward mounting of telescopes or heavy telephoto lenses, like the Vixen FL55SS telescope.The fine adjustment DX is equipped with a 1/4 "or 3/8" thread and can therefore be used on all common photo tripods.This tripod adapter can be exchanged for a Vixen tripod adapter in order to be able to connect the fine adjustment unit to the heavier duty Vixen telescopic tripods too.The fine adjustment DX enables a large adjustment range from -30 degrees to 90 degrees and 360 degrees in azimuth.The mounted camera can be tilted freely from 0 degrees (horizontal) to 90 degrees (vertical) by loosening the clamping lever. The fine adjustments can be adjusted in a range of +/- 7.5 degrees.PROPERTIES1/4 "or 3/8" thread for photo tripods-30 degrees to 90 degrees and 360 degrees adjustable in azimuthFine adjustments in the range of +/- 7.5 degrees adjustable2 degrees adjustment per turn of the screwArca Swiss System compatibleAdaptable to Vixen telescopic tripodsAssembly of telescopes or heavy telephoto lensesOver 8 kg payload possibleWHAT'S INCLUDEDPole fine adjustment unit DXQuick release clampAngle plate L adapter for Vixen telescopic tripods with 45mm connectionTechnical specifications

€229.00*
Vixen Counterweight 1.9kg
With the 1.9 kg counterweight, heavier optical tubes can be balanced on many Vixen mounts. COMPATIBLE WITH THE FOLLOWING VIXEN MOUNTS SX SX2 SXD SXD2 SXP GP2 GPD2 SCOPE OF DELIVERY 1x 1.9 kg counterweight

Available

€52.00*
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Vixen Polar Fine Adjustment Unit
The Polar fine adjustment unit is an accessory designed for installation of star tracking mounts such as POLARIE and the AP Star Tracker System with attachment between the photo stand and the star tracking mount. This device enables fine horizontal and vertical adjustment with installation of a polar axis target. The swivel head, which is designed exclusively for use on the base of star trackers, can be secured or removed with a single screw. The twin screw system for inclination and azimuth adjustment ensures fine movement and rigid locking. The adjustable inclination angle of 0゚~85゚ enables use in a range of positions and situations. The fine adjustment range can be adjusted in three steps of low (0-30 degrees), medium (30-60 degrees) and high (60-85 degrees). FEATURES Fine adjustment unit for precise pole alignment For use on the AP and Polarie Star Tracker Adjustment range from 0° to 85° Photo stand connection (for 1/4'' and 3/8'' screws) Weight: 300 g WHAT’S INCLUDED Fine adjustment unit Allen key Adapter for 3/8'' screw

Available

€99.00* €149.00* (33.56% saved)
Vixen polar meter QPL Compass for Polar Star Alignment
This accessory includes a compass with a spirit level and a height scale. The compass helps you to quickly locate the polar star when it is hidden behind trees or a mountain. The compass attaches to the accessory shoe on the Polarie Star Tracker or a device with a camera accessory shoe. FEATURES Compass Oil-filled compass Azimuth dimensions: 1° steps Height adjustment: 5° steps (max. +/- 70°) Markings: marked with luminous paint Spirit level: Built-in spirit level DELIVERY CONTENTS QPL compass

Available

€49.00*
BRESSER Dovetail clamp Messier/ES/GP/Vixen
Universal dovetail clamp suitable for all optical tubes which are equipped with a standard 44mm dovetail rail (Messier/ES/GP/Vixen).  Also a screw kit is included for mounting the dovetail clamp direct on the top of the handle of all BRESSER Messier und EXPLORE-SCIENTIFIC telescopes. Thus a parallel mounted guiding telescope can be set up very easy and enables long exposure astrophotagraphy with autoguiding.  The prism clamp has 2 x 6mm countersunk holes (35mm hole spacing) and 3 additional 1/4" photo tapped holes at 120 degrees angular distance on a pitch circle diameter of 55 mm to allow a versatile adaptation to a variety of other telescopes and adapter plates.FEATURESUniversal dovetail clamp  Suitable for 44mm dovetail rail of Messier/ES/GP/Vixen  Screw set for Messier/ES handle included For piggy-back mounting of a guiding telescope Enables astrophotography with autoguiding CNC machined Aluminum Additional 1/4" photo thread holes available SCOPE OF DELIVERY Dovetail clamp Screw set (2pcs M6x25mm)

Available

€39.00*
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Vixen Lens Heater 360 IV
The 360 IV Lens Heater is designed to prevent camera lenses and telescopes from fogging up due to dew. It is also well suited for eyepieces.The heating element is a carbon fiber heater with a high thermal efficiency. The textile heating element provides great flexibility compared to other heating materials. The power cord (USB cable) has a particularly high flexibility to be still elastic at low temperatures. A very flexible Velcro tape allows for quick and easy attachment to and removal from the lens. The tape can be easily removed from the lens without pulling tightly. The heating tape has a very low power consumption and can be operated with a 10,000 mA battery for up to 14 hours.The Vixen Lens Heater 360 IV in detailWhen moisture in the air comes into contact with an object whose temperature is lower than the ambient temperature, small drops of water form - so-called dew condensation. Astrophotography often suffers from such lens fogging and the photo turns milky. Because the temperature and humidity change during the night and the camera becomes cooler than the ambient temperature, it is important to warm the objective's or telescope's lens by using heaters to prevent it from fogging. We recommend using the Lens Heater 360 IV when you want to do astrophotography or night photography on the coast, in the mountains or in cold regions. The heating elements are made of carbon fibers with improved heating performance, introduced for the fourth generation Vixen Lens Heater 360 IV. They efficiently keep the lens warm and fog-free with minimal power consumption. The heater temperature reaches 10 degrees Celsius above the ambient temperature (at 20 °C outside temperature and no wind). However, it varies according to influences in the environment. For power supply the lens heater is equipped with a detachable coiled cable (USB Type-C), up to 50 cm long. The 360 IV lens heater consumes only 2.5 W of power (5 V - 0.5 A). With a portable USB battery of e.g. 10,000 mA, it can operate continuously for about 14 hours (at 20 °C outdoor temperature). However, the operating time varies greatly depending on the environment and temperature. The soft and non-slip surface of the heating tape allows for easy attachment to the objective, eyepiece or telescope. The heater consists of a 30 mm wide and 600 mm long heating tape and is suitable for diameters up to 100 mm.FEATURESHeating type: carbon fiber textile heatingTemperature: 10 degrees Celsius above ambient outdoor temperature (at 20° C, no wind)Power source, power consumption: USB, 5 V, 0.5 A, 2.5 WPower cable: USB A (male)Connector: USB type C connector detachable coiled cable 20 to 50 cmOperating time: approximately 14 hours with fully charged 10,000 mAh battery (at 20 °C outdoor temperature)Recommended for lenses with a width of 30 mm and an outer diameter of 45 to 100 mmDimensions: 30 x 600 mmTotal weight: 67 gSCOPE OF DELIVERYLens Heater 360 IVUSB spiral cable

Available

€89.00*
Vixen POLARIE U Star Tracker
The POLARIE U is an ultra-compact automatic star tracking device that can be easily transported.In addition to the functions of conventional star trackers, which track a camera for a long exposures, accurately tracking the regular movement of celestial objects, the POLARIE U has a speed adjustment function, which allows it to be used as a panning mount too for time lapse photography.Using a smartphone, you can control the shutter release intervals of the images. Through the communication between the smartphone and the POLARIE U Star Tracker, you can control the exposures and take beautiful, sharp pictures of the stars and the Milky Way without getting any star trailing.The Star Tracker is very small and light weight, making it ideal for mobile use or air travel.The Vixen POLARIE U Star Tracker in detail:Star-scape photography (stars and landscape).A silhouetted landscape on earth is photographed together with the starry sky. The beauty of a landscape and the starry sky can be shown together on one photo. POLARIE U opens up a wonderful foreign world of star-scape photography and makes this possible for both beginners and advanced photographers.Conventional telescopic astrophotography photographs a relatively narrow area of the sky. Star-scape photography mainly uses a wide-angle lens and takes impressive photos in which stars, and other celestial targets such as the majestic Milky Way and landscapes are combined. The possibilities of the compositions are endless and a completely new kind of landscape photography opens up.Weight reduction of more than 20% and improved load capacity.The structure of the original POLARIE has been completely changed. The distance between the two bearings that support the rotating shaft is about four times the distance of the previous model. This leads to a higher load capacity despite the weight reduction of 20%. The maximum load capacity is 2.5 kg (approx. 2.5 kg at 10 cm from the centre of rotation) when used for wide-field astrophotography. The maximum load capacity is increased to 6.5 kg (approx. 6.5 kg at 10 cm from the centre of rotation) when a POLARIE Multi mounting block (optional) and a dovetail slide rail DD (optional) are combined. In addition, used in vertical configuration, the POLARIE U can reach a load capacity of 10 kg (approx. 10 kg 10 cm from the centre of rotation) for time-lapse photography and is therefore suitable for heavy camera equipment.Settings via SmartphoneCommunication between tracker and smartphone via the Vixen Polarie U App enables various settings via smartphones or tablet. For star/landscape photography, the speed is selected in user-defined mode, and for time-lapse photography, settings for interval time, exposure, and rotation speed can also be easily programmed.Five different speeds:Star-scape photography (half star speed). This setting is intended for displaying a landscape together with the starry sky. The stars are not tracked exactly, but slower in order not to blur the landscape in the foreground. This way you get beautiful images of the landscape and the starry sky.Wide Field Astrophotography (Star Speed)When this mode is selected, the POLARIE U follows the stars at the same speed as the daily movement of the stars. In this mode, widefield long time exposures of comets, nebulae, star clusters and the Milky Way are made and tracked precisely.Solar Tracking (solar speed)For recording solar eclipses over a long period of time.Moon Tracking (moon speed)For recording lunar eclipses over a long period of time.Custom ModeThis allows you to set the POLARIE U to the desired tracking speed. The initial setting is four times the star speed. If you want to change the setting for a different speed, a smartphone or other wifi device and application software are required.Shoot-Move-Shoot ModeIt is possible to stop the movement of the camera during the exposure and restart it after the end of the exposure. It is also equipped with a camera connector (shutter release) that controls the camera shutter during shooting with SMS or interval shooting. If the camera in use is connected with the cable release, the settings can be easily adjusted using a smartphone. A Wi-Fi connection is required when using this feature. An additional cable is required to connect the camera and POLARIE U together.Autoguider portCommercially available autoguiders can be used with the POLARIE U (Usable only in R.A.).  An important new feature over the original Polarie - attach a small Guidescope, or Off Axis Guider and autoguiding camera to your main camera and use the standard ST-4 protocol port to guide the Polarie U in Right Ascension, ensuring absolute accuracy of tracking (requires additional separate computer, or standalone guider). FEATURES    Speeds: Sidereal rate, 0.5X star speed, sun, moon. North / South hemisphere compatible    Operating System: Android 4.4 and over or iOS 9.9 and over Wi-Fi: IEEE 802.11b/g    Worm gear: RA gear rim with 144 teeth (58.4 mm Al alloy)    Screw: 9.8 mm brass    RA and DC axis: 40mm, aluminium alloy    Motor drive: electric motor drive with impulse motor (stepper motor)    Load capacity: 2.5 kg standard, 6.5 kg with special accessories, 10 kg with fast motion    Wi-Fi function for Smartphone    Direction finder tube: 8.9 degree field of view without magnification.    Power supply: USB Type-C or 4x AA batteries    Dimensions: 88.5mm x 72mm x 110.5mm    Weight: 575gSCOPE OF DELIVERY    POLARIE U Star Tracker    Attachable direction finder

Available

€599.00*
Vixen POLARIE U Polsucher PF-L II Set
You need this Vixen polar finder set for the POLARIE U Star Tracker in order to be able to align the POLARIE U exactly to the celestial pole. This is very important for longer focal lengths and exposure times, in order to obtain point-like star images. The polar finder enables polar alignment with an accuracy of 3 arc minutes . The polar alignment is very simple: You only have to bring the Pole Star and two other stars into the field of view of the polar finder and rotate them with the stars so that they are congruent with the reticule shown in the polar finder.  No further calculation is needed - no time and date to set, just match the reticule to the polar stars and get imaging. The polar finder PF-L II has red, dimmable lighting that switches itself off after a few minutes in order to save the batteries.PROPERTIES5 x 20 viewfinder with 10 ° field of view3 star positioningNorthern skies: Polaris, Delta UMI, 51 CepSouthern skies: Chi Octantis, Tau Octantis, Sigma OctantisDimmable, red lighting in 8 levelsWHAT'S INCLUDEDPole finder PF-L IIMounting armCR 2032 battery

Available

€325.00*
Vixen Quick Release Panorama Plate
Attachment plates, such as the ARCA SWISS are compatible with this quick-release panorama plate. (Note: angle plate is not included in # 35527). The base of the Vixen Quick Release Panorama Clamp can be rotated 360 degrees so that the position of the mounted camera system can be adjusted simply by loosening the clamping lever. In addition to the recommended Vixen dovetail bar DD and top plate, the camera mount is also compatible with other devices with 1/4 ", 3/8" inch screws. The recommended accessory is the X000096 Angle L Bracket for portrait and landscape photography. PROPERTIES Can be rotated 360 degrees ARCA SWISS compatible Weight: 320g WHAT'S INCLUDED Quick-release panorama plate Screws and tools

€105.00*
Vixen polar meter QPL Compass for Polar Star Alignment
This accessory includes a compass with a spirit level and a height scale. The compass helps you to quickly locate the polar star when it is hidden behind trees or a mountain. The compass attaches to the accessory shoe on the Polarie Star Tracker or a device with a camera accessory shoe. FEATURES Compass Oil-filled compass Azimuth dimensions: 1° steps Height adjustment: 5° steps (max. +/- 70°) Markings: marked with luminous paint Spirit level: Built-in spirit level DELIVERY CONTENTS QPL compass

Available

€49.00*
BRESSER Counterbalance 4,5kg for EXOS-2/EQ5
Additional counterweight to balance heavy accessories etc.

Available

€39.90*
Vixen POLARIE Multi Mounting Block
The Vixen POLARIE Multi Mounting Block was developed to fit Vixen profile dovetail rails, such as the Vixen Dovetail Slide Bar DD, to the Polarie Star Tracker. In this way you can increase the load capacity of the tracker up to 6.5 kg! By releasing the clamping lever on the multiple assembly block, you can move the dovetail freely and clamp it again, making balancing of your camera or telescope rig an easy task. The hole in the middle of the multiple mounting block enables the photographer to carry out the polar alignment without removing the POLARIE polar finder PFL with the dovetail rail DD or the dovetail rail PG. Using one of these combinations, you can easily put deep sky photography into practice with a telephoto lens, or compact telescope. PROPERTIES Allows the inclusion of dovetail rails The Star Tracker can hold up to 6.5 kg in weight Allows the use of telephoto lenses Polar alignment possible without removing the polar finder Weight: 440g WHAT'S INCLUDED POLARIE multiple assembly block Assembly tool

Available

€159.00*