VIXEN MAKSUTOV TELESCOPE CASSEGRAIN 260/3000 VMC260L ATLUX DELUX AXD2 STARBOOK TEN GOTO

This special design from the Japanese telescope manufacturer Vixen combines the advantages of Maksutov and Schmidt-Cassegrain optics. The tube is extremely compact, relatively light and has an ideal position for observation through the eyepiece or other accessories. Since no Schmidt plate is used, temperature compensation with the environment is rapid and even dew condensation is not a problem. The required secondary mirror mount has four posts with a thickness of only 1.3 millimeters, which does not negatively affect image quality during astrophotography.

The high length focal length makes the telescope an ideal instrument for the Moon and Planets, but its Grand opening collects enough light for professional observations and photography of DeepSky objects.

The dielectric-coated mirrors of the VMC260L ensure high brightness and great clarity.

With the optional reducer the focal ratio can be reduced to 1:7. This results in shorter exposure times for photography and a wider field of view. An additional corrector is superfluous in this telescope.

The scope of delivery includes a dovetail bar and a practical carrying handle which can also be used as a camera holder for star field photography.

Vixen's legendary Atlux has become the Atlux Delux (AXD), the flagship of astronomical mounts!

In the past there were two different frame models such as the Atlux frame. There was also the Starbook control unit. Two instruments that were innovative at the time with excellent performance. With the recent increase in the use of highly sensitive DSLR cameras that allow you to produce stunning images, the demand for precision and more modern technologies has also increased. Vixen responded to these changes by developing the AXD mount. The lens was a high-performance mount with high precision, designed for both astrophotography beginners and professional photographers.

Even the most experienced astronomers will find that the high performance and tracking accuracy pay great dividends in observation and photography and that excellent photographic results can be achieved.

Thanks to its ease of use, the AXD mount offers even novice astronomers the opportunity to take fantastic astrophotographs without having to be an expert in the field. Regardless of the type of astronomy you are interested in, photographers or observers, you will find the mount easy to use.

• Robust construction and lightweight body : A7075 superalloy, the strongest among aluminum alloys, is used for RA and DEC axles. The strength of A7075 superalloy is superior to that of titanium, which is known as a lightweight, high-strength material. Its density is 38% lower than titanium. The use of A7075 superalloy for the axles makes the AXD mount lightweight, yet durable.
• 21 bearings: the rotating parts of the AXD mount have a total of 21 bearings. This provides very smooth movement for rotating and tracking objects.
• Stepper motors: Vixen has chosen more precise stepper motors for the mount to obtain maximum performance. The disadvantage of stepper motors with large steps has been eliminated by the Micro-Step motion control system. The system generates 400 pulses per second at high speed. In this way a very smooth and vibration-free tracking is obtained. The stepper motors of the AXD mount have adequate torque. This is especially noticeable when working at high magnification and shooting with small pixel sizes for CCD photography.
• Helical wheels: the size of the sprockets has been increased in the latest version of Atlux. The AXD mount has 270 RA teeth and 216 DC teeth. Both axles have a diameter of 50 mm. This gives the mount a high degree of precision and stability.
• Reduced clearance: Thanks to the Vixen Micro-Step motion control system, the stepper motors operate extremely smoothly from low to high speeds. This eliminates the use of gearboxes in the engine, reducing gear backlash.
• Original engine layout: the massive RA and DEC motors are located at the bottom of the mount. This means that they automatically also act as counterweights. Much less weight is therefore required on the counterweight rod. For smaller units, for example, no counterweight is necessary. The counterweight rod can be inserted completely into the housing.
• Polar finder: the AXD mount comes standard with a 6x20 polar finder. Thanks to the scale built into the polar finder, you can achieve simple and precise polar alignment in the Northern Hemisphere. For observations at southern latitudes, the constellation Octans is shown in the polar finder, which is then adjusted to match the actual stars.
• Periodic Error Correction-VPEC: periodic errors are usually measured on the mounts and corrected by the user. Since the old Starbook did not store this error permanently, the problem was eliminated in the Starbook Ten. The periodic error of the mount was measured at the factory and corrected before delivery. It's called VPEC and it works automatically as soon as you use the mount.. You will get an accuracy of +/- 4 arc seconds. You can further increase the tracking accuracy by saving your recorded periodic errors.

German construction was retained in the development of the robust yet lightweight AXD frame. All electronic parts of the mount are placed on a printed circuit board to simplify wiring. The mount is equipped with a particularly reliable printed electrical circuit.

The Starbook Ten is much more than a GoTo control panel!

Here are some features of this exceptional astronomy computer

• Large color LCD monitor: The Starbook Ten monitor has a 5-inch color TFT liquid crystal display with WVGA resolution (800×480 pixels, 65,535 colors). During night observations, the observer's eyes adapt to the darkness. For this reason, the display can be switched to one red backlight . Red light does not affect this dark adaptation as much as white light. All control and direction buttons can be illuminated red, so you can have an overview even in the dark. Illuminated buttons can be turned on or off.
• Map of the Moon: you can view a map of the visible part of the moon on the screen. All the most important points of interest on the surface of the Moon are highlighted and can be selected for the GoTo function.
• Fast CPU: the Starbook Ten has a CPU with a frequency of 324 MHz, about 5 times faster than the CPU of the old Starbook. This way the star map loads faster and the screen becomes more vivid.
• Simple menu: with the Starbook Ten it is possible to access celestial objects in both telescope and cartographic mode. Additionally, you can select objects by scrolling through the star map in graph mode. Frequently used menus are located on each of the ten buttons. This allows you to quickly and easily access the most important functions directly at the touch of a button.
• Large database: Starbook Ten contains over 270,000 celestial objects, including 258,977 stars from the SAO star catalog, 109 Messier objects, 7,840 objects, and NGC 5386 IC objects, the Sun, the Moon, and the planets of our solar system. Simply recall the objects by their common names.
• P-PEC function: a periodic error correction can be stored to improve the tracking accuracy of the mount. This is memorized and retained even if you turn off the device and turn it on again the next time.
• Hunting for Satellites and Comets : You can insert the orbital elements of a satellite or comet directly into the Starbook via a PC's Wi-Fi connection. It is therefore possible to store up to 10 Satellites or Comets in the Starbook
• User Defined Objects : The Starbook Ten is capable of storing user defined objects. This way you can save other interesting celestial objects that you want to observe or photograph. You can enter location data for up to 10 objects directly or via a PC's Wi-Fi connection.
• Different tracking speeds: you can change the tracking speed based on the type of object you are observing. The movement of the Sun, Moon, planets or comets can be followed at different speeds.
• Advanced alignment algorithm: it is possible to obtain a precise alignment of the mount simply by moving to two stars at least ten degrees apart in succession and memorizing them. You can enter the location data of up to twenty stars on the controller. If you save multiple stars for alignment within ten degrees, the controller will report this in the dialog, as this would not result in more precise positioning.
• Starbook Ten has a wide backup memory in which to store information. This way you can turn off the unit and save the batteries. When the mount starts working again, the data remains stored.
• Atmospheric refraction: this option allows you to compensate or reduce the position variation due to atmospheric refraction on celestial objects near the horizon.
• Transverse meridian: the mount is equipped with a safety function that rotates the optical tube in the opposite direction when the observed object reaches the highest position, to prevent the optics from hitting the mount. However, you are free to select or disable this feature when you want to take photographs with your own equipment.

Furthermore, the Starbook Ten is equipped with an expansion slot into which an additional module can be inserted. With the optional module, you can use an autoguider for automatic object tracking during photography.

Included in shipping:

• Vixen Cassegrain Telescope MC 260/3000 VMC260L OTA
• Vixen Atlux Delux AXD2 Starbook Ten GoTo mount
• Vixen AXD TR102 stand
• Vixen Polarie PF-L II polar finder