Vixen Dovetail Slide Bar DD for POLARIE Star Tracker Astrophotography Mount

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

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

In the northern hemisphere*, simply position the polar star and two additional stars in the finder’s field of view so that each star is aligned with the corresponding positions in the finder reticle. This enables you to easily configure the equatorial mount with an accuracy of 3 arc minutes or less. The new design of the polar scope eyepiece improves the visibility of stars and makes the scale easier to read. *Three stars for polar orientation in the southern hemisphere are located in Octans. What is the polar alignment scope? The polar alignment scope is a small telescope that is installed parallel to the R.A. axis of an equatorial mount such that it matches the R.A. axis to be parallel in the direction of the diurnal motion of stars. The polar alignment scope utilizes 3 stars (Polaris, Delta UMi and 51 Cep) near the north celestial pole. To locate the north celestial pole, simply align the positions on the reticle in the polar alignment scope with the 3 designated stars. In addition, the patterns of the Big Dipper and Cassiopeia are engraved on the polar alignment reticle for use as a guide for the north celestial pole. The polar alignment scope can align the polar axis of the equatorial mount as accurately as 3 arc minutes or less. The marks and patterns on the built-in reticle provide everything that you need for polar alignment The necessary information for polar alignment is integrated into the reticle, which is designed for locating the north (or south) celestial pole. It is not necessary to configure an hour angle setting in the dark. This makes polar alignment easier, as you can look through the eyepiece of the polar alignment scope. A free app is available to download via the following link. https://www.vixen.co.jp/app/ Dark field illumination (with automatic power off function) The switch on the polar alignment scope’s brightness adjustment dial illuminates the reticle in red when activated. Compared with bright field illumination, this prevents less bright stars from disappearing from the scope's field of view. The brightness can be adjusted in 8 levels by turning the brightness adjustment dial. The red light dims gradually after a certain period of time and turns off automatically. Easy to set up Remove the mounting block on the front side and the cap on the rear side of the POLARIE. Then insert the POLARIE PF-L finder scope into the POLARIE to complete the installation. The telescope is ready for use in no time! FEATURES Easy alignment via reference stars Dimmable red light No date or time settings required Light switches off automatically Free app from https://www.vixen.co.jp/app/ DELIVERY CONTENT 1x PF-L II polar finder 1x CR2032 battery

The Vixen POLARIE is a new camera accessory, that enables you to capture sharp, point-like images of the stars. It has been developed to track the stars and to compensate for the movement of the earth. POLARIE enables you to take atmospheric shots of landscapes and the night sky and can also capture these in sharp images. Extremely simple and compact design for use in every location on earth. If you have ever viewed a romantic, starry sky, you will surely have felt the desire to capture it on film. But if you have tried to do this, you will know that it’s really not all that easy. This is because you need to have multiple exposures of several minutes if you want to photograph the stars. As our earth is always turning on its axis, the stars keep moving as time passes and become long strokes on photographs. Today’s digital technology gives us the option of obtaining shorter exposure times by increasing the sensitivity of the sensor, but, unfortunately, this dramatically increases picture noise and the picture becomes very noisy and ugly. This makes it impossible to take beautiful images of the night sky. For this reason, the Vixen company has developed the Polarie Star Tracker, which eliminates the problem of star migration. When you attach your camera to the Polarie, the device will track in the opposite direction of earth’s rotation and this allows for sharp, point-like images of the starry sky even when using long exposure times. POLARIE is a new and unique camera accessory for photographing the night sky, with perfectly point-like stars being tracked. Using the simplest solution, it makes the experience of photographing the night sky more accessible for everyone. The multi-functional mode dial is adjustable for sky- and landscape-, moon-, sun- and star-tracking. Polar altimeter for a fast focus. Also included: USB connection for external power supply and a built-in compass for quick orientation. Available as optional extra accessories are a polar finder telescope for exact alignment with the celestial pole for long-exposure photography including into the telephoto range, and a tripod. FEATURES Tracking speed: Sidereal, 0.5x sidereal, sun, moon Fine adjustment: F57, 6mm worm wheel with 144 teeth Polar axis: F 40mm, aluminium alloy Drive: High-precision stepper motor: Bearing capacity: approx. 2kg incl. ball head Orientation aperture: Field of vision 8.9° vInclinometer: 0° to 70° Miscellaneous: Built-in compass (removable) Power supply: 2x AA batteries (compatible with alkaline, Ni-MH, Ni-CD batteries) or external power supply compatible with USB mini-B Drive voltage: AA batteries: DC2,4-3.0V, Max. 0.6A External power supply: DC4,4-5,25V, max. 0.3A Operating time: approx. 2 hours with alkaline batteries Approx. 20 hours with external power supply at 20°C with 2 kg load Operating temperature: 0° to 40° Dimensions: 95mm x 137mm x 58mm Weight: 740g without batteries Optional accessories available: Polar finder telescope, M-155 tripod, QPL compass, ball head WHAT’S INCLUDED 1x camera mount

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

The DD dovetail mount was developed for the POLARIE multi-mounting block to attach camera equipment - from DSLR cameras, to telephoto lenses or even compact telescopes. Using this accessory, the load capacity of the POLARIE Star Tracker is increased to up to 6 kg. To make it easier to find the Pole Star, there is a wide slot in the dovetail for the polar finder. In addition to the regular accessories, two cameras can also be balanced on both sides of the existing photo thread (1/4 inch) with optional ball heads. PROPERTIES Accessories for the POLARIE multi-mounting block Allows you to balance the camera Increases the load capacity of the POLARIE Star Tracker to 6 kg Allows a counterweight to be attached Hole bores 1x 1/4 inch, 1x 1/4 inch external thread, 2xM6 internal thread on the plate WHAT'S INCLUDED Dovetail rail DD

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