Vixen Optics RA Motor with Star Book One for Polaris Mountput this Vixen Optics RA Motor with Star Book One for Polaris Mountset together for their Advance Polaris Mount. It consists of a Right Ascension (RA) motor for tracking heavenly bodies as they move across the night sky and a hand controller to manually find celestial objects and automatically track them.

The low-vibration 360° micro-pulse motor is specifically built to fit seamlessly onto the AP mount and gets its power from the mount centralized power system. It features a 140-tooth worm wheel with a brass shaft and an aluminum alloy rotation axis. Vixen's Star Book One (SB1) is a basic controller and gives you control of the motor. It automatically detects the mount it is plugged into and adjusts its capabilities accordingly. This means that if you install the optional Declination motor, the SB1 will detect it and give you control of it. The controller has both backlash compensation to minimize or eliminate the play between the teeth in the worm wheel for smoother tracking, and Periodic Error Correction (PEC) so you can program out inherent errors in tracking so objects will remain centered in your field of view during long observation sessions or long-exposure astrophotography. To track near and deep space objects, the SB1 has four speeds: sidereal, Kings Rate, lunar, and solar. To make the AP mount more versatile, the SB1 can work in either the Northern or Southern hemispheres.

For Advanced Polaris Mounts    Micro Pulse Motor    140-tooth Worm Wheel    Star Book One Dual-Axis Controller    Backlash Compensation    Periodic Error Correction (PEC)    Four Tracking Speeds    Northern and Southern Hemispheres

Related Questions and Answers

Q: 1. Do these knobs come with 6mm or 8mm couplings, or neither?

A: The knobs are the same size that came with the Vixen AP, GP2, and GPD2 Mounts originally.

Q: 2. How much does the tripod and pier extension weigh?

A: The Star Adventurer GTi Mount Kit (with Tripod and Pier Extension), weight 26 pounds .

Q: 3. Can this unit be used with film cameras?

A: Yes, really no different than a digital camera but if you have them I'd recommend staying within parameters established for a like focal length and ASA/ISO value just for ballpark exposure.

Q: 4. Will this tracker allow for editable panoramic shots?

A: The Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer GTi Mount Kit (with Tripod and Pier Extension) can be used for creating night sky panorama photos when used with an appropriate camera.It is not intended for use as a landscape panorama mount.

Q: 5. Does this item ship to UK with no tax fee's ? Also do I need to buy the Equatorial Wedge Base for taking astro photos with my DSLR's photo tripod ? or do I need any other accessory for DSLR astro photography? Than you.

A: Can't help on UK taxes. You can use a regular tripod, but you need to point the axis of the mount at Polaris, which may be harder without the wedge. The wedge has a knobbed gear wheel for the elevation. You may also need a ball head to pint your camera at what you want to track. If so, get one with at least a 46mm head.

Q: 6. Can you use a power source other than AA batteries?

A: When using the Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer GTi Mount Kit the user will be able to also use the Celestron PowerTank Lithium LT Power Pack,(BH #CEPTLLTPP), instead of the AA batteries..

Q: 7. Will Vixen Optics Porta II Tall+ Alt-Azimuth Mount work with this scope?

A: Yes it is compatible.

Q: 8. Does it come with carrying case?

A: No. It doesn't.

Q: 9. If I have a standard camera tripod and DSLR, can I go straight into photographing the Moon, Orion Nebula, etc., without purchasing *anything* else, or must I also get the counterweight, any kind of wedge, ball head, etc. for it to be a complete setup? I am comparing this to iOptron and need to know what else is required.

A: Using a DSLR should not require you to use a counterweight unless the camera and lens combo approaches the 11 pound threshold. I purchased all of the accessories just in case they were needed I'd have them to use. I only use the counterweight when affixing my ETX to the ball head. Depending on the total weight of the camera and lens, coupled with the stability of the tripod you have, you may want to have some form of counterweight, even if just for the tripod itself, to ensure steady images.

Q: 10. What's the cable model to connect tracker to camera to user with intervalometer?

A: The cable will attach to the camera body directly. Need to know make and model of the camera.