Vixen Catadioptrics

More Information  · Supplied Accessories  · Images of Some Features Price $1,199.00 List Price $1,680.00 Highest Useful Magnification 207x Visual Limiting Magnitude 12.7 Focal Length 1035mm Focal Ratio f/9.4 Resolution 1.05 arc seconds Aperture 4.33" Warranty 5 years

• high quality 110mm f/9.4 modified Maksutov-Cassegrain optics
• light and portable SkyPod computerized go-to altazimuth mount and tripod
• Starbook S computer controller with LCD screen display and all-sky star map
• red dot finder
• 25mm Plössl eyepiece (41.4x)
• built-in flip mirror system for instant switching between viewing and photography

    The Vixen V110SKY puts a 110 mm (4.33 inch) aperture modified f/9.4 Cassegrain optical tube on the unique SkyPod computer-controlled altazimuth “go-to" mount. The SkyPod mount uses a Starbook S controller that displays a detailed all-sky star chart on a monochrome LCD screen. Simply scroll through the star chart and click “go-to" when you come across an object you want to observe. The Starbook S computer hand control automatically slews the mount to that object at speeds up to 3.75 degrees per second (900x sidereal), then tracks it flawlessly while you observe at your leisure. And the images that you’ll observe will be superb.
    The Vixen catadioptric optical system is a sophisticated variation of the Maksutov-Cassegrain design that eliminates much of the weight and cost of conventional Maksutov optics. It starts with a Maksutov’s two high-precision multicoated spherical mirrors to help eliminate spherical aberration and yield a sharp image with no hint of false color. But it doesn’t use the thick, expensive, and heavy full aperture meniscus corrector lens found at the front of a conventional Maksutov’s optical system. Instead, the V110SKY optics use a small meniscus corrector lens placed in the light path in front of the secondary mirror. This serves the same optical purpose as a Maksutov’s full aperture meniscus corrector lens, but in a much smaller, lighter, and less expensive form.
    In addition, the V110SKY uses a curved spider vane secondary mirror holder to reduce diffraction effects, such as the spikes seen on bright stars in images taken through telescopes using conventional straight-vane spiders. The reduced diffraction of the curved spider vanes helps improve contrast and increase image sharpness.
    Like a Maksutov, the Vixen V110SKY offers excellent performance within the solar system, for high contrast visual observing and high-magnification eyepiece projection imaging. In addition, it offers high resolution/high power deep space observing of binary stars, globular star clusters, compact planetary nebulas, etc. As its unique design permits a much faster focal ratio than a conventional Maksutov (f/9.4 versus a Maksutov’s f/15), the Vixen is better suited than a Maksutov for observing a wide variety of faint deep space objects, as well – diffuse and compact nebulas, galaxies, open star clusters, etc. This gives it an advantage in all-around observing over the more expensive but similar-aperture pure-Maksutov design.
    The compact size and light weight of the Vixen V110SKY make it an excellent travel scope and superb for grab-and-go astronomy in your back yard or at a nearby dark sky site. Its Starbook S hand control star map makes go-to astronomy a simple matter of point, click, and go. Its optics make the viewing great when you get there. All in all, a scope that’s at the cutting edge of telescope technology, at a price that is very affordable.

This Telescope’s Optical System . . .

• modified Maksutov-Cassegrain optical tube: 4.33" aperture (1035mm focal length f/9.4), 14.2" long. Weighs 4.6 lbs. Multicoated optics. One-knob quick-release dovetail attachment to mount for fast assembly in the field.

• Finder: Non-magnifying variable brightness red dot-type. The red dot finder is the quickest and easiest way to point your telescope exactly to the desired object in the sky. It’s like having a laser pointer that appears to shine directly onto the night sky. No need to worry about the inverted images that you see through traditional finders. Just align the red dot seen through the finder with the desired star in the sky. It’s that easy.

• Internal focuser: Focuses by moving the primary mirror fore and aft in the optical tube by means of a large focusing knob on the rear cell.

• Internal flip mirror system: An internal first surface flip mirror, operated by a knob on the rear cell, directs the incoming light either to a 90° viewing angle 1.25" eyepiece holder at the top of the rear cell for astronomical observing (or mirror-image terrestrial observing), or to a separate 1.25" eyepiece holder at the Cassegrain focus at the center of the rear cell. The Cassegrain focus eyepiece holder accepts either an eyepiece for inverted astronomical viewing, an optional 45° viewing angle erect image 1.25" diagonal for right-reading (correctly oriented) terrestrial observing, or an optional camera adapter for terrestrial and astronomical photography. This system allows you to use two different magnification eyepieces and change powers by simply moving your head from one eyepiece to the other and flipping a lever at the side of the scope. Alternatively, you can connect a camera to the Cassegrain focus eyepiece holder and quickly switch from viewing to photography (for terrestrial nature photography, lunar occultations, solar eclipses, etc.)

• Eyepiece: 1.25" 25mm Plössl (41.4x). The eyepiece field of view is more twice the diameter of the full Moon.

This Telescope’s Mount . . .

• SkyPod go-to altazimuth mount: The unique SkyPod computer-controlled portable altazimuth “go-to" mount has fully enclosed AA battery-operated motor drives built in. Its standard equipment computer controller is integrated into the mount so it is easily visible while stored on the mount and can be operated hands-free while observing. You can also take it off the mount for remote operation as a tethered hand control. The motor drives are powered by eight AA batteries that fit into a compartment in the SkyPod body. The batteries have a useful life expectancy of about 8 hours at 68° Fahrenheit. Battery life will decrease as the ambient temperature drops, so either an optional battery box (#BB2536) that holds larger capacity D-cell batteries or an optional AC adapter (#AC3599 and #AC2537 combination) is recommended if extended cold weather use is routinely expected.

• Computer control: The supplied Starbook S hand controller has a 2.6" diagonal 160 x 160 pixel monochrome LCD screen that shows you a map of the sky (with constellation outlines and labels when desired and an 8-step chart zoom feature for close-ups of densely populated celestial areas). You can operate the mount by using the ten pushbuttons on the right of the hand control to maneuver through the dropdown menus on the LCD screen. This is similar to using the smaller two-line display of a conventional go-to computer hand control, but with a much expanded and more easily-readable menu area displayed.
      Alternatively, you can use the much more user-friendly Starbook approach of scrolling through a detailed star chart on the screen and clicking “go-to" when the desired object appears on the backlit LCD map display. Once an object is selected, the Starbook S computer hand control automatically slews the mount to that object at speeds up to 3.75 degrees per second (900x sidereal).
      The Starbook S controller weighs less than six ounces (without batteries and cable), so it is comfortable to hold and operate for extended periods. It uses four AA batteries to operate the computer and LCD screen, which allows you to unplug the Starbook S from the mount and use it as a stand-alone star chart. This lets you use the Starbook S for learning the skies on your own and as a compact star chart for binocular astronomy.
      The pushbuttons that operate the Starbook are not labeled on the controller body itself, since their functions will change based on what you are doing with the scope at any given moment. However, on-screen soft keys on the LCD display constantly display the function of each pushbutton so you never have to guess what each pushbutton does.
      The Starbook S controller has a 22,735 object data base that provides a nearly endless variety of objects to view and is upgradeable via a LAN connection as Vixen adds more objects and performance features over time. The database includes 17,635 fixed stars brighter than 7th magnitude, all 110 Messier objects, 4980 NGC (New General Catalog) and IC (Index Catalog) deep space objects brighter than 14th magnitude, 8 planets (even poor, demoted Pluto), the Moon, and the Sun.

• Adjustable height altazimuth tripod: The SkyPod mount of the V110SKY comes with a lightweight AL 130-SP adjustable-height aluminum tripod designed specifically for the SkyPod system.

• Built-in Vixen dovetail: The mount has a standard Vixen dovetail slot for connecting to the mount any other reasonably-sized optical tube you may have. The SkyPod can hold optical tubes weighing up to 5.5 lbs as it comes. An optional counterweight (#SKY1KG) is available that allows its use with heavier optical tubes weighing up to 11 lbs. If you already have a reflector optical tube that you want to use with the SkyPod mount, an optional half-pillar (#SP25162) is available to raise the reflector’s optical tube so its tail will not hit the SkyPod tripod when observing at the zenith.