This AX103S Refractor Telescope bundle from Vixen Optics includes four main components, a telescope, a tripod, a mount, and an electronic hand controller. These items are combined to create a capable and user-friendly rig for celestial object viewing.
The AX103S Refractor Telescope is an apochromatic f/8.0 refractor with a focal length of 825mm, an aperture of 103mm, and a Quad Element Design. Its three-element objective is complemented by a central fourth lens made from "Super Low Dispersion" glass. This optical design helps reduce chromatic aberration while delivering high-contrast imagery. Precision Multi-Coating is applied to the lenses in order to enhance light transmission and reduce internal reflections that could otherwise reduce overall image quality. A rear field corrector lens is also installed to help further ensure a crisp, high-contrast field of view that is virtually free of false color.
The AX103S weighs 10.0 lb and is fitted with 115mm mounting rings. A dovetail plate is provided, as well as a carry handle. This bundle includes Vixen's 20mm SLV Series 1.25" Eyepiece, a 5mm SLV Series 1.25" Eyepiece, plus a flip mirror diagonal to enable accurate, visual framing and focusing for astrophotography. The flip mirror diagonal can be configured with one of the included eyepieces and a camera. On the AX103S, the 20mm eyepiece provides 41.25x magnification, while the 5mm eyepiece provides 165x magnification.
Vixen's Sphinx SXD2 Equatorial Mount provides a precise and stable motorized mount for long observation sessions, or long-exposure astrophotography. Dual stepper motors provide smooth and virtually vibration-free tracking that run at up to 250pps. Its full-circle brass wheel gear allows the mount to track over extremely long periods with little tracking error.
This Sphinx comes with the Star Book Ten (SB10) computerized hand controller that is loaded with a database of 272,342 celestial objects such as the Moon, Sun, and planets, plus astronomical catalogs including SAO, NGC, and Messier. The SB10 has a 5" 800x400 resolution LED backlit TFT LCD screen that displays star charts, maps, as well as menu options. To aid set-up, there is a built-in 6x20 polar alignment scope that is set inside the mount. It has an 8° wide angle field of view and an illuminated reticle. The Polaris guide scale, for use in the Northern hemisphere, is accurate through the year 2025. An Octant 4-star pattern is also set on the reticle for use in the Southern hemisphere.
The provided tripod on which to rest the telescope, mount, and hand controller is Vixen's HAL 130 tripod. Its adjustable height allows the user to set the position of the telescope to their liking for easy and comfortable viewing. The top of the tripod is powder-coated with a durable finish that resists chipping, flaking, and fading. The tripod is collapsible for convenient storage and portability.
Also included in this bundle is Vixen's 7x50 Illuminated Finderscope to aid in centering observed objects, and a half pillar which contributes approximately 8.0" of additional height to the mount. This pillar provides clearance when attaching a DSLR to the rear or the telescope, and increases comfort for taller observers as well.
Designed to handle larger optical tube assemblies and heavy imaging rigs, Vixen's Sphinx SXD2 Equatorial Mount provides a precise and stable motorized mount for long observation sessions, or long-exposure astrophotography. Dual stepper motors provide smooth and virtually vibration-free tracking that run at up to 250pps. Its full-circle brass wheel gear allows the mount to track over extremely long periods with little tracking error.
The Sphinx comes with the Star Book Ten (SB10) computerized hand controller that is loaded with a database of 272,342 celestial objects such as the Moon, Sun, and planets, plus astronomical catalogs including SAO, NGC, and Messier. The SB10 has a 5" 800x400 resolution LED backlit TFT LCD screen that displays star charts, maps, as well as menu options. To aid set-up, there is a built-in 6x20 polar alignment scope that is set inside the mount. It has an 8° wide angle field of view and an illuminated reticle. The Polaris guide scale, for use in the Northern hemisphere, is accurate through the year 2025. An Octant 4-star pattern is also set on the reticle for use in the Southern hemisphere.
The Sphinx is offered here without an optical tube assembly, tripod, or pier.
- Motorized and computer-guided equatorial mount
- 33 lb payload capacity, excluding counterweights
- Precise azimuth adjustment indicators
- Vixen-style dovetail saddle
- Built-in polar alignment scope
- Two stepping (pulse) motors at 250 pulses per second
- 72mm diameter, 180-tooth full circle micro-movement brass wheel gear
- 35mm carbon steel Right Ascension axis
- 40mm carbon steel Declination axis
- ±7° azimuth adjustment, twin tangent screws/knobs with about 1.2°/rotation
- 0-70° altitude adjustment, 3-altitude zone settings ±15° per zone, 2° increment altitude scale, twin T-bar handles with 0.8°/rotation
- Built-in 6x20 scope
- Field of view: 8°
- Integrated bubble level
- Illuminated reticle
- Setting accuracy within 3 arc minutes
- Time graduation circle: 10 arc minutes increments between 16h and 8h (the following day)
- Date graduation circle: 2-day increments
- Meridian offset circle: Adjustable between 20° East and 20° West, in 5-degree increments
- Northern hemisphere: Polaris guide scale, applicable to the year 2025
- Southern hemisphere: Octant 4 stars pattern
- Retractable 20mm counterweight bar
- 1 x 8.15 lb counterweight
- 1 x 4.2 lb counterweight
- Powered by mount through connector port, button-battery included to keep internal clock running
- 5" TFT LCD display with LED backlight
- 800x480 WVGA resolution
- Red backlit keypad
- Independent screen and keypad dimming control
- ST-4 compatible integrated autoguider port
- "GOTO" slewing with up to 1000x sidereal rate
- 272,342 celestial object database: SAO: 258997, NGC objects: 7840, IC objects: 5386, Messier objects: 109, 7 Planets, 1 quasi-planet, Moon, and Sun
- Programmable user-defined objects
- Automatic and manual GoTo Slewing
- Sidereal tracking with different tracking speeds for the Sun, the Moon, planets, comets, and artificial satellites including the International Space Station
- Backlash compensation
- Periodic error correction (PEC) removes inaccuracies inherent in gears and allows for more accurate tracking, especially for long-exposure astrophotography
- Adjustable screen brightness
- Hibernate mode
- Built-in speaker
- Software updates using LAN connection
- Compatible with Windows SP, Vista, 7, 8, & 8 Pro
- Not compatible with Mac, Linux, and Unix operating systems
- 6.7x6.1x1.2" weighing 13.4 oz
The Vixen Dovetail Tube Plate attaches to the Vixen Great Polaris, Great Polaris DX, GP2, GPD2, Porta, Sphinx, and SXD telescope mounts, as well as the Great Polaris' many 'copies' on the market such as the Celestron CG-5 & Meade LXD75 mounts. This is the plate to choose for most situations where you're just mounting a scope and perhaps a camera atop the scope. If you wish to mount a more complex arrangement of guide scope aside a main scope, or a scope and a large camera setup aside one another, then instead use the #2576 DX Accessory Plate.
The Vixen #2661 dovetail plate's drilled to carry Vixen's tube rings, which hold the telescopes themselves. Atop the tube rings which you would attach to this plate, you can attach Vixen's #3548 Tube Ring Accessory Plate to mount a small camera, finderscope, etc.