VIXEN VMC110L & SKYPOD VMC110L Catadioptric

Skypod was first introduced overseas in December 2005, with deliveries starting in May 2006. It is initially promoted for sale only with the Vixen VMC110L, a 110 mm (4.33 inch) aperture modified Cassegrain f/9.4 optical tube assembly as shown on these illustrations. To give some sense of scale the VMC110L is 125 mm (4.92 inch) diameter and 360 mm (14.7 inch) in length. The VMC110L is intriguing in its own right with interesting features including curved vane Secondary Mirror Spider to reduce diffraction effects, and a correcting meniscus lens just ahead of the Secondary Mirror as its larger cousins the VMC200L and VMC260L incorporate. The Skypod can be used with many other compact astronomical telescopes including our TeleVue 76, TeleVue 85, Leica, Orion 80 ED. In time we believe Vixen may offer the mount for sale separately.

Skypod's drive mechanism incorporates two identical 70 tooth worm gear drive sets each driving one platform left or right (azimuth), while the other drives the fork up and down (elevation); hence the term Alt-Az for short. The motors can drive the axes along the full 360 degrees up down or left and right. Skypod is controlled by the Star Book Type S, a compact personal planetarium computer with a graphical user interface (GUI) shown on the 2.6-inch monochrome LCD display. The buttons to the right side of the screen correspond to commands shown on the screen displays. The Star Book Type S is a simpler version of the STARBOOK. Just set up the hardware, turn it on, index the mount to the night sky, select then your target on the screen, click the "GOTO" button and then the mount can point the attached telescope or camera to celestial objects automatically. The display shows where the telescope is pointing with a simple chart of the area of sky and display of pointing coordinates on the screen. With its driven gears and computer control, once set up then the Star Book Type S controller provides the user access any area of sky including zenith, and then precisely track a celestial object across the sky. There is no need to touch the telescope after it is set up and the mount is initialized. In fact since this is an open loop control system any manual override will confuse the computer. Furthermore, the Star Book Type S can be removed from the dock and used as a portable reference tool without the mount. The GUI is easy to learn resembling many of the popular portable gaming computers - simply ask any ten year old to help if you ever need it.

experience the beauty of the night sky with ease - while the telescope gets out of the way...
With the Star Book Type S and the fully enclosed gear drive and motors it a simple matter to set up the Skypod and then slew at speeds up to 3-¾ degrees per second from one target to another and then track quietly while sharing the telescope with friends and family. Being so compact and easy to use it can be a great teaching tool for instructors who are nervous about not being embarrassed by their lack of conventional navigation skills. Skypod is designed for foremost for easy visual astronomical use however, it does incorporate some features to facilitate astrophotography and CCD imaging of its more sophisticated cousins. While future firmware updates will add further capabilities to the Skypod. When one looks at how some amateurs accomplished good results with film and even the most simple motorized platforms like the Astro-Kit of the 1980's, one can only imagine what may be done with the Skypod!

For wide sky imaging or piggyback photography we would recommend optional hardware or techniques to deal with issues of field rotation. The telescope can traverse up to directly overhead, and down limited only by those longer telescope optical tubes which might reduce the depression angle, and so in these cases we recommend the use of a conventional Field Tripod possibly even with the optional Half Pier extension. The head assembly is attached onto a tripod by means of a hand knob.

A telescope is installed onto the Skypod by means of an optional Dovetail Plate which slips into the Saddle on the elevation fork tine. This works well with most telescopes that incorporate either a straight through view orientation and this will work fine with telescope optical tubes that are provided with mounting rings. However, some telescopes that position the telescope eyepiece at ninety (90) degrees to the optical axis and that also have no provision for rotation may be incompatible with the Skypod.

The Vixen Dovetail Plate AM-AD-2661 is one of the plates we can recommend to install most common small reflecting and refracting telescopes that employ two separate mounting rings. One ring is attached onto each end of the AM-AD-2661 to support the telescope. The mounting rings are loosened enough to permit sliding the telescope lengthwise back and forth until a reasonable balance is achieved, then the rings are tightened. The AM-AD-2661 is cast aluminum painted to match the Skypod mount, Porta Mount, and other popular Vixen German Equatorial Mounts.

Skypod Features and Specifications

• "Go To" control with integrated star map and LCD monitor
• Cirrus Logic CS89712 32 bit RISC processor for fast computing speed (as on STAR BOOK)
  74 MHz ARM720TDMI core performance matches that of a 100-MHz Intel Pentium based PC
• Twisted Nematic 2.6 inch (66 mm) Monochromatic LCD display
• Resolution of 160 x 160 (25,600 pixels)
• Panel brightness and contrast are adjustable
• Integrated audio speaker with volume control
• Port connecting Star Book Type S to Mount is Modular 8 pin (RJ45) with straight through wiring (pin 1 to 1 etc.)

   

• Innovative and intuitive easy to navigate GUI menu structure
• Automated target acquisition and tracking
• Continuously updated position and coordinates of object in 0.1 (arc minute) increment
• Database contains 22,725 objects, more than enough to keep you looking for years to come
  Stars: 17,635 brighter than Magnitude 7.0
  Messier Objects: 110
  NGC & IC catalog objects: 4,980 brighter than Magnitude 14.0
  Planets, Moon, and Sun
  
  
• Standard LAN Port 10 BASE-T Ethernet Port for fast communication directly with a PC by means of an Ethernet Crossover Cable and for firmware updates

   

  • LAN Port communicates with a network via a Ethernet Cable into a Hub or Router
  • LAN Port communicates with a directly with a PC by means of an Ethernet Crossover Cable
  • Firmware is upgradable by the user so that it will be possible to add new free or payware features including Periodic Error Correction, optional Backlash Compensation, and compatibility with most autoguiding CCD systems.
  • Modular 6 pin (RJ12) Autoguider Port. By changing in internal dip switch can be configured to operate as a conventional SBIG TIC compatible port or with the Vixen AGA-1 autoguider.

   

• Battery Holder included, requires eight 1.5 volt alkaline or lithium batteries, 6V 0.2 Amp
• Endurance about eight (8) hours with alkaline batteries at 68° F (20° C)
• External Power suggested is 12 Volt DC 0.5 Amp
• Power Jack 1.7 mm diameter EIAJ RC5320A
• Fastest slewing mode 900X Sidereal
• CR-2032 internal Clock battery, lasts about one year and is easily replaced
• Operating temperature range from 32 to 104° F (0 to 40° C)

   

• Dimensions: 3.35 inches / 85 mm L x 5.28 inch / 134 mm W x 1.5 inch / 35 mm thick
• Weight 5.8 oz. / 165 g (without batteries)

Vixen Skypod Head Features and Specifications

• Eight (8) speeds up to 500 / 900 X Sidereal rates of slewing.
• Easy set up
• Quick Release Dovetail Saddle facilitates setup or take down, or change of instruments
• Head Dimensions: 8.3 inch (210 mm) W x 7.9 inch (200 mm) L x 7.5 inch (19.9 mm) H
• Mount Weight: 9.24 lbs / 4.2 kg
• Payload rating: 11 lbs / 5 kg
• Elevation Axis incorporates 70 tooth Worm Gear Set
• Rotation Axis incorporates 70 tooth Worm Gear Set

Item condition: New in Box

Item includes; Skypod with tripod as shown. & VMC110L as shown. 

Item will be shipped by EMS