Polarie Star Tracker User's Guide
PREFACE Thank you very much for your purchase of a Vixen Polarie star tracker. This manual describes the functions of the Polarie star tracker. You may occasionally find descriptions in the text not relevant to your particular model; this depends on the model you purchased. You should refer to the instruction manuals for your camera, ball head adapter, camera tripod and shutter release control together with this manual as occasion demands. Read through this manual before use.
CONTENTS PREFACE・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・P 2 USING THE POLARIE ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・P13 Warning!・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ P 2 Flow of Operation・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ P13 Caution ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・P 2 What is Polar Alignment?・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・P13 Handling and Storage ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ P 2 Using the Polarie in the Northern Hemisphere・・・・・・ P14 1.
BEFORE USE The Polarie box contains the parts listed below. Make sure that your box contains all these parts. Checking Contents If purchased the Polarie as a package with the tripod Polarie M-178V Tripod with QHD-43 Ball head Polarie User's Guide (This manual) QHD-33 Ball head BASICS OF THE POLARIE Stars seem to rotate around the celestial poles of the earth. This is The motor-driven Polarie is set so that its rotational axis is parallel to rotation on its axis each day.
BEFORE USE Parts Descriptions Polar Sight Hole Compass(Inside) Mode Dial Polar Sight Hole (Field of View: 8.9 degrees approx.
BEFORE USE M-178V Tripod for Polarie (If purchased as a package) Ball head adapter 1: QHD-43 Ball head adapter 2: QHD-33 Ball head adapter (Velbon QHD-43) is pre-installed on the tripod.
BEFORE USE Mode Dial Lunar Tracking Solar Tracking Legend : Mode Power OFF Mode Dial Pointer Wide-Field Astrophotography Description : Power OFF Shuts off the power of Polarie. : Preparation Used for polar alignment(Set to be parallel to the axis of the diurnal motion.). The built-in tilt meter is backlighted in red when the mode dial is set at this position. A half speed of the celestial tracking rate : Star-Scape Photography is selected for star-scape photography.
BEFORE USE Requirements and Useful Items A table below shows necessary equipment and items that are useful for astro-photography with the Polarie. Essential : Needed subject to conditions : Need Item Useful : Description Polarie Ultra-small and handy star tracker. 2 x AA-size Batteries Alkaline batteries or rechargeable Ni-MH or rechargeable Ni-Cd batteries are recommended. Battery performance decreases in cold weather. Be sure to prepare spare ones.
BEFORE USE Requirements and Useful Items (1)It is strongly recommended that your camera have functions that satisfy the following specifications. A bulb shutter mechanism is needed for long exposures. If it is not available on your camera, both an ISO speed setting faster than 3200 and a shutter exposure time setting longer than 30 seconds are required. Shutter release cables. Wide-angled photographic lenses are recommended. Manual Focus is available. Auto Focus rerely works in night- sky scenes.
PREPARATION Batteries for the Polarie Polarie works with 2 AA alkaline batteries which are sold separately. An external power supply is available for the Polarie using the USB-minib plug (DC4.4V to 5.25V)*. *Sanyo Lithium Ion batteries with USB output (Eneloop KBC-L2B) is approved for use with Polarie as of Nov. 2011. Inserting the Batteries 1 Open the battery compartment cover by pushing down on the tab of the cover as shown.
SETTING UP Setting up the Polarie This manual describes Polarie which comes with the M178-V tripod as a package. You may occasionally find descriptions in the text not relevant to your model. You should refer to the instruction manuals for your camera and tripod with this manual. 1 2 Place the tripod on even and solid ground so that you have a stable base for your photography. Extension clamps Mount the Polarie on the ball head adapter of the M178-V tripod.
SETTING UP 4 6 Attach another ball head adapter to the camera mounting block. Push the 1/4” thread screw protruding from the center on the underside of the camera mounting block so that the 1/4” thread screw is pushed out on front side. Attach the ball head adapter on the Attach the camera onto the ball head-mounted Polarie. Make sure that the camera is installed securely on the ball head adapter with the camera mounting dial fully tightened.
USING THE POLARIE Flow of Operation Polar align the Polarie What is Polar Alignment? The Polarie works as a star tracker when Place the Polarie so that its rotation axis is parallel to the earth's axis. set up to follow diurnal motion of stars. It is essential that the rotation axis of the Polarie is set to be parallel to that of the North or south celestial pole diurnal motion of the stars.
USING THE POLARIE 1. Find Polaris using a compass and the latitude of your location 1 Orient north using Polarie's compass and face the front side of the Polarie to the north. 3 North The the cap by turning 2 In the event that Polaris is not there, Remove counter- clockwise to use the compass. uncover the cap on the back side of Orient north session. wide viewing hole.
USING THE POLARIE 2. Find Polaris from Cassiopeia and the Big Dipper The constellations Cassiopeia and the Big Dipper (part of Ursa Major) are near Polaris. You will be able to find Polaris if you know the position of these groups of stars. Cassiopeia and the Big Dipper are autumn and spring constellations respectively. Either constellation is always above the eastern or western horizon most of the year. 1 2 Find Polaris using the guide map below.
USING THE POLARIE Using the Polarie in the Southern Hemisphere Octans is a constellation located near the south celestial pole and it can be used to align the Polarie in the southern hemisphere. Unlike Polaris which is a bright 2nd magnitude star adjacent to the north celestial pole, Octans is made up of dark stars about 5th magnitude on average. The nearest star to the south celestial pole is Sigma Octantis, which is one of four stars forming a trapezoid in Octans, visible at 5.5th magnitude.
USING THE POLARIE 1. Find Octans using Small Magellanic Cloud and the Southern Cross (Crux) as pointers Draw an imaginary line between the center of Small Magellanic Cloud and Beta Crux and divide it at a ratio of one to two. You will find the four stars of Octans at that location. 2.
USING THE POLARIE Basic Camera Settings Switching ON the Polarie Set camera's various modes, shutter exposure times and lens aperture values. For details refer to instruction manuals of your camera. Turning the mode dial to power up the Polarie and selecting a mode for your planned imaging. Setting the Parameters: The legend on the mode dial is backlit in red when the rotation is set ◎ Shutter Speed: Set to bulb (B). for the northern hemisphere.
USING THE POLARIE : Star-Scape Photography Mode If this mode is selected, the Polarie tracks stars at half the speed of the diurnal motion of the stars. The terrestrial objects are trailed less as compared with images taken by wide-field photography at a given exposure time. Short exposure times will allow you to take images with no star trails. Photography at half the speed of the star's diurnal motion limits the movement seen in terrestrial objects.
USING THE POLARIE :Wide-Field Astrophotography Mode If this mode is selected, the Polarie follows stars at the same speed as the diurnal motion of the stars. It is suitable for capturing dark stars and faint celestial objects. It is possible to avoid star trails but the terrestrial objects are trailed in long exposure. The table below shows allowable maximum shutter exposure times to hold pinpoint star images subject to a polar alignment at an error of 2 degrees.
SPECIFICATIONS Polarie Star Tracker Type Tracking Mode Wheel gear Worm gear Bearings Drive Maximum Loading weight Polar sight hole Tilt meter Standard accessory Working voltage Operating temperature Electricity consumption Duration of operation Dimensions Weight Optional accessory U l tra compact (equat orial) t racking plat f orm C e l est ial t racking rat e. 1/ 2 of celest ial t racking rat e. S olar t racking rat e (Mean solar t ime).
SPECIFICATIONS Tripod for Polarie (If purchased as a package) Model Tripod legs Minimum tripod length Working height Elevator pole extension Camera thread size Maximum loading weight Weight M-178V 4-section legs 555mm (22”) Adjustable from 540mm to 1,780mm (21.2 to 70 inches) Geared part : 200mm (7.9”), Friction up and down part (Center column) : 290mm (11 4”) UNC1/4 inch About 3.0kg (6.6 lbs) Tripod : 1.98kg (4.3 lbs) without pan head QHD-33 Ball head adapter : 130g (4.
APPENDIX Using an optional Polarie Polar Axis Scope Your polar alignment on the Polarie can be improved with use of the dedicated polar axis scope sold separately.
APPENDIX Using the Polarie Polar Axis Scope in the Northern Hemisphere 1 Point the Polarie in the direction 2 Look through the polar axis Rotate the diopter adjustment ring of the eyepiece of north using its polar sight hole. Example: If your location is Tokyo, which has a longitude of 139° E, you need to offset the standard time meridian indicator by 4° in the direction of E after you set to 0 degree on the meridian offset scale.
APPENDIX 5 Uncover the cap on the back 7 side of the Polarie and remove the front camera mounting block. Turn the time graduation circle by holding the sides of the water level so that you bring the bubble to the middle of the level. Line marks Uncover the cap Water level Bubble Remove the camera mounting block and camera 8 Look through the polar axis scope and confirm that Polaris can be seen somewhere in the field of view.
APPENDIX Using the Polarie Polar Axis Scope in the Southern Hemisphere Position of Polaris in 2011 1 Set up the Polarie mounted on the tripod on a level ground 2 3 Refer to set up procedures 2, 5 and 6 that are described for the Precession Polar axis scope's Field of view The orientation of the reticle pattern changes according to the seasons and hours. The position of the north celestial pole moves gradually each year due to precession.
APPENDIX 4 5 Match the form of the Octantis four stars on the reticle with the four stars of Octans while looking through the polar axis scope. Match with the orientation of the four stars χ Lock the pan head firmly Field of view of the polar axis scope after completing the polar alignment. σ χ σ τ τ υ υ Note: Mach with each other Take much care not to lose the balance of the Polarie when you loosen the lock of the pan head grip.
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