Vixen Polarie U Star Tracker

Capturing the beauty of the night sky has never been easier!

The POLARIE U is an ultra-compact automatic star tracking device that can easily be transported. In addition to functions of conventional star trackers that move a camera for long exposure according to the diurnal motion of the celestial objects, it features a function for customizing rotation speeds using a smartphone and can control the intervals of shots by adjusting the shutter release. By linking the motion of the POLARIE U with the shutter release, you can easily set up complex shooting controls required for interval photography and time-lapse photography with your smartphone

Lightweight and small yet delivering high performance. The state-of-the-art POLARIE U turns nature and night photographs into works of art.

Vixen POLARIE U Star Tracker Overview

"Star-scape photography: A silhouetted landscape on the earth is weaved into a beautiful photo of the starry sky."

The beauty of the earth and the universe could be combined in a photo with the scenery of the night sky. The POLARIE U expands a wonderful world of star-scape photography and the pleasure of photography can be experienced by everyone.

“Star-scape photography” are photographs that capture the stars and scenery together, such as the Milky Way and mountains, or the constellations and buildings. Unlike conventional astrophotography these photographs capture a relatively narrow area in the sky, “Star-scape photography” mainly uses a wide-angle lens and creates impressive photos where stars and scenery combine. The possibilities of composition are endless, and it is a new genre of landscape photography that anyone can easily enjoy.

The POLARIE U is a handy camera platform that automatically follows the movement of the stars. By shooting with the camera, which is mounted on the POLAREI U and a tripod, you will be able to produce works of beautiful starry skies in an image with pinpoint stars.

Weight reduction of more than 20% and improved carrying capacity.

The structure of the original POLARIE was reviewed completely. The distance between the two bearings that support the rotating shaft is about four times that of the previous model. This achieves a great improvement in loading capacity successfully in spite of the weight reduction by 20%. * 1
The maximum loading weight is 2.5kg/5.5 lbs (approx. 2.5kg/5.5 lbs at 10cm from the center of rotation) when it is used for taking wide-fiel d astrophotography or spar-scape photography.
The maximum loading weight will be increased to 6.5kg/14 lbs (approx. 2.5kg/5.5 lbs at 10cm from the center of rotation) if a POLARIE Multi mounting block (optional) and a Dovetail slide bar DD (optional) are combined together.

Furthermore, when used for time-lapse photography, the POLARIE U can hold the loading capacity as heavy as 10 kg/22 lbs at the maximum (about 10 kg/22 lbs at 10 cm from the center of rotation), and it is usable with large equipment. * 2

* 1: In comparison with POLARIE.
* 2: When the POLARIE U is set for time-lapse photography and placed horizontally using the bubble level attached.

Using the custom setting mode via a smartphone.

By using a communication function and app, various settings are customized via smartphones or tablet terminals. In star-scape photography, tracking speeds are selected (in the custom mode), and settings of interval time, exposure and rotation speed are available in time-lapse photography. It allows for a wide variety of selections for the enjoyment of photography.

Five Tracking Modes.

Star-scape photography (Half speed of the sidereal rate)
If this mode is selected, the POLARIE U tracks stars at half the speed of the diurnal motion of the stars. The terrestrial objects are moved less as compared with images taken by wide-field astrophotography at a given exposure time. Adding landscape or architectural objects in the foreground wil l make your photos more impressive.

Wide-field astrophotography (sidereal rate)
If this mode is selected, the POLARIE U follows stars at the same speed as the diurnal motion of the stars. It is suitable for capturing con stellations, the Milky Way or faint celestial objects such as nebulae and star clusters.

Solar tracking
Useful for shooting solar eclipse.

Lunar tracking
Useful for shooting lunar eclipse.

Custom mode
This allows for setting the POLARIE U in your desired tracking speed arbitrarily. The initial setting is four times of the sidereal rate. If you change the setting for a different speed, a smartphone or other wireless device and application software are required.

A “shoot-move-shoot” function (SMS) that is linked with a camera.

It is possible to stop the motion of a camera during exposure when shooting in time-lapse and start the motion of the camera again when the exposure finishes. This is useful as a time-lapse rotator so you can create better quality images in every single shot in the day or night.
In addition, it is equipped with a camera connecting port (shutter release terminal) that controls the camera shutter in the shooting with the SMS or interval shooting.
If the camera used is provided with the bulb shutter function and cable shutter release terminal, the settings can be made easily from a smartphone by linking the POLARIE U and the camera's shutter release to each other.

When you use this function, the communication terminals with Wi-Fi connection such as a smartphone and application software are required. In addition, a cable to connect the camera and the POLARIE U is needed separately.

Autoguider Port.

Commercially available autoguiders can be used with the POLARIE U. (This will move in the direction of R.A. only.) Pin assignment: In order of common, press the shutter button halfway and press the shutter button completely, from center to outward.

Easy-to-carry like a photo lens and stylish appearance.

With the size and appearance that fit in your camera bag like a photo lens, it is easy to carry everywhere. The shape of the POLARIE U is designed properly so as not to interrupt the orientation of the camera. The "U" for the POLARIE U stands for the cross-section of the product.

The direction of the slide power switch implies the directions of rotations in the northern or southern hemisphere. Right after turning ON the power switch, the icons on the mode display start blinking one after another toward the direction of the rotation which corresponds to the slid of the power switch.

The power supply in two ways: self-contained and external.

The POLARIE U works with 4 AA batteries. In addition, it is equipped with a USB (USB Type-C) external power supply port and works with commonly available USB power banks.

A versatile platform available for different options.

Camera Mounting Block (Supplied)
The supplied came mounting block is equipped with a 1/4-inch camera screw. A commercially available ball head can fit on it.

POLARIE Multi Mounting Block (sold separately)
The camera mounting block is exchangeable for the POLARIE multi mounting block to increase the loading capacity for serious astrophotography. With the use of a dovetail slide bar DD (optional) in combination, it can be transformed into an imaging platform for a telephoto lens or a short tube telescope such as an FL55SS OTA. Various focal lengths from a wide-angle to close-up telephoto are available for taking astrophotography.

Quick Release Clamp (sold separately)
The Quick release panorama clamp (optional) is attachable to the POLARIE U. It is compatible with attachment plates of the standard thin type.

Specifications