2-inch Pick-off
Mirror Insert: This special Insert is designed specifically
for the Mega-Port Sidewinder. It incorporates a unique and convenient 2"
barrel format pick-off mirror insert (see picture at left). The insert accepts
a 1.25" format eyepiece, or similar device with a 1.25" diameter barrel-nose
input. This is actually another throw-back from the old VSI Flippers of
yesteryear. Being a flip-mirror, with too much profile, it was discontinued
in favor of the Slider's short profile, but it had one simple and functional
feature; it's separate 2" format side port that accepted our pick-off mirror
insert, and could be interchanged instantly for a different device to intersect
your primary light cone, like the beam-splitter insert below.
The 2" format pick-off mirror insert offers all the X-Y axis control of the renown Slider 2's side port, but with simpler operating parameters. The first axis of control is like the Slider 2's pick-off mirror angle that's controlled by turning a knob. And by rotating the insert in its port, you achieve the second opposing [scanning] axis of control, like the Slider 2 and Targetron's lever controls.
And there is another important feature that the Slider 2 doesn't possess; by loosening the two set screws on the 2" barrel housing (see picture at left) you can adjust (push/pull) the overall distance the pick-off mirror protrudes into your scope's light cone. This insert incorporates an enclosed first-surface mirror, double 10-32 Nylon thumb screw locks, and includes an Allen wrench to adjust the aluminum, 1" diameter, pick-off mirror drawtube. The 2" format thick-wall tube is machined from a solid, 2.25" diameter rod of vinyl polymer; a substance that is much lighter than aluminum and is indestructable.
Item POI: $99
2-inch Beam-Splitter
Insert
(DISCONTINUED): This special
[fully-machined] insert is designed specifically for the Mega-Port Sidewinder.
Normally, you insert it into the side pick-off port, but it could also be
inserted into the top or bottom ports too. Just make sure that you extract
the Sidewider's main mirror before insertion or you will create a collision.
It incorporates a large 1.5" straight-through clear aperture with a full-aperture
1.25" format diagonal aperture. The beam-splitter has a 40/60%
reflection/transmission optical glass surface.
This is actually a throw-back from the old VSI Flippers of yesteryear. Being a flip-mirror, with too much profile, it was discontinued in favor of the Slider's short profile, but it had some unique and functional features that should be revived. The Flipper's 2" format side port could accept our pick-off mirror insert (above), and could also accept a beam-splitter insert to intersect your primary light cone, just like today's Sidewinder.
Why would you want a device like this? Maybe a dual optical recording device that can function on less than optimum light gathering capabilities, like a spectrograph, or a photometer to measure the difference in brightness of double/variable stars, or a second calibration standard of some kind that needs to operate on-axis and simultaneously interact with its counterpart, or just to image using two cameras simultaneously.
VSI has had requests for these types of devices in the past or we wouldn't be offering it now. You will have to tell us what you would do with it, nicely please. It accepts any 1.25" barrel-nose device, like an eyepiece or guiding CCD camera, etc., but could be custom modified to accept other formats. We're trying to say that the Sidewinder design concept has a very wide range of adaptable capabilities, and we are willing to work with you to develop those capabilities to the fullest extent. VSI could even install a beam-splitter on the push/pull/rotate slide tube instead of a first-surface mirror, like we did for JPL a while back. Having a custom mechanical modification, built to your specific optical needs, could cost 10 times the price of the Sidewinder. Something to think about. VSI hopes the above provides a catalyst for new ideas, or a way to solve your existing optical desires at a more reasonable cost. The possibilities are endless! This insert incorporates double 10-32 Nylon thumb screw locks. The 2" format thick-wall tube is machined from a solid, 2.25" diameter rod of vinyl polymer; a substance that is much lighter than aluminum and indestructable.
Item BEMS: $195 (DISCONTINUED)
2"Threaded
2" Filter Slot Adapter
(DISCONTINUED):
The 2-inch threaded FSA takes standard 2-inch (48 to 50mm) filters up to
a thickness of 5/16" (0.3125"). The FSA is designed to take industry
standard double sided, male/female threaded filters. The same type filter
cell that screws onto the bottom of a 2" eyepiece, except instead of screwing
them on, you just pop them in and out. Easy, fast and efficient! The
threaded FSA adds slightly less than 1-inch to your profile. Even though
this adapter is cut in half, there is no flexure from heavy, leveraged equipment
loads. VSI guarantees zero flexure up to 10 lbs. The internal adapter walls
are 1/4-inch thick aluminum, eliminating any possibility of flexure. Also
included with your FSA is a stray light blocking insertion ring (pictured).
When you're not using your filters, just insert the ring to block stray light
from entering the slot.
The threaded FSA has a standard 2"-24tpi male thread on one end, and a standard 2"-24tpi female thread on the other end (not shown in picture). This adapter's diameter and threads are the same as the visual back on Meade/Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes (male 2" diameter, 24 threads per inch). This threaded FSA has the same physical dimensions and thread specifications as a standard Meade/Celestron focal reducer, except this adapter has a filter slot in the center of the housing, instead of a glass lens. This FSA is the same type as the built-in filter slot on the rear imaging port of the VP Sliders, and includes the stray light blocking insert ring noted above.
Item FSAT, 2" Threaded Filter Slot Adapter, w/stray-light blocking insert ring: $129 (DISCONTINUED)
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2-inch Threaded Long Barrel
Adapter: This adapter is a standard 2"-24tpi male thread to
2-inch standard barrel-nose slide format. Screw this adapter into the front
female 2"-24tpi threaded slip-ring (input port) on the Sliders to convert
your Slider to 2" barrel nose format for use with 2" TOADLOADERS or any other
standard 2-inch focuser. This 2"-24tpi threaded barrel adapter also has a
machined safety indent for your thumb screws, which prevents the barrel from
slipping out of the focuser's tube even if the thumb screws come loose. The
threads on this adapter duplicate the diameter and male threads on all standard
SCT visual backs, such as Celestron/Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes.
This adapter, to include all the adapters below, can also be used for other
industry-standard applications too.
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Zero Profile T-Adapter: This zero profile
T-adapter (ZPTA) is designed to fit, with a zero profile, in the 2-inch rear
imaging port of all Sliders. It has the industry-standard metric 42mm - 0.75mm
thread pitch. Note the circular dovetail machined into to housing. This 15
degree dovetail not only provides a safety catch for your thumb screws, but
also presses the ZPTA into the Sliders rear port for a zero flexure
fit. If you are doing CCD camera work, use your CCD camera's
basic female T-thread input and screw the ZPTA directly into your
CCD camera head. Then slip it in the Slider's rear imaging port and lock
it down with the double thumb screws. If you are doing 35mm camera work,
just screw your T-ring on to the ZPTA, connect your 35mm or digital camera
to your T-ring. Then slip it in the Slider's rear imaging port and lock it
down with the double thumb screws. If you are just doing CCD camera imaging,
this is the only adapter you need. Included in packages below.
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2-inch Threaded Short Barrel
Adapter: This adapter has a standard 2"-24tpi male slide format
(0.75 inches long) designed to fit in the 2-inch rear imaging port of Sliders.
Then you can screw your 2-inch focal reducer, or any accessory that has a
standard 2"-24tpi female threaded coupling, into the threaded end of this
adapter. Note the circular dovetail machined into to housing. This 15 degree
dovetail not only provides a safety catch for your thumb screws, but also
presses the A2ST into the Sliders rear port for a zero flexure fit. Also,
inserted in the Slider's rear imaging port, this adapter has the same zero
profile as the ZPTA listed above.
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2"-24tpi Female to 42mm T Male Threaded
Adapter: This adapter has a standard 2"-24tpi female thread
input, just like your Meade/Celestron focal reducers, etc., and the output
is a standard male 42mm-0.75mm male T-thread that will attach to any CCD
camera or 35mm camera's T-ring adapter. One of many uses for this adapter
is to install a focal reducer into the rear port of a Slider by inserting
VSI's A2ST (above) in the rear port of the Slider, then screwing on a fairly
fast focal reducer (like the Meade f/3.3 FR). At this point you have a 2"-24tpi
male threaded output on the rear of your FR that will not screw onto your
CCD camera's female T-thread input, so this is where this adapter comes into
play. Screw the A2T onto the rear of your FR and simply screw your camera
of choice onto the A2T. Using this faster FR configuration, you will need
to extend out the top and side ports of the Slider to achieve parfocus. This
is just one use for the A2T. I'm sure you can think of many others.
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2"-24tpi Male to 42mm T Female
Threaded Adapter: This very unique accessory is approx.
0.75" long and has female T-threads on one end and male 2"-24tpi threads
on the other end. You can screw this adapter onto the front [slip-ring] port
of a Slider to convert its input to female 42mm-0.75mm T-threads allowing
you to attach a standard Meade/Celestron T-Adapter for eyepiece projection,
or any other accessory that has male T-threads, etc. This special adapter
can serve many other purposes, too.
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2-inch to 1.25-inch Reducer: Industry
standard reducer has a 0.375-inch profile and reduces your 2" format focuser
to 1.25" so you can utilize 1.25" barrel-nose eyepieces and accessories.
This reducer also has a circular dovetail cut into the outside 2" diameter
to provide better security. When locked down with double thumb screws, it
is impossible for this adapter to fall out. The thumb screws pushing against
this circular dovetail also provide lateral pressure creating a very solid
connection.
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2" SCT Captive Retaining Adapter:
Industry-standard 2"-24tpi female threads (see picture at right), double
thumb screws at the top for standard barrel indents, and our proprietary
double thumb screws below for locking into the special groove on the barrel
of our Hexagonals (see TURRETS link for additional info). This adapter can
also be used to convert 2"-24tpi SCT visual backs to accept 2" format barrel
nose eyepieces, etc. The extra set of lower locking thumb screws can
be used for additional [Quad-Lock] security or to create true zero-flex imaging
trains when inserting conventional 2" barrel-nose camera equipment, eyepieces
and accessories, or not used at all.
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2-inch to 2-inch Drawtube: This
"shorty" drawtube is specifically designed to insert in the 2" top port of
the Slider to parfocus a longer camera focus point out the rear port, but
can be used in any application where a 2" format extension drawtube is required.
VSI's Sidewinder [etc.] would be a good use for this 2" to 2" drawtube. 1.25"
drawtube insertion length to fit all the way inside a Slider's top 2" port
and 1.25" drawtube length to fully insert most 2" format eyepieces into the
drawtube's knurled end. Double black Nylon thumb screws opposed by 90 degrees.
One-piece construction machined from 6061-T6 aircraft-grade aluminum.
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2-inch to 1.25-inch Drawtube: This
"shorty" drawtube is also specifically designed to insert in the 2" top port
of the Slider to parfocus a longer camera focus point out the Slider's rear
port, but can be used in any application where a 2" to 1.25" format extension
drawtube is required. VSI's Sidewinder [etc.] would be a good use for this
2" to 1.25" drawtube. 1.25" drawtube insertion length to fit all the way
inside a Slider's top 2" port with a 3/8" shoulder. 1.25" ID through hole
that should accept any 1.25" format eyepiece. Double black Nylon thumb screws
opposed by 90 degrees. One-piece construction machined from lightweight gray
polymer resin that is nearly indestructable.
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1.25-inch to 1.25-inch Drawtube: This
"shorty" drawtube is specifically designed to insert in the 1.25" side pick-off
port of the Slider 2 to parfocus a longer camera focus point out the rear
port, but can be used in any application where a 1.25" format extension drawtube
is required. 1.5" drawtube insertion length to fit all the way inside a Slider's
side pick-off port and 1.25" drawtube length to insert most 1.25" format
eyepieces fully into the drawtube's knurled end. Double black Nylon thumb
screws opposed by 90 degrees. One-piece construction machined from 6061-T6
aircraft-grade aluminum.
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This unique, and exclusive, VSI 2" collar ring is necessary to lock-in
a repeatable eyepiece and/or camera parfocusing position. Just slip the collar
over your eyepiece or camera tube, and lock down the double thumb screws
at the parfocus point. From then on, even when you change your setup, your
eyepiece or camera will reinsert at the exact parfocus point, with repeatable
zero tolerance. No need to waste your valuable time to reparfocus your entire
system. Since the collar rings are 0.25 to 0.3 inches thick, you will need
at least that amount of clearance between the eyepiece housing and the top
of a female port to utilize these collar rings. Double black Nylon thumb
screws opposed by 90 degrees. Machined from 6061-T6 aircraft-grade
aluminum.
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This unique, and exclusive, VSI 1.25" collar ring is necessary to
lock-in a repeatable eyepiece and/or camera parfocusing position. Just slip
the collar over your eyepiece or camera tube, and lock down the double
thumb screws at the parfocus point. From then on, even when you change your
setup, your eyepiece or camera will reinsert at the exact parfocus point,
with repeatable zero tolerance. No need to waste your valuable time to reparfocus
your entire system. Since the collar rings are 0.25 to 0.3 inches thick,
you will need at least that amount of clearance between the eyepiece housing
and the top of a female port to utilize these collar rings. Double black
Nylon thumb screws opposed by 90 degrees. Machined from 6061-T6 aircraft-grade
aluminum.
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