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Features & Specifications: Hexagonal 1 Turret (1.25" format)

1.25" Hexagonal 1 Turret (2" to 1.25"x 6)

with NEW Built-in 2" Filter Slot

VSI's NEW 2" to 1.25" x 6 Hexagonal 1 turret offers exclusive features and build-quality that other turrets don't. Our unique 2" format barrel-nose input with full 1.75" internal clear-aperture diagonal mirrors (ProtoStar 1.83" minor axis x 0.375" thickness), eliminates vignetting from fast scopes and/or low power 1.25" eyepieces (i.e. 40mm, 32mm, 26mm, 24mm, 20mm, etc.). The NEW built-in 2" filter slot accepts 2" filters with a cell thickness up to 5/16" or 0.3125" (8mm). Just pop the filter in the spring-loaded slot and push the ejection button on the bottom and your filter is instantly ejected out into your hand (see picture at left). The Hexagonal 1 turret accommodates six 1.25" eyepieces (not included). Functionality and simplicity of operation have always been VSI's trademark of quality. Our new Hexagonals are no exception. The entire Hex consists of only two major parts (the 2" barrel-nose tube structure and the rotating 6-eyepiece cylinder), with only one moving part (the rotating 6-eyepiece cylinder itself).

The Hexagonal has a locking thumb screw that secures the rotation of the 6-eyepiece cylinder. No other turret eyepiece holder, that I know of, has this exclusive lock-down capability. Why would you want an eyepiece rotation lock? Same reason you want a focuser with a moving tube lock. And all individual eyepiece holders incorporate our exclusive, failsafe Lateral Locks. By placing the locking thumb screws at a 45 degree angle to the eyepiece's 1.25" barrel-nose, you apply lateral pressure as you tighten the thumb screw, locking it in place - like a lock washer. Each eyepiece on the Hex 1 has dual lateral, self-locking thumb screws for super secure failsafe operation.

Load your Hex with eyepieces once, and you'll never have to fumble with eyepieces in the dark again. Find a custom eyepiece case, like the one pictured at right, and you'll be instantly set up for mobile astronomy in the field. Just slide your fully loaded Hex into your scope's visual back and you're ready to observe. And you'll have the coolest looking, eye-catching scope at the star party!

Why does the Hex have a long 2" barrel-nose that wastes profile? Profile is not wasted on the Hex. In conjunction with our optional AHEX SCT adapter, this added profile is ergonomically necessary so you don't hit your head on the back of your scope's visual back when trying to look through the eyepiece. If the Hex was fitted with a low-profile 2" threaded slip-ring (like our Sliders), the Hex would attach too close to your scope's visual back - ouch! If you have a secondary focuser docked to your scope's visual back, say a Glider, then you still have plenty of clearance for your head, and the Hex's 2" barrel-nose profile is consumed inside the focuser's moving tube - profile issue equalized. All 1.25" eyepiece turrets should have a 2" barrel-nose (unfortunately, most don't), expecially when using 1.25" low-power, wide-field eyepieces because vignetting can be eliminated with a 2" format input. And VSI Hexagonals also feature a huge internal 1.75" clear-aperture and oversize 1.83" minor-axis, first-surface mirror. Is this overkill?

For your convenience, all VSI MasterGlide and MicroGlide focuser models, that incorporate the [dual purpose] QUAD-LOCK feature, allow their moving tubes to lock the Hex in place, while still providing full rotation of the Hex body (see AHEX SCT adapter below for more info). No other turret on the market has our exclusive dual rotation feature. Just turn the handle to the most comfortable active eyepiece position (no thumb screws to unscrew), then simply hold the handle in place and rotate the eyepiece cylinder to change magnifications. When speed and safety are paramount, this is the eyepiece turret you need. It's great for star parties, public viewing sessions, quick A/B object comparison using different eyepieces. Slip a 2" filter in the Hexagonal's built-in filter slot and this exclusive convenience becomes a necessity.

NOTE: if you are using a VSI focuser with QUAD-LOCK, you don't need our AHEX SCT adapter. See our VP Accessories link for additional adapters.

VSI's Exclusive 2" Built-in Filter Slot

Our New 2" format filter slot is now built into both Hex models - the 1.25" x 6 Hex1 (pictured at left) and the Giant 2" x 6 Hex2 (pictured far below). Each Hex comes with a fitted 2" OD ring (included) that simply pops into the filter slot, eliminating stray light from entering the housing when not in use. This stray light blocking ring is pictured (below left), inserted in the Hexagonal's filter slot. The finger notch, also pictured below left, allows easy grasping of the ring or filter after pushing the spring-loaded eject button on the bottom of the Hex housing (pictured below middle). There are also two recessed luminous dots on either side of the finger notch (pictured below left) to facilitate easy filter location, even in total darkness. The filter or ring is held in place by a plate-type spring (pictured below right).

This exclusive feature offers filter insertion and extraction in a split second, literally. No bulky filter wheels or separate slide mechanisms that gobble up your valuable profile and induce mechanical flexure into your imaging train. Our built-in filter slots consume only the profile thickness of the filter cell itself, which is typically less than 5/16" (8mm). The filter slot was designed to accept the larger format 2" filters to eliminate vignetting caused by using 1.25" low-power, wide-field eyepieces (i.e. 40mm, 32mm, 25mm, etc.). This larger 2" format was selected because a 1.25" filter, at an extended distance from the eyepiece base, would cause more severe vignetting, compared to placement of the filter at the base of the eyepiece. This extended distance from the eyepiece would only allow the use of hi-power eyepieces. Therefore, this slot will only accept the larger, thinner 2" format filters with a cell thickness up to 5/16" or 0.3125" (8mm). Most 1.25" filters are actually thicker (0.45") and have an internal ring that reduces the available clear-aperture even further. See our VP Accessories link for other 2" filter slot adapters.

The Inside looks as Good as the Outside

Hexagonal 1 turrets contain oversize optical-grade, first-surface, diagonal mirror flats from ProtoStar that have a huge 1.83" minor axis with a 0.375" thickness (1:6 ratio), and meet or exceed Milspec MIL-M-13508C.  Hex1's now have NEW QUARTZ mirrors with individual Zygo Interferemetric analysis documentation included with each Hexagonal. Wavefront flatness is typically better than 0.08 peak-to-valley measured at 633 nm light. Coatings are enhanced aluminum providing 96% reflectivity across the entire visible spectrum with a thin pre-coat layer of chromium to promote good metal adhesion. Dielectric overcoat layers are applied using Electron Beam Deposition (EBD), followed by an ultra-hard Ion Assisted Deposition (true argon IAD) process.

Milling the Rotating 6-Eyepiece Cylinder

Like quality aluminum racing wheels, our Hexagonals are also machined from a solid billet of aircraft-grade 6061-T6 aluminum. After being turned on a lathe to a perfect cylinder (above right), the [4.5" O.D. by 1" wall thickness] blank is then milled on a digital mill (shown below) using a rotary indexing head with arc-second accuracy. This full-machining process is very time consuming and aircraft-grade aluminum is expensive, but the end result is far superior to cheap, thin, weak pot-metal castings or multi-part rotating housings, like the other rotary eyepiece holders on the market. The original billet blank (above left) weighs a little over 2 lbs (37.5 oz). After a copious amount of metal is removed (above right), the weight has been reduced to a mere 14 oz.

Why do you need a Hexagonal Turret?

Besides the obvious fact that Hexagonals look really cool, our exclusive dual-rotation system (explained in-depth later) also offers the ultimate in eyepiece security, while providing instant [and secure] active eyepiece repositioning and instant eyepiece/magnification changes. During the early days of Black Forest Observatory (1986-2001), I utilized a gigantic custom Hexagonal (2.6" format, pictured right and left), that I created at BFO's machine shop (the first Hex), exclusively for public sky tours (for more info on BFO's 30-inch Cassegrain, see Installations link, bottom of the page). When you have 40 people in your observatory, you have to reposition the scope with the utmost alacrity of purpose. Public people have no patience. They don't want to stand around all night freezing in the dark, waiting for the next celestial object to become available in the telescope's eyepiece.

That's where this super Hex, with the dual-rotation feature, came into play! Simply turn the handle (giant star knob in this case) on the rear to a comfortable viewing position, without loosening or retightening anything. It's locked in place, but the active eyepiece body is still fully rotatable. This exclusive Hex body rotation function, that no other turret offers, is identical to rotating your single eyepiece diagonal to a more comfortable viewing position, but with the Hex, you don't have to loosen and retighten thumb screws. Even single eyepiece diagonals don't do body rotation. Of course, to take advantage of VSI's exclusive turret body rotation feature, you need to use it in conjunction with our SCT Captive Retaining Adapter (Item #AHEX above) or any model VSI focuser with the [dual purpose] Quad-Lock feature. If you use the Hex with other focusers, you simply lose the [double locked-in-place] body rotation feature. That simply means you will have to loosen [hopefully] two thumb screws, rotate the head to a more comfortable viewing position and tighten the thumb screws -  an inconvenience that accompanies all other [less functional] eyepiece turrets and standard diagonals on the market.

While you are rotating the Hex body to a more comfortable viewing angle, you can simultaneously hold the rear pull-type handle (star knob pictured above) in place to rotate to a different eyepiece (click - click, etc.), and you're ready to view. Instantaneous, quick, Hex body and eyepiece rotation with one homogenous action. It doesn't get any better than that! Changing viewing positions and eyepieces takes only a second, literally. No fumbling around in the dark. Total eyepiece security. You can even install two identical power eyepieces, with different 1.25" filters, for instantaneous A/B comparisons. If you have matched sets of eyepieces for your binoviewer, you're already there.

At first, you may think that this Hex device is a frivolous luxury. After you've actually experienced the Hex advantage first-hand/eye, you will find that it has become an undeniable necessity for your visual observing - I guarantee it! This extra, exclusive Hex body rotation feature was so fluid and functional, that I eventually developed a conditioned response, operating my Hex without even having to think about what I was doing. These two new, much lower priced, Hex models are a fantastic way to visually tour the celestial wonders of the night sky. Beyond the above facts, I simply wanted to offer a new observing experience to all my friends in Astroland - PVS

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