Portable Star Trackers

[AdamJL]

Hi all

I've been into deep sky astro for about 15 months now, but I'd like to start including some more widefield nightscape work into my routine.

Before I bought all my current equipment, I had an Astrotrac (first version, not the current one) which served me well, but my dad's taken that now and I'm without a star tracker.

I've been looking at some options and just keen to hear opinions and thoughts of people who own ANY sort of tracker that they use for landscape/nightscape work. I won't be pointing the camera at the stars on their own with this but will be doing more Milky Way type shots with landscape inclusions, such as this one here that I posted in another thread

https://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/...e.php?a=273245

Open to all ideas from the big guns (SkyWatcher, iOptron etc) to even egg timers that people have used.

I'd like to get longer than 30 second exposures per frame to maximise SNR.

Images will be on a variety of lenses, but on a Canon R6 body.

Thanks!
Adam

[JA]

Hi Adam,
If it were me I would go for a Skywatcher AZ GTI and run it in equatorial mode. It also has the option to interface with the ASI air, which makes life easier regarding planning the session, polar alignment, guiding etc... .

Best
JA

[AdamJL]

Hi JA

Thanks. I actually already have an AZ-GTI Well... maybe that's not true, it's my son's but he uses it for visual use now.

Guiding etc is not in the equation as this isn't for deep space, more for Milky Way nightshots.

That's a nice size as well. I've been looking at smaller options and since I really will just be using wide angle lenses, maybe something like the iOptron Sky Tracker Pro?

[Hemi]

Hi Adam,

The AZGTI is certainly versatile (I love mine for travel with my Fs60q). I’m not experienced with star trackers at all, but ive taken a punt on the Benro Polaris. I haven’t received mine yet even though I was an original backer. They have started shipping and it’s an interesting device which I think will be versatile for me in my terrestrial photography hobby as well…

[gregbradley]

I have used Vixen Polarie and Fornax Light track 11.

Both are very good and make 30-60 second exposures a breeze with just using an iphone for alignment.

The Light track 11 is a bit better than the Polarie.

Lots use the Skywatcher star adventurer and in its latest version it seems quite sophisticated. You also get all the extras that these other mounts would need.

Like a counter weight shaft and counter weights etc.

You probably can't go too wrong with iOptron, Skywatcher, Vixen, Fornax.

If you start using longer lenses like 200mm you are going to need to do an accurate polar alignment. Vixen's Polar scope is very good. Fornax's one is not.

So you need to work out how you plan to do your polar alignment.
300mm is the usual limit but that would need a counter weight shaft and weights to balance it and excellent polar alignment.

You can get more detailed info from the DP review forum for nightscapes, astrophotography.

https://fornaxmounts.com/lightrack-2/ I believe Testar also sell them.

Greg.

[Camelopardalis (Dunk)]

As Greg says, the focal length of the lenses you shoot with will determine how much effort you will need to put in to polar align.

The large pixels on the R6 will go some way to disguise any misalignment but don’t we always want sharp images??

If you’re truly staying wide for the MW and have fast aperture, something simple like a Star Adventurer can be very effective, but as you have the AZ-GTi already you might as well try it the “advantage” of the computerised mount is that you can apply software methods to assist. (I use quotes as some don’t see it as an advantage)

[gregbradley]

Needing a good polar alignment starts at about 35-50mm focal length. 85mm will definitely show elongated stars without a good PA.

30 seconds is all you need for nightscapes. ISO3200 F2.8. Take 8 subexposures.

Works well.

Greg.

[AdamJL]

yeah I've been shooting nightscapes for longer than deep sky; just never really with a tracker.

I've no plans at all to go longer than about 24mm, so can easily get away with 30 seconds, which is the plan.

Thanks for the recommendations. Not sure my son will be pleased with me taking away his tracker, so maybe I'll look at that Star Adventurer.

Already have the wedge from an Astrotrac, so just need the mount.