How to Use a Star Tracker for Astrophotography

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Today I show you how to use a star tracker for astrophotography. Using a star tracker for astrophotography will open up a new world of opportunity in this hobby and allow you to take long exposures, meaning you'll be able to pull out the finer details in your deep sky object.
*Videos mentioned in this video*
How to Polar Align: • Sky-Watcher Star Adven...
Star Adventurer Initial Setup: • Sky-Watcher Star Adven...
How to Find Targets with the Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer: • How to Find ANY Deep S...
How to Use a Bahtinov Mask: • Why YOU Should be Usin...
*Remote Shutter release cable* amzn.to/35TiUBZ
*Subscribe here* ru-vid.com...
Visit my website: www.astroexploring.com
Support me on Patreon and gain access to my data: / astroexploring
*The equipment I use*
Sky-Watcher Evostar 72ED: bit.ly/3gBOKVO
Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer: bit.ly/2QvQZ2f
HEQ5 Mount: bit.ly/31zmW08
Field flattener for 72ED: bit.ly/32wiP48
Canon camera adapter: bit.ly/3joCh9P
Dew strap & controller: bit.ly/2QwHuAb
US based viewers. Buy your gear at HighPoint Scientific here: bit.ly/3rvTvqU
US based viewers. Buy your gear at OPT here: bit.ly/3gAcee8
Disclosures: All opinions are my own. Some links in the description are affiliate links that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.

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Опубликовано:

26 июл 2024

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Комментарии : 41

@Gill3D 3 года назад

Super! I need this video to convince my hubby why Santa should bring me a star tracker. Thanks.

@AstroExploring 3 года назад

Keep pestering him!

@0815mkl 3 года назад

Thanks for this series of videos. It really helps with a lot of questions that I had when I started less than a yeat ago. Started with just a Fujifilm X-T20 and my 18-55mm kit lens. Bought a Star Adventurer Pro pack early this year taking my first images using a 50-230mm with f/6.7 @230mm aiming for Orion and Rosette Nebula. Added a Rokinon 135mm f/2 to my lens collection for more light and a wider view and later that date it started off with buying a HEQ-5 (or ordering I should say - it took over two months to be delivered as well as my Skywatcher 72ED). Got a cheap, used 500mm newton for 50 bucks and attached it to my Star Adventurer for some visual observations and doing the moon with a 1100mm heavy duty russian lens (that could stop a tank in case of need) :-). It is really astonishing how quick you get drawn into this hobby piling up gear and getting really good at justifying the next gear orders ;-).

@AstroExploring 3 года назад

You’ve got that totally right 😃🔭

@astrohops7183 3 года назад

Great bite sized video Nick. Succinct and informative. Keep them coming

@AstroExploring 3 года назад

Thanks Mark, really appreciate it!

@mikeregimbald8225 3 года назад

greetings from Canada . Thank you for the videos you make i always find them informative .

@AstroExploring 3 года назад

Thanks Mike, I really appreciate that!

@michaeldavis2818 3 года назад

Great video Nick! You break it all down very nicely!

@AstroExploring 3 года назад

Thanks Michael!

@Gally80 3 года назад

Great video great help

@richardryerson Месяц назад

I think you should judge focus on the stars in the center of the image as opposed to the edge. Egg shaped stars at the edge is probably due to field curvature, and no adjustment to shutter speed will change the field curvature. Looking at the stars in the center of the image will more accurately judge your shutter speed. If they are elongated in the center due it'll be due to inaccurate polar alignment and a long shutter speed.

@tjedwards38 3 года назад

Thank you

@anzaeria 3 года назад

I'm completely new to star trackers and I found this video very informative. Out of curiosity, can you set up a tracker for polar alignment just once and keep the same settings for all future astro shoots within the same hemisphere? Or do you have to recalibrate it for every single shoot? I also notice that generally, people use 2 - 3 minute exposures with star trackers. Is there a reason that people usually don't leave their shutters open for longer than that? Is it due to too much noise generated by the digital sensor or the possibility that the tracker may become innacurate with longer exposure times? I might sound old fashioned but I would like to use a film camera with a star tracker so noise won't be an issue for me. It would actually be medium format film so a nice big negative size. If I can get some extra long exposure times, I might even be able to use a medium speed asa film (hopefully.)

@anzaeria 2 года назад

After waiting for some cloud to pass, we had a nice clear night in the Southern Hemisphere last night. The milky way looked like a river of glittering jewels snaking across the sky. I was able to identify the Coal Sack Nebula and the Carina Nebula. The Magellanic Clouds were in view too. I don't have a star tracker so I shot my light, dark and bias frames from a static tripod. Following recommendations from an online source, I used 20 second exposure times with a 12mm lens on M4/3. Stars are round in the center of the frame but there is some slight trailing off to the side. Ive done some tests and even at 10 seconds, I still get some trailing which is crazy. Seems like I can't get rid of trailing entirely. I wonder if it's lens distortion which is partly to blame. I guess I'm just going to have to live with a bit of trailing in the stars off to the side.

@bushcraftandastronomer.3775 3 года назад

Hi Nick. I really enjoyed this video alot and only problem I have with star adventurer and 72ed ds pro is balancing as it seems telescope and the rest of gear is a bit too heavy for counter weight so any suggestions how to get it balanced alot better? Well done getting your image in sky at night magazine so you will be over the moon. Should I use another counter weight? I'm going to use dslr only with tracker sometimes. The weather in scotland this month has been mostly raining and wind so weather hasn't been kind. Just hoping December will be better. Plus that evoguide 50ed I plan to use as deep sky imaging with star tracker so I'll look forward to that! Thanks for sharing this interesting video and stay safe!

@AstroExploring 3 года назад

I can usually balance my 72ED if the counterweight is at the bottom. Another trick is to have the L bracket that the telescope sits on really far down too. Hope that makes sense. If you’re still struggling then you can just buy another counterweight. Hope the weather improves in Scotland, it’s not been much better down here either unfortunately!

@JonnyBravo0311 3 года назад

Focal length will assuredly play a big role in the exposure length you can achieve. A 120” sub at 50mm might look great, but put on a 600mm and you’ll probably see trailing. Getting a good polar alignment and proper balance are crucial components of how long a sub you can take. However, even if you had perfect alignment and balance your exposures are still going to be limited by the accuracy of the mount itself as well as a number of other factors. My biggest issue currently is balance. The lens hanging off the camera body throws it out of whack. I can balance it in one position but as it rotates it becomes more and more out of balance. I’m likely going to need to buy either a small scope with a dovetail mount or see if I can come up with something similar for my current lens so I can better center the weight on the dec bracket.

@AstroExploring 3 года назад

You raise lots of important points here. I think balance is often overlooked by beginners and they often think polar alignment is the problem, when actually the mount is under too much strain from not being balance properly

@JonnyBravo0311 3 года назад

@@AstroExploring I agree. Balance certainly plays a far larger role in the tracker's performance than I initially thought.

@billmeador215 Год назад

Have you used or do you have any views on the Move Shoot Move star tracker?

@scottphoenix8298 Год назад

Hi, can I use this star tracker with a telescope? I have the Zhunell Z130 Telescope and I'm wanting a star tracker for it.

@aarijkhan8093 3 года назад

Great Video! Just a quick question. Im thinking of going down the mechanical tracker route. What tripod are you using? Some star trackers are specific in that they need a ball head tripod?

@AstroExploring 3 года назад

I’m using a Manfrotto tripod, which is a common photography tripod and it came with a ball head

@UHFStation1 Год назад

Anyway to track the sun but keep camera level to horizon? Basically trees to sky to trees.

@pauldavo7287 3 года назад

Hi Nick, the 72ED you have, would that be suitable for a Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer mount? Cheers.

@AstroExploring 3 года назад

Hi Paul. Yea I’ve used my 72ED many times with the Star Adventurer. You will need a very sturdy tripod though because it’s quite a bit of weight

@runrob1 Год назад

I have been trying to just find that one simple step....you have polar alignment, you want to take a picture of Orion, or the Milky Way. How do you find Orion or andromeda,...and once you find them how do you get your camera pointed at your target. How do get the star tracker to start moving appropriately to track it while you photographed?

@sharayukarade4411 5 месяцев назад

Hii friend I have brought new star tracker star adventurer I want to buy tripod which tripod can I buy can you suggest

@anthonyrenaud5783 Год назад

Do you turn the Star Tracker on during Polar Alignment?

@profheesh 3 года назад

Great informative videos. Which portable star tracker do you recommend for a mirrorless camera! Sky guider pro, AstrotracTT320, Formax LightTrack II, etc. Thank you

@AstroExploring 3 года назад

I only have experience with the Star Adventurer. From your list, the Sky Guider Pro is the most common choice

@MegaBrebis 3 года назад

Thank you for the video! I have a 300 mm lens and wondered how long I could realistically expose with it?

@AstroExploring 3 года назад

As long as you’re properly balanced and polar aligned you should easily get 90-120 seconds. When I use my scope (420mm) I can get away with 2 minute subs

@Gekiko7167 3 года назад

I still have problems with my Star Adverturer tho. I cannot make it work. I am such a noob

@AstroExploring 3 года назад

What problems do you have?

@Gekiko7167 3 года назад

@@AstroExploring Startrails. If i go more than a minute all my subs have star trails. 1 min is the best I can do. Still 1/3 of my subs cannot be used.

@AstroExploring 3 года назад

1 minute is still good! You must be doing something right. Keep practicing your polar alignment and you’ll get there soon 🙂

@Gekiko7167 3 года назад

@@AstroExploring Well now that I got the L-Pro i need bigger exposures as I use a stock camera and less light hits the sensor. At least light pollution is not a problem anymore.