Product Description
Whether you’re looking for a tracking platform to capture widefield images of the Milky Way, or seeking a compact travel mount, the Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer is a necessity for astrophotographers of every skill level. This high precision, portable celestial tracking platform can transform almost any tripod into an equatorial mount, assisting photographers with long exposures of the night sky. The Star Adventurer breaks from the mold of traditional equatorial mounts with an abundance of add on accessories to complement wide-field astrophotography, nightscape images, telescope slewing or time-lapse photography.
Shoot Incredible Nightscapes
Using seven preprogramed tracking speeds, photographers can choose between sidereal, solar and lunar, or four additional tracking speeds from 0.5x to 12x, useful for time-lapse videos. Even for users with no polar alignment experience, the Star Adventurer is easy to setup using the included illuminated polar finderscope. Once aligned, users can attach their camera and activate sidereal tracking to start photographing the Milky way.
Easy Integration with Any Tripod
The declination assembly uses a specialized Vixen-style saddle plate for attaching cameras, tripod heads, or optical tubes. Attaching a ball head to this Vixen style plate provides most users with enough flexibility to slew around the sky freely while maintaining tracking. The Star Adventurer tracking platform can attach to a tripod using a 3.8”-16 thread and includes an adapter for ¼”-20 thread sizes.
Automatic Shutter Release Control
No need for an intervelometer timer with the Star Adventurer! With a 60-second preset exposure setting, the Star Adventurer can trigger a DSLR using the auxiliary shutter release cable. Once the camera is plugged into the mount and a shot is fired, it will continually shoot 60 second exposures until the cable is removed.
For astrophotographers seeking perfectly round stars, the Star Adventurer also comes equipped with a standard ST-4 port, allowing users to connect an autoguider with a lightweight guidescope to the mounting assembly bar. With a payload capacity of 5 kg (11 lbs), the Star Adventurer can mount a small guide scope and camera for tack sharp wide-field photos, or a refractor for visual observing.
Included In The Package
Star Adventurer multi-function equatorial tracking mount
11 pound payload capacity
Built-in polar scope with illuminator
Dec bracket
3.63 pound mount head weight (with Dec bracket)
Latitude (EQ) base
Counterweight kit
Ball head adapter
Dec bracket
Tech Details
Reviews
AA batteries are a great choice. Never worry about running out of juice, just have backups in your pocket. Plus rechargeable batteries are economical.
One pain is the polar alignment reticle rotating with the whole unit making it hard to check PA after setup.
All the functions work great. (Posted on 10/19/2019)
Using a free phone app, SynscanInit and the included polar finderscope , I can set up in under a minute.
I have been using a Canon with an old Nikon 180mm f/2.8lens and it tracks the stars perfectly for 2 min exposures.
I made my own counter weight system with a few cheap parts from the hardware store to accommodate that heavy lens. I use an external timer for automatic, repeated time exposures, which works great.
( JJC Intervalometer Timer Remote Control Shutter Release for Canon EOS Rebel T6 T7 80D 70D 60D 60Da… )
Well made, well engineered, I love this thing. (Posted on 9/9/2019)
