The big dipper has always been something I've adored. It always appears above my home when I'm walking back in the colder, clearer months. And because of this, even abroad, it gives me a wonderful sense of home just seeing it hovering, as if my house is just over the horizon waiting right underneath.
Great video Peter. So, are you adjusting the alignment to positioning Polaris to be at the center of the crosshairs or at the roughly 10:30 position on top of the gray dot? Thank you.
This is a good basic tutorial... it would be incredibly helpful to mention that when looking through the polar-scope, the image seen is inverted. This is something not mentioned in any of the tutorials I watched before going into the field. I know I can always RTFM but many people rely on these types of videos because the tech-speak in manuals often leads to a TL;DR situation.
Considering the viewable image in the polar scope is inverted, wouldn't I need to put Polaris 180 degrees from the position indicated in the SAM app? Also, what's the reasoning for aligning the reticle vertically (0 on top, 6 on bottom) before the alignment? As long as Polaris is on the correct position on the ring relative to the axis it shouldn't matter, correct?
@@AirBourn I've learned that all polar scopes are inverted and the apps used to determine location on the ring take that into consideration. You're right about aligning the reticle, but many apps allow you select which tracker you are using and the reticle on screen will match exactly what's in the scope, so using the 'minutes' really helps getting aligned perfectly. If you're shooting wide angle tracked images, it won't matter much. I was able to shoot a 12 minute exposure with a 14mm and set it up quickly by eye.
@@MattMuirhead Thanks for the reply, Matt. I think you're right about the apps. I'm at about 44.5 north latitude and according to Stellarium the rotational axis is at the three o'clock position relative to Polaris - which means that Polaris is at the the three o'clock position relative to the axis (from an inverted viewpoint). This is exactly where the Polar Clock Utility in the SAM app tells me to put it.
For longer lenses/long sessions I suggest getting a scope illuminator adapter (super cheap 3D printed) so you can keep it attached at all times, and check alignment now and then. A right angle viewfinder to attack to the scope is also super useful, expecially when you are shooting with longer lenses and need a super precise polar alignment.
Thanks alot, Peter! My Star Adventurer 2i got here today and you made me understand more in 10 minutes than an hour plus with their nearly useless literature!
I have found that at least in the skytracker pro mount there is some miss alingment between polar scope and the rotational axis of the mount. But with some tweaks and tools like EOSbackyard i can get at least 1 minute exposures with 300mm lens
Great video Peter, there's actually a little hole on the right of the skywatcher - it can be used to line up with Polaris visually. Sadly for the Southern Hemisphere it wont work. A tip for anyone in the Southern Hemisphere: Firstly, get the App for IOS or Andriod Polar Align pro (or free version) this will help you set the orientation of of the polar scope which is very important in order to find the four Octans in the scope. Secondly, focus of the scope is critical, if its not focused, you'll never see Octans as they are VERY faint, but with some practice, you'll find them quite easily, its just very important to have the scope orientated correctly. Polar Align pro is pretty nifty as you can choose for multiple different scopes (Skywatcher, Vixen, ioptron etc) and remember on the Skywriter, the image you see is inverted. EG if polaris is top left in the sky, its actually bottom right in the scope. The App itself is also useful for dialing in your altitude as the EQ wedge is not always precise enough, you'll be surprised what a 1 degree difference makes. Over multiple nights, even under moon light, I've found the 4 stars in the constellation Octans - the main star among the four is Polaris Australis, its basically our version of Polaris in the Southern Hemisphere - I have found that all four stars are of the same brightness, they are very dim but CAN be found. at 50mm I've easily managed 4 minutes and 2 minutes at 200mm. - I havent tested longer than that but I do not believe it is designed for very long focal lengths, then again, I haven't really tested enough. Another thing i've found is to attach the dove tail mount on the tracker also when looking for the stars, often when you put your camera on, it can cause a slight shift in alignment!
Basically, anything over 100mm, you pretty much need auto guiding if you want to do anything longer than 30 seconds and get no star trails. The cheapest adequate Auto Guiding system for this unit (camera and scope) will cost you about $300 CAD, and that is if you already have a Laptop!~ But if you are serious about Astrophotography and want good results, auto guiding is a necessary tool!
FYI, the azimuth (horizontal) control knobs are mentioned once on page 42 of the instruction manual. In fact, the equatorial wedge has no breakdown of any of its features unlike the main 2i body. If it wasn't for your video and others like it, I'd be lost. Even with the videos, no where does it explain that the set screws directly in front of the azimuth knobs need to be slightly loosed otherwise the knobs will not rotate the platform which is what was happening for me.
I just bought my Sky-watcher Star Adventure 2i Pro Pack, and don't think I polar aligned it properly. I tried it out for the first time last night. I just found this video and will be trying again tomorrow evening. Do you have any quick tips, or should I just follow the video?
Good point! Once you add a declination bracket, counterweight, and camera / lens it will likely move things enough to throw off the polar alignment. For beginners though, it might be overwhelming to have everything attached when doing the initial polar alignment.
If you are using an app to help you find the north star would your phone need a signal? I'd imagine you are out where's there's no signal when you're doing this kind of photography.
Thankfully no internet is required. I almost always use the app when I'm out in the middle of nowhere, and I've never had a problem. As long as you have a GPS signal, it should work fine.
So wait, after you've done all of this how do you rotate to find objects in the night sky? I know the night sky, I know where what I want to shoot is, but like, for example, the milky way area is directly south. Do I loose polar alignment if I point my 2i south? Im so confused
Hi, I have a question. Do I have to polar aline the tracker to the north star every time I got out to look a different object each night? I'm new to this.
Hi Peter, I am new to this hobby. When you said 0 to the top 6 to the bottom at 5:46. How am I supposed to make sure zero is exactly on the top? Thanks!
I prefer to line up the north star in the reticle as soon as it appears in the sky so it is easy to find but many times I will not be shooting until a few hours later so do I need to keep my star tracker on for those few hours?
Thanks for the video. Helped me do my first shot, I went out and shot andromeda, came out awesome! I wanted to ask quick vs precise alignment what focal length would you say is the max you can to a quick alignment and still do a 4 minute or more exposure?
I'd say 35mm - 50mm is pushing it with a rough polar alignment. If I know I'm shooting with my 35mm lens I will spend a little more time making sure the polar alignment is good.
very "wise" tips at the end credits there. How the hell am I able to check polar aligment again if each time I attach my camera via ballhead, it risks moving the whole set up again?
Mine came with a plastic adapter that you plug into the opening of the large fine-tune bracket and push the light assy into the adapter to align with the camera onboard.
I hate these polar scopes that rotate. They should design the polar scope to be fixed so you can continuously check the alignment by looking into the scope mid-shoot. Unfortunately with this design you have to rotate your whole setup back to 0 degrees just to check.
If you have the Star Adventurer with the graduated dials on the back, you can use the Polar Scope Align Pro app to get the position of Polaris with the reticle rotated. It really is quite easy.
Hi Peter - your videos are really useful, thank you. I have a brand new star adventurer and am trying to figure it out before heading out for some night sky photography. I am really confused about the dial on the back of the star tracker and you did not cover this in your video. I realise it has something to do with the date and time, but as you did not mention it, is it not important or how should I set it up (I am in the UK by the way, so an example would be great)! Thanks in advance.
Thanks! Yeah, that dial is used for a manual polar alignment, if you didn't have an app to help. To be honest, I don't remember how to even use it. (The problem with technology, we become too reliant on it). Pages 22 and 23 of the manual explain it, although it's a bit confusing: www.skywatcherusa.com/downloads/manuals/StarAdventurer_UsersManual.pdf
Thanks for the clarification Peter - I was hoping that was the case, I am all in favour of tech - life (and clear skies) is way too short! I read the manual and, yes, it was confusing and no mention of the possibility of an app, as far as I could tell.
Hi. I bought this Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer years ago but never used. I want to get into astrophotography now and I'd like to know if it is a good idea to remove this item from the box now. I also bought the counter-weights for it. Congrats on your videos.
everytime i look through my polar scope, the stars are all blurry even when im twisting the focus ring thing on the front of the eye piece. how do i fix this?
Hello, I am writing you for some guidance on my Star Adventurer 1st Edition. I recently purchased a ZWO ASI guiding camera and scope. I am requesting assistance on how to polar align my Star Adventurer with the ZWO Guiding camera and scope. I can not find any instructions or videos on how to do it. Thank you.
Hi guys, I'm looking to start out in astrophotography and this tracker seems to be reasonably priced for what you get. I have a modded Canon 450D which I want to start using and I'm in doubt over what kind of glass I should use. I have a Canon 70-200 2.8 IS II which is amazing during day-time but will it also be great during nighttime? I plan to shoot nebulae so I think FOV-wise I'm set, but is it a good starter lens, or should I invest in a cheap small-ish telescope?
So you don't show exactly where to put Polaris in the circle. Do you put it on the dot that is there? No one yet shows this. Also you moved the Latitude? You go a little too fast.
Very well explained. Looking forward to using my mount again for Comet Neowise. It's been a while since I last used it and your tutorial was a nice reminder of how to polar align.
Level tripod should be first, as you’ve just shifted your angle for your latitude by shuffling it around, yes, it may still be rough, but doing the level first will make the rough alignment closer
Those dials are obsolete. Use an app or check the internet for Polaris's location at a specific time - and keep mind the Star Adventure's scope shows a reversed image. If Polaris's location is at 1 o'clock adjust the scope to put Polaris at 7 o'clock.
@@len.whistler thank you len, I have had no luck with the star adventurer, I have been using the sam app and placing Polaris exactly where it appears in app!
I have been having trouble with Star Adventurer. I pretty much start seeing trails at 60 seconds and have to scale back. One thing I just noticed after a session last night is that my altitude was showing more like 42 degrees than 39.5 degrees that it should be. Did I pick the wrong star? I did get 60 second exposures that most of them were tight stars. What is the star field around Polaris that I should see to be sure I am on the right one looking through my scope? I did start at twilight but always seems that there are still more stars visible through the scope.
Thanks Peter for a well organized and useful video. Your content explained the beginner level operation and I was able to get my tracker on polar alignment quickly and successfully.
If time permits, find due south during the day. It's when the sun is at it's highest in the sky. "Solar Noon" websites can tell you the exact time when that happens, based on your coordinates... and then just put a stick in the ground for the shadow. The shadow points true north. Get the scope or camera all set up during the daylight, and then wait for dusk to continue with your fine tuning polar alignment.
you might want to add that the polarscope inverts the location of Polaris relative to the NCP. You mentioned Stellarium and it has option to show the NCP and Polaris is in a different position relative to NCP !! i.e. inverted.
First off, one of the best videos I have seen explaining this device. Very well done!! My question though is if this device is rotating with the stars then how do you keep the landscape in the foreground from becoming blurred? How do you keep the foreground sharp and crisp yet capture all the stars in their glory? Would I take one shot without movement as the "base of the image" and then use all the other images taken and composite them together, and then remove the "star background" on the "base image" in Photoshop and use the composite image for the stars background?
That's the trick! If the star tracker is turned on, the foreground will blur out. Therefore, you will need to blend a static foreground and tracked sky together. You could take both images in the exact same spot. One with the tracker turned on, and another with the tracker turned off. However, this can cause some problems. If there are a lot of foreground elements, they will blur out and will make the blending much more difficult. Therefore, I recommend finding a wide open sky, and taking your star tracked images there. This will make the blending a lot easier. I cover this full process in-depth in my star tracker tutorials. www.peterzelinka.com/star-tracker-tutorials
On the right side of the start adventure is a small hole that you can look through to get a rough polar alignment once you line up Polaris in that hole then go to your old scope and do fine adjustments
Thanks. Could you tell me if the refractor telescope suffers a lot of damage if I want to observe from the seashore? I say this because of the salinity that can affect the lenses. Is there a trick to protect it and be able to go anyway?
Is there a tripod that you would recommend with the Star Adventurer? I just picked on up a few days ago and think my current tripod may need to be upgraded.
There are so many options to choose from, it's hard to say. One thing I would caution against is any tripod with a center column. These center columns have given me a lot of trouble with my star tracker. No matter how hard I would tighten everything down, the center columns would always move slightly. This prevented me from ever having an accurate polar alignment. I now use a Feisol CT-3442 tripod, which allows me to attach the latitude base directly to the tripod, without a center column. This provides a more stable platform, without any risk of things moving around. I really like this tripod too, its carbon fiber, very tall, and well built!
Hello Peter, you've got me hooked. I'm a pro landscape photographer in Fife, Scotland with my own gallery/shop. Watched your videos and grabbed my first Milky Way this week setting over the 700 year old Tantallon Castle near Edinburgh. I'm using a Canon 5DSr with battery grip and a Zeiss Distagon T* 15mm F2.8. The lack of coma, distortion and chromatic aberration is remarkable for such a lens but like any glass, limited by aperture. I managed multiple 20 second shots and stacked them using the software you recommended - Sequator. But a tracker means I could shoot much, much longer exposures to reduce the ISO from 3200 to something useful for print enlargements like ISO 100. But that suggests exposures of at least 4 mins and maybe up to 10 mins. So, question is this: will this small rig hold up to the weight of my gear and is it possible to shoot 10 min images with 15 mm lenses and still get sharp images? And is 10 mins at ISO 100 for milky way shots reasonable. Scotland stretches from 54 ° N all the way to 61° N. Does this present any unique challenges? Thank you for all your effort in making these videos.
Hi Graham, I normally use 4 minute exposures, at either f/2.8 or f/4 and I capture plenty of light. You'll be amazed by how much cleaner and more detailed the photos are! Worst case scenario, you might need to take a 5 or 6 minute image to have a completely grain-free image. This is all easily done by the Star Adventurer! I've never personally shot a 10 minute exposures, for a variety of reasons. One problem you'll have is a lot of sensor heat, which may manifest in the form of hot pixels. I normally use Long Exposure Noise Reduction to remove these in-camera. However, this effectively doubles the exposure time. At that latitude, the core of the milky way will be very low on the horizon. However, you'll have a great view of the beautiful "northern milky way", which has some stunning nebula in it. With your star tracker and a 4 minute exposure, you will be able to capture all of the faint details!
@@PeterZelinka Thank you for your reply. I ordered a right angle viewer/eyepiece because we're so far north, it's a neck breaker to find Polaris through the optics. And yes, the Milky Way is very low but will rise in the summer. However, sun sets at between 10:30pm and 11:15pm so there's too much light in the night sky for good core images. Thanks for the exposure tips; might experiment again tonight as the skies look to be clear again. All the best!
@@grahamhgraham That's a good idea, with the right-angle eyepiece! I always have a hard time contorting to look through my polar scope. I didn't realise Scotland was so high up! Almost sounds like Alaska, where the sun never sets in the summer. Good luck and clear skies!
Peter, thanks for all your videos. I'm wondering if there might be a 3d printed device that would allow me to put my phone on it, while it's attached to the alt-az base, that would allow me to utilize Polar Scope Align Pro to get close to a polar alignment and spend less time to try to bend over to look through the actual scope of my tracker. Are you aware of anything like this?
after buying my first small telescope i ran in to so much problems! some things just didn't add up. so i decided to go back to basic/base.. so after some close inspection of my star tracker instruction book i learned that i missed out on so many things !! one of those was the precise polar alignment with the offset and time/date rings. Thank you for sharing this video!
I think this is the best tutorial so far. I've recently got a Sky-Watcher SA Mini and this is very helpful. Can't wait to try it out. Thank you so much! Edit here for other SAM owners: For the actual ring which revolves to track the stars, there might be a small screw holding it in place to avoid rotation when not in use. That needs to be removed before using "Run".
Hey Peter, I'm seeing that when I have the '0' in my reticle aligned at the top of the scope (and 6 at the bottom), the camera mount (and thus declination bracket, counter weight, etc) is slanted quite a bit. It's almost perfectly horizontal in fact. Does that mean my mount needs to be re-calibrated? It's brand new. My friend just received his brand new, too, and when he has 0 aligned at the top, his mount allows for a perfectly vertical placement of the declination bracket. Let me know if this makes sense. If not, I can email you the pictures. Thank you in advance!
It seems the reticle orientation differs on every star tracker. Ideally, it would be vertical when 12 is at the top. However, in most cases it is not. For example, on my SkyGuider Pro I have to flip everything upside to get the 12 at the top. This shouldn't affect the accuracy of your polar alignment though. I know iOptron has instructions on adjusting their polar scopes to fix this problem. I can't remember if Sky-Watcher has instructions for the Star Adventurer though.
Thanks @@PeterZelinka! I'll check to see if there is an instruction to fix this. I tried googling-- but it's a weird question to try to type into Google lol. I might ask Sky Watcher on Monday when they're open. I'll shoot you an email if I get the answer. It's just annoying because, in many cases we may need to re-check alignment after we've added the camera/lens... and that would mean putting everything back -- in my case -- to a completely horizontal orientation of the counterweight and declination bracket. Just purchased your DSO tutorials. Can't wait!
@@marisamarulli8955 Yeah, it is a pain to do a precise polar alignment when you have to flip everything around and lock it down like that. Thank you! Enjoy the course!
@@marisamarulli8955 Hi Marisa! I just received the Star Adventurer and exactly the same thing happens to you. Did you get any response from Skywatcher? or any solution? Thank you!
I'm a bit confused about 12x for time lapse. If it's moving faster than the stars, won't it blur? Or am I reading it completely wrong? What's the max exposure length on timelapse mode? thanks :)
To nail Polaris, I cut a piece of wood exactly 39mm wide and about 150mm long. I added a right angle to it and insert it into the wedge when the wedge is adjusted to horizontal. I place a compass on it and taking account of magnetic declination (-1 to -4 degrees West in Scotland), move the tripod to true north. Polaris will also move about +-1 degree east or west depending on time of day so I account for that too. Then I replace the wood with a digital angle finder and adjust to 56 degrees (Edinburgh, Scotland). I then fit the Adventurer unit and tighten it down. This way when I switch on the reticule, Polaris is always within the field of view. Fine adjustments are made to get Polaris in the middle. Whenever I add the camera and the counterweights, it moves slightly so I make another Polar alignment once the balance is sorted. After fine turning, I've been able to get pin sharp stars at 16 minute exposures with my Zeiss Distagon 15mm f2.8 lens at F5.6 and ISO 400. If I fit the Zeiss 135mm F2.8 Apo Sonar, I've been able to achieve pin point stars at 6 minutes at ISO 400 with the lens at f5.6. I'm working on doubling this duration once I've figured out why the unit wanders off center. I did disassemble the wedge and re-grease and adjust the assembly cos there are some factory tolerances which could be better. I'm using a Canon D5Sr for maximum resolution capture and its sensor enjoys lots of light, hence the aim to double these exposures.
Hi thank you for the excellent video it really simplifies the process. I do have a question please... if you lose alignment while attaching the camera, how can you re-align when the camera would be blocking the polar scope? Aren't just going to have to go back to step 1 to realign? Thanks again!
You don't need to use the adapter as any bit of light will do. Even the light from a headlamp can be bounced down there. I use a small thumb light which is taped to the rail not pointing down the hole at all. Reflected light off the huge nut above is all that is needed. If you really want to use it make sure when balancing to leave enough room in the central gap to fit it.
So I bought your Tutorials yesterday and noticed that in the RAW images section you have shots of Trillium Lake. Do you live in Oregon? I am just asking because I live in Portland, Oregon.
i need help,,, im very new to this,, after recently getting a star tracker,,,,, my question is,,, once i have done my polar alignment,,, can i point my camera at any part of the sky i want once mounted on its ball head?..example,,, 180 degrees to polar alignment etc.
Once you polar align can you rotate 180 and look south to the stars in the sky, I look out to the S/SW from my back garden. Wanted to know if this tracker can be used for that?
Yeah, you're free to aim the camera in any direction you want. You just need to make sure the star tracker stays facing North, otherwise it won't move your camera with the motion of the stars. That's why I recommend attaching a ballhead to the star tracker, so you can freely move your camera around after the polar alignment. This will make more sense once you get out and practice a bit, or check out some of my other videos which show the process.
Thanks for the video. I am new to this tracker and last night i had much difficulty in alligning polar star. With the naked eye i could see the polaris clear, without any stars nearby. But when looking through the scope, i see multiple stars nearby and confused which one is polaris. Vertical movement of the scope was also confusing beacuse whenever i adujust the tracker vertically, the stars also moves the same direction.... means when i move it up, the stars in the field also moves up. So i am getting an inverted view of the field. The view in the scope is zoomed already. Is there anyway to zoom out the polar scope so that i can see the dipper and polaris in view? Then it will be easy to identify the polaris
Yeah, that's the hard part of doing the polar alignment. The scope will always be inverted, and locked into that focal length. It can be hard to tell which star is actually polaris when you're looking through the scope. I'd recommend going out at twilight next time, before it gets too dark. When you do your polar alignment, you should now only see one bright star - Polaris. If you're shooting with a wide angle lens, you don't have to be too accurate. As long as you can see the north star somewhere in the scope, you should be able to shoot 4 minutes at 14mm.
Just use a headlamp with a red light, it's way easier and less hassle. When I look through the polar scope, I'll use one hand to briefly shine the red light into the front of the scope, so I can see the reticule. Then I move the light out of the way so I can see the star again.
Hi, thanks a lot for your video, but I have two questions.. do I need to do the polar scope alignment? (Not the polar alignment itself) How can i be sure that the 6 o'clock is right down and the zero is straight up in the reticule? Thanks in advance and great vid again, so healpful
What I do is start by putting Polaris dead centre in the circle, then twist the altitude control until it hits the circle, then I rotate the 0 over that. Done!
Love your videos, Peter. A quick query....I installed the SAM console app, but when I opened the polar clock utility to get my accurate location, I got a message saying "use location sensor". When I clicked the button to 'on', the next message was 'no location sensor'. Local time shown and Polaris Position in the reticle was correct. What is the location sensor and where do I find it?
@@PeterZelinka erm.....thanks for the tip....my phone's GPS was turned on...what was turned off was in fact the app permission to use location services...I allowed it in settings and baaam... SAM console now shows my location. Lesson learned...thanks again! :)
you make it sound so easy, in the south its a whole new can of worms!! haha, great video though!
Finally! A complete explanation on how to polar-align a mount.
The big dipper has always been something I've adored. It always appears above my home when I'm walking back in the colder, clearer months. And because of this, even abroad, it gives me a wonderful sense of home just seeing it hovering, as if my house is just over the horizon waiting right underneath.
Great video Peter. So, are you adjusting the alignment to positioning Polaris to be at the center of the crosshairs or at the roughly 10:30 position on top of the gray dot? Thank you.
You can beam a laser through the polar scope to get it pretty close then proceed to actual alignment
Peter you didnt talk about the initial calibration of the polar scope - is it possible to make a short vid on how to do that?
This is a good basic tutorial... it would be incredibly helpful to mention that when looking through the polar-scope, the image seen is inverted. This is something not mentioned in any of the tutorials I watched before going into the field. I know I can always RTFM but many people rely on these types of videos because the tech-speak in manuals often leads to a TL;DR situation.
Good point! I do occasionally get questions on that. It can definitely complicate things at night, if you don't realize things are inverted
Considering the viewable image in the polar scope is inverted, wouldn't I need to put Polaris 180 degrees from the position indicated in the SAM app? Also, what's the reasoning for aligning the reticle vertically (0 on top, 6 on bottom) before the alignment? As long as Polaris is on the correct position on the ring relative to the axis it shouldn't matter, correct?
@@AirBourn I've learned that all polar scopes are inverted and the apps used to determine location on the ring take that into consideration. You're right about aligning the reticle, but many apps allow you select which tracker you are using and the reticle on screen will match exactly what's in the scope, so using the 'minutes' really helps getting aligned perfectly. If you're shooting wide angle tracked images, it won't matter much. I was able to shoot a 12 minute exposure with a 14mm and set it up quickly by eye.
@@MattMuirhead Thanks for the reply, Matt. I think you're right about the apps. I'm at about 44.5 north latitude and according to Stellarium the rotational axis is at the three o'clock position relative to Polaris - which means that Polaris is at the the three o'clock position relative to the axis (from an inverted viewpoint). This is exactly where the Polar Clock Utility in the SAM app tells me to put it.
Dude.. I have two telescopes and this never occurred to me for some reason. THANK YOU
7:18 - South Pole guys. Your screwed at this point haha
For longer lenses/long sessions I suggest getting a scope illuminator adapter (super cheap 3D printed) so you can keep it attached at all times, and check alignment now and then.
A right angle viewfinder to attack to the scope is also super useful, expecially when you are shooting with longer lenses and need a super precise polar alignment.
The Star Adventurer Pro Pack is now shipped with an adapter to put the illuminator in the declination bracket
Thanks alot, Peter! My Star Adventurer 2i got here today and you made me understand more in 10 minutes than an hour plus with their nearly useless literature!
You should write the instructions that come with it! LOL. Excellent vid. many thanks.
I have found that at least in the skytracker pro mount there is some miss alingment between polar scope and the rotational axis of the mount. But with some tweaks and tools like EOSbackyard i can get at least 1 minute exposures with 300mm lens
There are three small hex screws on the side of the polar scope that let you adjust it to the rotational axis ;)
Great video Peter, there's actually a little hole on the right of the skywatcher - it can be used to line up with Polaris visually. Sadly for the Southern Hemisphere it wont work. A tip for anyone in the Southern Hemisphere:
Firstly, get the App for IOS or Andriod Polar Align pro (or free version) this will help you set the orientation of of the polar scope which is very important in order to find the four Octans in the scope.
Secondly, focus of the scope is critical, if its not focused, you'll never see Octans as they are VERY faint, but with some practice, you'll find them quite easily, its just very important to have the scope orientated correctly. Polar Align pro is pretty nifty as you can choose for multiple different scopes (Skywatcher, Vixen, ioptron etc) and remember on the Skywriter, the image you see is inverted. EG if polaris is top left in the sky, its actually bottom right in the scope.
The App itself is also useful for dialing in your altitude as the EQ wedge is not always precise enough, you'll be surprised what a 1 degree difference makes.
Over multiple nights, even under moon light, I've found the 4 stars in the constellation Octans - the main star among the four is Polaris Australis, its basically our version of Polaris in the Southern Hemisphere - I have found that all four stars are of the same brightness, they are very dim but CAN be found.
at 50mm I've easily managed 4 minutes and 2 minutes at 200mm. - I havent tested longer than that but I do not believe it is designed for very long focal lengths, then again, I haven't really tested enough.
Another thing i've found is to attach the dove tail mount on the tracker also when looking for the stars, often when you put your camera on, it can cause a slight shift in alignment!
I have used 900mm focal length. However cannot have any wind and counterweight needs to be spot on
exposure time?
For me, there was an adapter that came with the camera, so I could slide the polar scope illuminator in the dovetail plate
Great video, Peter, thank you. I am patiently waiting for my Star Adventurer to arrive, now I've got a better idea how to set it up.
Basically, anything over 100mm, you pretty much need auto guiding if you want to do anything longer than 30 seconds and get no star trails. The cheapest adequate Auto Guiding system for this unit (camera and scope) will cost you about $300 CAD, and that is if you already have a Laptop!~ But if you are serious about Astrophotography and want good results, auto guiding is a necessary tool!
FYI, the azimuth (horizontal) control knobs are mentioned once on page 42 of the instruction manual. In fact, the equatorial wedge has no breakdown of any of its features unlike the main 2i body. If it wasn't for your video and others like it, I'd be lost. Even with the videos, no where does it explain that the set screws directly in front of the azimuth knobs need to be slightly loosed otherwise the knobs will not rotate the platform which is what was happening for me.
I just bought my Sky-watcher Star Adventure 2i Pro Pack, and don't think I polar aligned it properly. I tried it out for the first time last night. I just found this video and will be trying again tomorrow evening. Do you have any quick tips, or should I just follow the video?
A useful video thanks. For me i try to attach the camera and lens before I align, to reduce the chances that i'll nudge the mount.
Good point! Once you add a declination bracket, counterweight, and camera / lens it will likely move things enough to throw off the polar alignment.
For beginners though, it might be overwhelming to have everything attached when doing the initial polar alignment.
If you are using an app to help you find the north star would your phone need a signal? I'd imagine you are out where's there's no signal when you're doing this kind of photography.
Thankfully no internet is required. I almost always use the app when I'm out in the middle of nowhere, and I've never had a problem. As long as you have a GPS signal, it should work fine.
So wait, after you've done all of this how do you rotate to find objects in the night sky? I know the night sky, I know where what I want to shoot is, but like, for example, the milky way area is directly south. Do I loose polar alignment if I point my 2i south? Im so confused
Do a video for the southern hemisphere please !
When using the SA Console app, it does not indicate Long/Lat position under the Location Tab. It says "no signal". Can you help?
wait!!! So I don't have to worry about all the markings on the polar scope dials? Just turn it to face up and down?
I will buy this mount next month. Can't wait for test it! Thanks for the video.
Hi, I have a question. Do I have to polar aline the tracker to the north star every time I got out to look a different object each night? I'm new to this.
Hi Peter, I am new to this hobby. When you said 0 to the top 6 to the bottom at 5:46. How am I supposed to make sure zero is exactly on the top? Thanks!
I prefer to line up the north star in the reticle as soon as it appears in the sky so it is easy to find but many times I will not be shooting until a few hours later so do I need to keep my star tracker on for those few hours?
Thanks for the video. Helped me do my first shot, I went out and shot andromeda, came out awesome! I wanted to ask quick vs precise alignment what focal length would you say is the max you can to a quick alignment and still do a 4 minute or more exposure?
I'd say 35mm - 50mm is pushing it with a rough polar alignment. If I know I'm shooting with my 35mm lens I will spend a little more time making sure the polar alignment is good.
very "wise" tips at the end credits there. How the hell am I able to check polar aligment again if each time I attach my camera via ballhead, it risks moving the whole set up again?
Hello. What kind of tripod will be enough to avoid issues with wind? ;)
Using this method does it matter whether the SA Time Meridian circle is adjusted for your local meridian as the instruction manual indicates?
But once you've attached your camera you surely can't see through the Polarscope anymore?
When you rotate the polar scope, 0 at the top, 6 at the bottom, how accurate does this have to be? Are there any ways/tips to make sure it’s accurate?
Mine came with a plastic adapter that you plug into the opening of the large fine-tune bracket and push the light assy into the adapter to align with the camera onboard.
Waste of your money, right out of the box the clutch on the main unit will not loosen or tighten, piece of junk!
Nota you can illuminate with your smartphone flashlight as well
How do u align if you can't see the north star? Are phone sky apps accurate enough?
Hi, could you explain the time and date dials settings ? This bit confuses me
... your sound is way to silent, had to turn the volume to max to hear you properly.
Peter love your calm style, keep it up! Great video!
The first video about the Star Adventurer with which I could actually do something. Very well explained.
I hate these polar scopes that rotate. They should design the polar scope to be fixed so you can continuously check the alignment by looking into the scope mid-shoot. Unfortunately with this design you have to rotate your whole setup back to 0 degrees just to check.
If you have the Star Adventurer with the graduated dials on the back, you can use the Polar Scope Align Pro app to get the position of Polaris with the reticle rotated. It really is quite easy.
Hi Peter - your videos are really useful, thank you. I have a brand new star adventurer and am trying to figure it out before heading out for some night sky photography. I am really confused about the dial on the back of the star tracker and you did not cover this in your video. I realise it has something to do with the date and time, but as you did not mention it, is it not important or how should I set it up (I am in the UK by the way, so an example would be great)! Thanks in advance.
Thanks! Yeah, that dial is used for a manual polar alignment, if you didn't have an app to help. To be honest, I don't remember how to even use it. (The problem with technology, we become too reliant on it).
Pages 22 and 23 of the manual explain it, although it's a bit confusing:
www.skywatcherusa.com/downloads/manuals/StarAdventurer_UsersManual.pdf
Thanks for the clarification Peter - I was hoping that was the case, I am all in favour of tech - life (and clear skies) is way too short! I read the manual and, yes, it was confusing and no mention of the possibility of an app, as far as I could tell.
Hi. I bought this Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer years ago but never used. I want to get into astrophotography now and I'd like to know if it is a good idea to remove this item from the box now. I also bought the counter-weights for it.
Congrats on your videos.
Thank you, very helpful video !
Just got my Sky-watcher Star Adventure and had some trouble understanding the Polaris alignment..This video was VERY helpful, Thanks a lot!
Great tutorial, thank you!
everytime i look through my polar scope, the stars are all blurry even when im twisting the focus ring thing on the front of the eye piece. how do i fix this?
Great vid! The alignment is everything!
Well done, thank you...the only video i've found that really explains the process.
How do you check polar alignment after attaching the camera and lens? It looks like it will block the polar scope.
If you have the angle piece it has a hole that lets you see through it.
Hello, I am writing you for some guidance on my Star Adventurer 1st Edition. I recently purchased a ZWO ASI guiding camera and scope. I am requesting assistance on how to polar align my Star Adventurer with the ZWO Guiding camera and scope. I can not find any instructions or videos on how to do it. Thank you.
Hi guys, I'm looking to start out in astrophotography and this tracker seems to be reasonably priced for what you get. I have a modded Canon 450D which I want to start using and I'm in doubt over what kind of glass I should use. I have a Canon 70-200 2.8 IS II which is amazing during day-time but will it also be great during nighttime? I plan to shoot nebulae so I think FOV-wise I'm set, but is it a good starter lens, or should I invest in a cheap small-ish telescope?
So you don't show exactly where to put Polaris in the circle. Do you put it on the dot that is there? No one yet shows this. Also you moved the Latitude? You go a little too fast.
Yes, you put Polaris on the where the dot is on the SAM Console App.
Thanks for your video! You did a very good job on explaining it! I will try it out tonight!
Don`t forget to power on the SA!
Very well explained. Looking forward to using my mount again for Comet Neowise. It's been a while since I last used it and your tutorial was a nice reminder of how to polar align.
Level tripod should be first, as you’ve just shifted your angle for your latitude by shuffling it around, yes, it may still be rough, but doing the level first will make the rough alignment closer
Can you please explain all the dials in the back of the Star adventurer. How to use them as per the reading of like hours, minutes as S Reilly?
Those dials are obsolete. Use an app or check the internet for Polaris's location at a specific time - and keep mind the Star Adventure's scope shows a reversed image. If Polaris's location is at 1 o'clock adjust the scope to put Polaris at 7 o'clock.
@@len.whistler thank you len, I have had no luck with the star adventurer, I have been using the sam app and placing Polaris exactly where it appears in app!
I have been having trouble with Star Adventurer. I pretty much start seeing trails at 60 seconds and have to scale back. One thing I just noticed after a session last night is that my altitude was showing more like 42 degrees than 39.5 degrees that it should be. Did I pick the wrong star? I did get 60 second exposures that most of them were tight stars. What is the star field around Polaris that I should see to be sure I am on the right one looking through my scope? I did start at twilight but always seems that there are still more stars visible through the scope.
1:21 @peter zelinka there's a rabbit in the background
Had to scroll all the way down to find this comment :) There's 3 rabbits!
Thanks Peter for a well organized and useful video. Your content explained the beginner level operation and I was able to get my tracker on polar alignment quickly and successfully.
If time permits, find due south during the day. It's when the sun is at it's highest in the sky. "Solar Noon" websites can tell you the exact time when that happens, based on your coordinates... and then just put a stick in the ground for the shadow. The shadow points true north. Get the scope or camera all set up during the daylight, and then wait for dusk to continue with your fine tuning polar alignment.
I don't see anything in my reticle, no crosshairs, no symbology.
you might want to add that the polarscope inverts the location of Polaris relative to the NCP. You mentioned Stellarium and it has option to show the NCP and Polaris is in a different position relative to NCP !! i.e. inverted.
Just got mine from B&H yesterday. Can't wait to use it in the field!
me too, lockdown is killing me
First off, one of the best videos I have seen explaining this device. Very well done!! My question though is if this device is rotating with the stars then how do you keep the landscape in the foreground from becoming blurred? How do you keep the foreground sharp and crisp yet capture all the stars in their glory? Would I take one shot without movement as the "base of the image" and then use all the other images taken and composite them together, and then remove the "star background" on the "base image" in Photoshop and use the composite image for the stars background?
That's the trick! If the star tracker is turned on, the foreground will blur out. Therefore, you will need to blend a static foreground and tracked sky together.
You could take both images in the exact same spot. One with the tracker turned on, and another with the tracker turned off. However, this can cause some problems. If there are a lot of foreground elements, they will blur out and will make the blending much more difficult. Therefore, I recommend finding a wide open sky, and taking your star tracked images there. This will make the blending a lot easier. I cover this full process in-depth in my star tracker tutorials.
www.peterzelinka.com/star-tracker-tutorials
@@PeterZelinka excellent! And thank you for the link. That was exactly the tutorial I have been looking for. Keep up the good work!
hey just wanted to say loved your video it helped so much i will be checking out your other videos!!!!!
On the right side of the start adventure is a small hole that you can look through to get a rough polar alignment once you line up Polaris in that hole then go to your old scope and do fine adjustments
Thanks. Could you tell me if the refractor telescope suffers a lot of damage if I want to observe from the seashore? I say this because of the salinity that can affect the lenses. Is there a trick to protect it and be able to go anyway?
Is there a tripod that you would recommend with the Star Adventurer? I just picked on up a few days ago and think my current tripod may need to be upgraded.
There are so many options to choose from, it's hard to say. One thing I would caution against is any tripod with a center column. These center columns have given me a lot of trouble with my star tracker. No matter how hard I would tighten everything down, the center columns would always move slightly. This prevented me from ever having an accurate polar alignment.
I now use a Feisol CT-3442 tripod, which allows me to attach the latitude base directly to the tripod, without a center column. This provides a more stable platform, without any risk of things moving around. I really like this tripod too, its carbon fiber, very tall, and well built!
Hello Peter, you've got me hooked. I'm a pro landscape photographer in Fife, Scotland with my own gallery/shop. Watched your videos and grabbed my first Milky Way this week setting over the 700 year old Tantallon Castle near Edinburgh. I'm using a Canon 5DSr with battery grip and a Zeiss Distagon T* 15mm F2.8. The lack of coma, distortion and chromatic aberration is remarkable for such a lens but like any glass, limited by aperture. I managed multiple 20 second shots and stacked them using the software you recommended - Sequator. But a tracker means I could shoot much, much longer exposures to reduce the ISO from 3200 to something useful for print enlargements like ISO 100. But that suggests exposures of at least 4 mins and maybe up to 10 mins. So, question is this: will this small rig hold up to the weight of my gear and is it possible to shoot 10 min images with 15 mm lenses and still get sharp images? And is 10 mins at ISO 100 for milky way shots reasonable. Scotland stretches from 54 ° N all the way to 61° N. Does this present any unique challenges? Thank you for all your effort in making these videos.
Hi Graham,
I normally use 4 minute exposures, at either f/2.8 or f/4 and I capture plenty of light. You'll be amazed by how much cleaner and more detailed the photos are! Worst case scenario, you might need to take a 5 or 6 minute image to have a completely grain-free image. This is all easily done by the Star Adventurer!
I've never personally shot a 10 minute exposures, for a variety of reasons. One problem you'll have is a lot of sensor heat, which may manifest in the form of hot pixels. I normally use Long Exposure Noise Reduction to remove these in-camera. However, this effectively doubles the exposure time.
At that latitude, the core of the milky way will be very low on the horizon. However, you'll have a great view of the beautiful "northern milky way", which has some stunning nebula in it. With your star tracker and a 4 minute exposure, you will be able to capture all of the faint details!
@@PeterZelinka Thank you for your reply. I ordered a right angle viewer/eyepiece because we're so far north, it's a neck breaker to find Polaris through the optics. And yes, the Milky Way is very low but will rise in the summer. However, sun sets at between 10:30pm and 11:15pm so there's too much light in the night sky for good core images. Thanks for the exposure tips; might experiment again tonight as the skies look to be clear again. All the best!
@@grahamhgraham That's a good idea, with the right-angle eyepiece! I always have a hard time contorting to look through my polar scope.
I didn't realise Scotland was so high up! Almost sounds like Alaska, where the sun never sets in the summer.
Good luck and clear skies!
Peter, thanks for all your videos. I'm wondering if there might be a 3d printed device that would allow me to put my phone on it, while it's attached to the alt-az base, that would allow me to utilize Polar Scope Align Pro to get close to a polar alignment and spend less time to try to bend over to look through the actual scope of my tracker. Are you aware of anything like this?
after buying my first small telescope i ran in to so much problems! some things just didn't add up. so i decided to go back to basic/base.. so after some close inspection of my star tracker instruction book i learned that i missed out on so many things !! one of those was the precise polar alignment with the offset and time/date rings. Thank you for sharing this video!
I think this is the best tutorial so far. I've recently got a Sky-Watcher SA Mini and this is very helpful. Can't wait to try it out. Thank you so much!
Edit here for other SAM owners: For the actual ring which revolves to track the stars, there might be a small screw holding it in place to avoid rotation when not in use. That needs to be removed before using "Run".
Excellent video
what if polaris view is obstructed?
Move to where it’s visible. If it’s a tree you could find a gap in the branches where polaris is visible
Will this support a Celestron Nexstar 6SE??
great video. just acquired this tracker. thanks very much
Thanks Peter your videos are always so easy to understand the lesson being taught...
Thanks Chris!
Hey Peter, I'm seeing that when I have the '0' in my reticle aligned at the top of the scope (and 6 at the bottom), the camera mount (and thus declination bracket, counter weight, etc) is slanted quite a bit. It's almost perfectly horizontal in fact. Does that mean my mount needs to be re-calibrated? It's brand new. My friend just received his brand new, too, and when he has 0 aligned at the top, his mount allows for a perfectly vertical placement of the declination bracket. Let me know if this makes sense. If not, I can email you the pictures. Thank you in advance!
It seems the reticle orientation differs on every star tracker. Ideally, it would be vertical when 12 is at the top. However, in most cases it is not. For example, on my SkyGuider Pro I have to flip everything upside to get the 12 at the top.
This shouldn't affect the accuracy of your polar alignment though.
I know iOptron has instructions on adjusting their polar scopes to fix this problem. I can't remember if Sky-Watcher has instructions for the Star Adventurer though.
Thanks @@PeterZelinka! I'll check to see if there is an instruction to fix this. I tried googling-- but it's a weird question to try to type into Google lol. I might ask Sky Watcher on Monday when they're open. I'll shoot you an email if I get the answer. It's just annoying because, in many cases we may need to re-check alignment after we've added the camera/lens... and that would mean putting everything back -- in my case -- to a completely horizontal orientation of the counterweight and declination bracket. Just purchased your DSO tutorials. Can't wait!
@@marisamarulli8955 Yeah, it is a pain to do a precise polar alignment when you have to flip everything around and lock it down like that.
Thank you! Enjoy the course!
@@marisamarulli8955 Hi Marisa! I just received the Star Adventurer and exactly the same thing happens to you.
Did you get any response from Skywatcher? or any solution?
Thank you!
Good video. I am thinking of getting a star tracker and I am sure that I will be watching this again when I do.
Thank you so much for this. Very helpful.
I'm a bit confused about 12x for time lapse. If it's moving faster than the stars, won't it blur? Or am I reading it completely wrong? What's the max exposure length on timelapse mode? thanks :)
Yes, to photograph the stars use 1x. The 12x is more for panning motions during a daytime timelapse.
To nail Polaris, I cut a piece of wood exactly 39mm wide and about 150mm long. I added a right angle to it and insert it into the wedge when the wedge is adjusted to horizontal. I place a compass on it and taking account of magnetic declination (-1 to -4 degrees West in Scotland), move the tripod to true north. Polaris will also move about +-1 degree east or west depending on time of day so I account for that too. Then I replace the wood with a digital angle finder and adjust to 56 degrees (Edinburgh, Scotland). I then fit the Adventurer unit and tighten it down. This way when I switch on the reticule, Polaris is always within the field of view. Fine adjustments are made to get Polaris in the middle. Whenever I add the camera and the counterweights, it moves slightly so I make another Polar alignment once the balance is sorted. After fine turning, I've been able to get pin sharp stars at 16 minute exposures with my Zeiss Distagon 15mm f2.8 lens at F5.6 and ISO 400. If I fit the Zeiss 135mm F2.8 Apo Sonar, I've been able to achieve pin point stars at 6 minutes at ISO 400 with the lens at f5.6. I'm working on doubling this duration once I've figured out why the unit wanders off center. I did disassemble the wedge and re-grease and adjust the assembly cos there are some factory tolerances which could be better. I'm using a Canon D5Sr for maximum resolution capture and its sensor enjoys lots of light, hence the aim to double these exposures.
Hi thank you for the excellent video it really simplifies the process. I do have a question please... if you lose alignment while attaching the camera, how can you re-align when the camera would be blocking the polar scope? Aren't just going to have to go back to step 1 to realign? Thanks again!
You don't need to use the adapter as any bit of light will do. Even the light from a headlamp can be bounced down there. I use a small thumb light which is taped to the rail not pointing down the hole at all. Reflected light off the huge nut above is all that is needed. If you really want to use it make sure when balancing to leave enough room in the central gap to fit it.
So I bought your Tutorials yesterday and noticed that in the RAW images section you have shots of Trillium Lake. Do you live in Oregon? I am just asking because I live in Portland, Oregon.
I spend about half the year in Ohio and the other half traveling across the country. I'm looking forward to getting back to Oregon this summer!
This has been very helpful,Thank you
what tripod would you recommend, if i use the star adventurer mit evostar ed72?
I ordered a mount like this today and it says in the specifications that the pole finder is illuminated? Is that wrong or an upgrade lately?
i need help,,, im very new to this,, after recently getting a star tracker,,,,, my question is,,, once i have done my polar alignment,,, can i point my camera at any part of the sky i want once mounted on its ball head?..example,,, 180 degrees to polar alignment etc.
Yep, you can aim the camera in any direction you want. Just make sure the Star Adventurer stays pointed up to Polaris and does not move.
Once you polar align can you rotate 180 and look south to the stars in the sky, I look out to the S/SW from my back garden. Wanted to know if this tracker can be used for that?
Yeah, you're free to aim the camera in any direction you want. You just need to make sure the star tracker stays facing North, otherwise it won't move your camera with the motion of the stars. That's why I recommend attaching a ballhead to the star tracker, so you can freely move your camera around after the polar alignment. This will make more sense once you get out and practice a bit, or check out some of my other videos which show the process.
Thanks for the video. I am new to this tracker and last night i had much difficulty in alligning polar star. With the naked eye i could see the polaris clear, without any stars nearby. But when looking through the scope, i see multiple stars nearby and confused which one is polaris. Vertical movement of the scope was also confusing beacuse whenever i adujust the tracker vertically, the stars also moves the same direction.... means when i move it up, the stars in the field also moves up. So i am getting an inverted view of the field. The view in the scope is zoomed already. Is there anyway to zoom out the polar scope so that i can see the dipper and polaris in view? Then it will be easy to identify the polaris
Yeah, that's the hard part of doing the polar alignment. The scope will always be inverted, and locked into that focal length. It can be hard to tell which star is actually polaris when you're looking through the scope.
I'd recommend going out at twilight next time, before it gets too dark. When you do your polar alignment, you should now only see one bright star - Polaris. If you're shooting with a wide angle lens, you don't have to be too accurate. As long as you can see the north star somewhere in the scope, you should be able to shoot 4 minutes at 14mm.
Great video. I've been trying to track down that polar scope illuminator but can't seem to find it. Any ideas?
Just use a headlamp with a red light, it's way easier and less hassle. When I look through the polar scope, I'll use one hand to briefly shine the red light into the front of the scope, so I can see the reticule. Then I move the light out of the way so I can see the star again.
Really excellent tutorial thanks!
Thank You. This helped alot.
Well made video. Thank you 😊
Hi, thanks a lot for your video, but I have two questions.. do I need to do the polar scope alignment? (Not the polar alignment itself)
How can i be sure that the 6 o'clock is right down and the zero is straight up in the reticule?
Thanks in advance and great vid again, so healpful
What I do is start by putting Polaris dead centre in the circle, then twist the altitude control until it hits the circle, then I rotate the 0 over that. Done!
thank you!
Love your videos, Peter. A quick query....I installed the SAM console app, but when I opened the polar clock utility to get my accurate location, I got a message saying "use location sensor". When I clicked the button to 'on', the next message was 'no location sensor'. Local time shown and Polaris Position in the reticle was correct. What is the location sensor and where do I find it?
It should be using your phone's GPS, which might be disabled?
@@PeterZelinka erm.....thanks for the tip....my phone's GPS was turned on...what was turned off was in fact the app permission to use location services...I allowed it in settings and baaam... SAM console now shows my location. Lesson learned...thanks again! :)