Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer 2i Pro

mount

A multi-function equatorial tracking mount with built-in Wi-Fi control.

Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer 2i Pro

Sometimes you just want to track the Sun or Moon, maybe take pictures of the Milky Way, or maybe even accurately track some Deep Space Object but with a lightweight Time Machine. Have I got a solution for you. The Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer (in this case, the 2i Pro Pack) is an awesome little star tracker. Not quite a full-blown German Equitorial Mount (GEM) EQ6R-Pro, and more than just a tripod, this little guy is my go-to mount for doing solar work and for travel. I don't even polar align it, I just aim it towards North and call it good enough, and I can track for dozens of minutes without having to adjust. If I take time to polar align, it's even better.

I use my Star Adventurer when I travel or when I want to do Milky Way shots or other wide-angle astrophotogprahy because it's a lot easier than a GEM. Mine lives on a Bogen 3021 tripod that you can't find easily anymore (I've had it since I was in my 20s) but you can plop it on top of just about any tripod and it will work great.

The kit comes with the tracker itself, which includes Wifi connectivity, a polar scope illuminator (so you can do what I don't do, and accurately polar align), a declination bracket for doing true equitorial mounting, counterwight kit, ballhead adapter, and a converter screw for 3/8" -> 1/4" mounting on a tripod. I routinely use the dec bracket, counterwight bar, and the weight, but I almost never use the ballhead adapter anymore. I used to. I find that it just gets in the way. I mount whatever it is (typically that's a Canon DSLR camera or similar) directly on the dec bracket and then just adjust it as needed. You can certainly use a ballhead, but the extra axes just get in my way.

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