Taking your exposures
Toshoottheperfectimage,makesureyou’resetupwellandreadytogo
Afterfocusingonabrightstar,movethecamerato
point at your target, and then set it to Manual mode,
theISOto1600orsoandtheexposurelengthset
to your camera’s maximum exposure time, typicallySend your photos to
[email protected]30 seconds. If your first test image shows trailed,
not pinpoint stars then check your polar alignment
and make sure every knob and wheel is tightened
up properly.3
Focus on a bright target
Manually focus your camera on a bright star
before moving it to point at your target object
or area of the sky. It's easier to focus on a brighter
star at first.1
Get a sturdy tripod
Mount your tracker on a sturdy tripod and
make sure it is level. Next, attach your DSLR
to it before aligning it with the Pole Star. A sturdy
tripod will improve your images.4
Start your test exposures
Take a test exposure of 30 seconds with
the ISO set to 1600. If the stars have
trailed, check your polar alignment and tighten
everything up.2
Align with Polaris
Using the tracker’s ‘sighting hole’ or finder
scope, align it with the Pole Star. A phone app
will almost certainly be available for your specific
model to assist with this.6
Use stacking to get a
high-resolution image
Usefreesoftwaretoprocessyourimages.You
can stack lots of images of the same object together
to make a single high-resolution image.5
Ensure everything is
operating as it should
Keep your exposures to under two minutes to
reduce potential trailing. Check regularly that your
lens hasn’t misted up and check it’s still in focus.Use a star tracker
STARGAZER
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