Star Tracker - Camera direction

[Seleckta]

Hi all, total newbie and slightly petrified at what I've got myself into...

Just got a Skywatcher Star Adventurer and having trawled the 'how to' videos I can't seem to find anything that tells you what to do after the alignment has been done in terms of pointing the camera.

Everything shows the camera and unit pointing in the direction of alignment which clearly is not going to allow you to choose your subject if it is in the opposite direction.

Is is simply a case of, with the camera mounted on the ball joint fitting) just pointing it wherever you like and the unit will take care of the rest?

[kendg]

Pretty much that's it.

Move the camera on the ball joint without moving the Star Adventurer. Just remember to turn on the SA. 🙂

[Dave Lloyd]

[Sunshine]

Roger that, once you're polar aligned, simply move the camera on the ball head to your target, the drive will follow the target.

[Seleckta]

Apologies, I totally missed your replies and thank you so much for taking the time. I've figured out the ball head / direction thing and all things considered am pretty pleased with my first foray into imaging the Orion Nebula.

My next question is the same but for when a scope / camera is attached to the L bracket with the weight. How do you get the camera in any direction...again, all images just show the camera pointing in the direction of polar alignment!

Cheers

[Seleckta]

Hi, I think I may have figured it out bu releasing the dovetail clutch and turning and then releasing the central wheel on the camera mount and turning that...but would I be right in thinking that by and large the camera will be in portrait mode. (This is using the L bracket with no ball head)?

 

[MarkAR]

If you can balance it and you feel its stable enough, I would use the ball attachment on the L-bracket.

[Seleckta]

Hi MarkAR, thanks for the reply.

I thought about that and it would be fine with just my camera and a lens but I am planning on getting hold of something like the Williams Optics Zenithstar 61 APO and don't think, at that point, the ballhead would be sufficient.

 

Johnny

[MarkAR]

I think you're right, though some ball heads can take a hell of a weight load.

Lose the ball head, you can rotate the camera in the scope for orientation.