Orion Starshoot Autoguider!

Orion Starshoot Autoguider When I first used my StarShoot auto-guiding system, I recognized it was one of the finest buys I’d ever made in astrophotography equipment. It was good to have a set of frames that didn’t have to be looked through to find the handful that was acceptable for stacking and processing. Each frame was practically similar to the one before it, and they all had excellent round stars. In my early days of unguided astrophotography, it was difficult to capture enough exposure time on an object while also producing enough frames for processing into a nice quality composite picture.

Orion Starshoot Autoguider

Orion Starshoot Autoguider :

Orion Awesome Autoguider System

I decided to add auto guiding to the mix after purchasing the Celestron CGEM and Canon XSi. I purchased the Orion Awesome Autoguider system after hearing about it from Jeff Turner at DaltonSkyGazer. The system is a comprehensive auto-guiding kit at a very low cost. And it is powered by the software package PHD Guiding, which I was aware was popular. Stark Labs created PHD Guiding (a freeware tool) to be a simple yet powerful method to steer your telescope. As a result, the Orion Awesome Autoguider system looked to be just what I needed to get started. It was purchased from Orion Telescopes & Binoculars. Check out the Orion Awesome Autoguider Refractor Telescope Package for the price, availability, and more information. The bundle includes the following:

  • Orion ShortTube 80 refractor telescope
  • StarShoot AutoGuider
  • 1.25″ Extension tube (for camera focus)
  • Guide scope rings
  • Guide scope ring mounting bar
  • Mounting the Starshoot Autoguider and ST80 Refractor
  • PHD Guiding disk

I opted to use the auto guider with my ED80 refractor. The ST80 guide scope mounted perfectly on top of my ED80 using some adapters obtained from our good friends at ADM Accessories. It all comes together well with my Celestron CGEM!

Orion Starshoot Autoguider : M42 Example with Orion’s StarShoot Autoguider

The Orion Nebula was one of my first photographs taken while guiding using the StarShoot Autoguider. The frame-to-frame uniformity astounded me. Each snap was identical to the one before it, with no star trailing or blurring. The StarShoot tracked properly for the entirety of the imaging session after it latched onto the guiding star.

My M42 trial was composed of short exposures though:

  • 16 x 80 seconds at ISO 1600
  • 10 x 60 seconds at ISO 400

As a result, it was not a genuine test of StarShoot’s capabilities. My second attempt at the Horsehead Nebula was more difficult since longer exposures were required to see the fainter nebulosity.

Orion Starshoot Autoguider : Horsehead Nebula with Starshoot Autoguider

The StarShoot Autoguider testing needed substantially longer exposures than M42. With my ED80 refractor, I discovered that 6-minute exposures were required to discern the faint Horsehead. The picture below is a composite of 8 frames, each lasting 6 minutes. The StarShoot again latched onto the guiding star and maintained my scope tracking smoothly over the extended exposures. Unfortunately, I did not have enough time that night to get enough light and dark frames to reduce noise in the final shot. But that was a good StarShoot test.

Orion Starshoot Autoguider : Conclusion

All of my testing with the Orion StarShoot Autoguider was done using the basic operating instructions. So far, I haven’t experimented with any of the sophisticated auto guider options. As I get more expertise with the Starshoot, I may need to investigate some of these choices in order to improve auto guiding effectiveness.

Were there any issues with the StarShoot Autoguider throughout my testing? There were a few instances to note. It once stopped tracking throughout a sequence of exposures. When I spotted the stars lagging in the photos, I returned to the PHD Guiding page and realized that it had stopped tracking on my guide star. It’s difficult to determine what occurred, but possibly I selected a star with a low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). I quickly got back on track by selecting another star in the field of vision. To my amazement, I did not have to repeat the calibration procedure. For the rest of the frames, the StarShoot tracked well.

PHD Guiding is completely tied up in another trial. During a guiding session, the application froze, and all of my photographs were lost. However, I was experiencing computer issues at the time, and other applications were also closing up. Since then, I’ve repaired my PC, and the issue hasn’t returned. As a result, it was more likely caused by a computer malfunction than by PHD Guiding.

My limited experience with the Orion StarShoot Autoguider is the basis for this assessment. However, it has functioned wonderfully overall. So far, I’m pleased with this addition to my astrophotography toolkit. I’m hoping that when I continue to put the StarShoot Autoguider to the test, it will function well and I’ll be able to make high-quality Astro-images!

I’ve included a helpful quick-start section below. It is simple to get started using PHD Guiding’s StarShoot Autoguider!

Orion Starshoot Autoguider : Quick Start Procedure

Here’s how to get started with auto-guiding using the StarShoot camera and PHD Guiding software. It is assumed that the guide scope (in my instance, ST80) is connected to the main imaging scope and that the wires are properly connected (USB cable to computer and auto guide interface cable to the auto-guiding port of the telescope mount).

  • Launch the PHD Guiding program.
  • Click on the camera icon to connect the PHD Guiding program to the StarShoot Autoguider
  • Select StarShoot Autoguider.
  • Select 2.0 seconds for the camera exposure duration.
  • Click on the looping exposure icon to see a live preview of the sky. Focus on the guide scope (Orion ShortTube 80 refractor).
  • Focus your telescope on the live preview of the sky.
  • Once focus is achieved, click the Stop button.
  • Click on a bright star in the field of view. This will be your guide star. A green box should appear around it.
  • On the mount menu, select “On-camera”.
  • Click the telescope icon to connect the StarShoot auto guider to the telescope mount through the auto-guiding port.
  • Click the PHD Guiding icon to begin the calibration process. Note that calibration may take around 15 minutes to complete.
  • Once the calibration process is complete, the text “Guiding” will appear at the bottom left.
  • Now you can begin imaging through your main telescope and camera! We hope you have enjoueyed this review Orion Starshoot Autoguider 

 

Orion Starshoot Autoguider When I first used my StarShoot auto-guiding system, I recognized it was one of the finest buys I’d ever made in astrophotography equipment. It was good to have a set of frames that didn’t have to be looked through to find the handful that was acceptable for stacking and processing. Each frame was practically similar to the one before it, and they all had excellent round stars. In my early days of unguided astrophotography, it was difficult to capture enough exposure time on an object while also producing enough frames for processing into a nice quality composite picture.

Orion Starshoot Autoguider

Orion Starshoot Autoguider :

Orion Awesome Autoguider System

I decided to add auto guiding to the mix after purchasing the Celestron CGEM and Canon XSi. I purchased the Orion Awesome Autoguider system after hearing about it from Jeff Turner at DaltonSkyGazer. The system is a comprehensive auto-guiding kit at a very low cost. And it is powered by the software package PHD Guiding, which I was aware was popular. Stark Labs created PHD Guiding (a freeware tool) to be a simple yet powerful method to steer your telescope. As a result, the Orion Awesome Autoguider system looked to be just what I needed to get started. It was purchased from Orion Telescopes & Binoculars. Check out the Orion Awesome Autoguider Refractor Telescope Package for the price, availability, and more information. The bundle includes the following:

  • Orion ShortTube 80 refractor telescope
  • StarShoot AutoGuider
  • 1.25″ Extension tube (for camera focus)
  • Guide scope rings
  • Guide scope ring mounting bar
  • Mounting the Starshoot Autoguider and ST80 Refractor
  • PHD Guiding disk

I opted to use the auto guider with my ED80 refractor. The ST80 guide scope mounted perfectly on top of my ED80 using some adapters obtained from our good friends at ADM Accessories. It all comes together well with my Celestron CGEM!

Orion Starshoot Autoguider : M42 Example with Orion’s StarShoot Autoguider

The Orion Nebula was one of my first photographs taken while guiding using the StarShoot Autoguider. The frame-to-frame uniformity astounded me. Each snap was identical to the one before it, with no star trailing or blurring. The StarShoot tracked properly for the entirety of the imaging session after it latched onto the guiding star.

My M42 trial was composed of short exposures though:

  • 16 x 80 seconds at ISO 1600
  • 10 x 60 seconds at ISO 400

As a result, it was not a genuine test of StarShoot’s capabilities. My second attempt at the Horsehead Nebula was more difficult since longer exposures were required to see the fainter nebulosity.

Orion Starshoot Autoguider : Horsehead Nebula with Starshoot Autoguider

The StarShoot Autoguider testing needed substantially longer exposures than M42. With my ED80 refractor, I discovered that 6-minute exposures were required to discern the faint Horsehead. The picture below is a composite of 8 frames, each lasting 6 minutes. The StarShoot again latched onto the guiding star and maintained my scope tracking smoothly over the extended exposures. Unfortunately, I did not have enough time that night to get enough light and dark frames to reduce noise in the final shot. But that was a good StarShoot test.

Orion Starshoot Autoguider : Conclusion

All of my testing with the Orion StarShoot Autoguider was done using the basic operating instructions. So far, I haven’t experimented with any of the sophisticated auto guider options. As I get more expertise with the Starshoot, I may need to investigate some of these choices in order to improve auto guiding effectiveness.

Were there any issues with the StarShoot Autoguider throughout my testing? There were a few instances to note. It once stopped tracking throughout a sequence of exposures. When I spotted the stars lagging in the photos, I returned to the PHD Guiding page and realized that it had stopped tracking on my guide star. It’s difficult to determine what occurred, but possibly I selected a star with a low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). I quickly got back on track by selecting another star in the field of vision. To my amazement, I did not have to repeat the calibration procedure. For the rest of the frames, the StarShoot tracked well.

PHD Guiding is completely tied up in another trial. During a guiding session, the application froze, and all of my photographs were lost. However, I was experiencing computer issues at the time, and other applications were also closing up. Since then, I’ve repaired my PC, and the issue hasn’t returned. As a result, it was more likely caused by a computer malfunction than by PHD Guiding.

My limited experience with the Orion StarShoot Autoguider is the basis for this assessment. However, it has functioned wonderfully overall. So far, I’m pleased with this addition to my astrophotography toolkit. I’m hoping that when I continue to put the StarShoot Autoguider to the test, it will function well and I’ll be able to make high-quality Astro-images!

I’ve included a helpful quick-start section below. It is simple to get started using PHD Guiding’s StarShoot Autoguider!

Orion Starshoot Autoguider : Quick Start Procedure

Here’s how to get started with auto-guiding using the StarShoot camera and PHD Guiding software. It is assumed that the guide scope (in my instance, ST80) is connected to the main imaging scope and that the wires are properly connected (USB cable to computer and auto guide interface cable to the auto-guiding port of the telescope mount).

  • Launch the PHD Guiding program.
  • Click on the camera icon to connect the PHD Guiding program to the StarShoot Autoguider
  • Select StarShoot Autoguider.
  • Select 2.0 seconds for the camera exposure duration.
  • Click on the looping exposure icon to see a live preview of the sky. Focus on the guide scope (Orion ShortTube 80 refractor).
  • Focus your telescope on the live preview of the sky.
  • Once focus is achieved, click the Stop button.
  • Click on a bright star in the field of view. This will be your guide star. A green box should appear around it.
  • On the mount menu, select “On-camera”.
  • Click the telescope icon to connect the StarShoot auto guider to the telescope mount through the auto-guiding port.
  • Click the PHD Guiding icon to begin the calibration process. Note that calibration may take around 15 minutes to complete.
  • Once the calibration process is complete, the text “Guiding” will appear at the bottom left.
  • Now you can begin imaging through your main telescope and camera! We hope you have enjoueyed this review Orion Starshoot Autoguider 

 

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