The Sky Watcher Star Adventurer 2i Pro Pack is a popular and reasonably priced astrophotography mount. It is an excellent first-time mount for anyone looking into night sky photography and cinematography. It is simple to set up and use and provides excellent value for the money. It’s a fantastic all-around star tracker that’s suitable for both novice and experienced users. In this post, I will provide an in-depth analysis of the Sky Watcher Star Adventurer 2i Pro Pack and attempt to determine whether it is appropriate for you.
Specifications
Product Image |   |
Brand | Sky Watcher |
Weight | 1.7 Kg(Mount Head) |
Model | Star Adventurer 2i Pro |
Dimension | 13.9 x 9.6 x 6.3 inches |
Power | AC/DC (4 x AA) |
Motor | DC servo |
Tracking | North or South Hemisphere |
Pole Finder | Available |
Auto Guider Port | Available |
Maximum Load | 5 Kg |
Timelapse | Available |
Amazon Price |
Features of Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer 2i Pro Pack
Portability
The Star Adventurer 2i Pro is compact and lightweight. It fits most photographic backpacks and luggage, so you won’t have any trouble bringing it on a plane. The total weight of the mount, including the counterweight, wedge, and declination plate, is less than 3 kg.
Capacity for payload
The Star Adventurer Pro 2i can hold a shocking amount for its size. It can support up to 5kg. This is without taking into account the counterbalance. When photographing the stars, keeping the load at 60-70 percent of the maximum capacity is best. Assume you have a load that is less than the maximum capacity. It will be easier to track, balance the payload, and extend the mount’s service life in that situation.
Power supply
The Star Adventurer 2i Pro will need four AA batteries or a 5V DC power source to work. Because it consumes little power, a set of batteries will last for several nights. For instance, if the batteries are running low, the Star Adventurer 2i Pro will blink the indicator LED to alert you.
Although standard AA batteries have adequate capacity to last a long time, I prefer Energizer rechargeables. In fact, I’ve never received a low battery warning after using them for seven or more hours. Many users have complained about how difficult it is to remove the batteries. Even so, you may easily remove them with a plastic knife (the kind that kids use).
Wi-Fi adapter
By including an in-built Wi-Fi adaptor, Sky Watcher Pro Pack has made the mount appealing to many astrophotographers. Because Wi-Fi control of products is becoming increasingly common, many people are aware that the Star Adventurer 2i Pro will work with a smartphone.
When combined with the Snap port, the app provides excellent control. Polaris’ position chart is useful during the setup phase. You can also use the Bulb mode by holding down the exposure button for the duration of the exposure.
Switches
On one side, the main selection knob of Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer 2i Pro Pack allows you to choose between different tracking rates such as ‘Sidereal,’ ‘Lunar,’ and ‘Solar.’ Other choices include app, off, and time lapse settings. On the other side of the mount, there are switches for selecting south/north, a camera snap port, an arrow button, and a power supply connection.
Tracking speed
The tracking speed of a sky tracker mount is the speed at which the mount can move the telescope as you keep the object in the field of view.
The Star Adventurer Pro 2i mount has different tracking speeds that you can set depending on the desired effect. The 0.5X speed will provide a rotational movement that will take 48 hours to complete, while the 2X speed will only take 12 hours. Furthermore, the 6X speed is for a 4-hour rotation, and the 12X speed is for a 2-hour rotation.
Celestial tracking keeps the mount pointed at a specific object in the sky, such as a star or planet. And solar tracking directs the mount at the sun and is for Solar System photography. Finally, lunar tracking directs the mount at the moon and is best for lunar photography.
What do you get with the Pro Pack?
Mount body
The mount’s body is the heart of the Star Adventurer Pro Pack. It consists of different ports, polar scope, and control knobs. Furthermore, this lightweight mount body works best with a sturdy tripod. Before setting it up, you need to make sure the latitude adjustment with the tilt head of the tripod or with the help of the EQ wedge. When you fly with camping gear the size of the mount body will be beneficial for you since it’s so compact.
Equatorial base
An equatorial wedge of a mount works by tilting the optical axis of a telescope so that it is parallel to the Earth’s axis of rotation. This is necessary for astronomical objects near the celestial equator to be visible from the telescope.
The equatorial wedge of Star Adventurer Pro 2i can be set to any angle from zero to 90˚ latitude, making it perfect for use in either the Southern or Northern Hemispheres. The wedge has an adjustment knob that is easy to use. The locking handle of the wedge can be used to get your desired angle quickly and. Moreover, two adjustable bolts help you fine-tune the alignment. There is a bubble level that enables you to keep the mount level.
Dec bracket or declination attachment
The declination attachment works to align the mount with the celestial pole. This allows the mount to track the stars precisely when the stars move across the sky. This accessory is useful for the situation when we use a camera and lens combination to deal with longer focal lengths.
Ball head adapter
A ball head adapter is used to mount a telescope on a tripod or other support. It allows the telescope to be rotated and tilted in any direction. The Star Adventurer Pro Ball head adapter can be screwed onto most standard ball heads with a 3/8″ thread screw. Therefore, this ball heat adapter is compatible with a wide range of ball heads from different manufacturers. This adapter comes as a free accessory with the Star Adventurer 2i Pro mount. However, if you have the Astro package, you have to buy it separately.
Counterweight kit
When it comes to deep sky astrophotography and beyond, you will get the best results by mounting your gear using the Declination plate and counterweight kit. Below are the benefits of using the counterweight kit:
Framing the target precisely: The fine adjustment knob on this plate allows you to frame the target precisely, giving you the perfect shot every time.
Achieving better balance: The counterweight on this plate helps achieve better balance, making it easier to hold the camera steady during long exposure shots.
Mounting a guiding system or second camera: This plate makes it possible to mount a guiding system or second camera, giving you more options for astrophotography.
Verifying your polar alignment: This plate also lets you verify your polar alignment during the session, ensuring that your photo alignment is correct.
Polarscope Illuminator
The Polar Illuminator makes it easy to see the reticle in the polar scope for accurate polar alignment. The two-piece design consists of an illuminator and an adaptor base. You can fit the illuminator into the body of the Sky Watcher. Still, you need an adapter to set it up with the declination plate. The dimmable red light doesn’t have an on/off switch. You have to unscrew almost the entire battery cover to turn it off. It is not a great solution, in my opinion.
Here is a video detailing the Sky Watcher Star Adventurer 2i Pro Pack:
Advantages
- The Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer 2i Pro Pack is an affordable portable device that offers excellent performance.
- It is easy to use and set up and offers different tracking speeds to suit your needs.
- The device can be used in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. It can control your camera to allow for advanced time-lapse photography.
- The Pro Pack also includes a complete range of accessories. The multiple pre-programmed speeds for tracking and time-lapse photography are a great feature of the Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer 2i Pro Pack.
- The time-lapse, snap port, and auto guider port are all great features that make this an ideal pack for astrophotography.
- The durable all-metal gears make this pack a great choice for those who want a long-lasting and reliable product.
- The built-in polar alignment scope with an illuminator is an excellent feature for those who want to quickly and easily align their telescope.
Disadvantages
- The polar illuminator is cumbersome and flimsy and should have been integrated into the mount.
- Some users have reported that their mount did not track accurately or their polar alignment was not precise enough.
- The polar illuminator is not very bright, making it difficult to see the polar alignment stars.
- There is no locking mechanism for the mode dial.
Who is this mount for?
Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer 2i has a maximum payload capacity of 5 KG. It is also integrated with the counterweight function that tracks accurately under heavier loads. Therefore, if you have bigger and heavier lenses and looking for a sky tracking mount that can sustain heavy loads, then Sky Watcher Star Adventurer Pro is a great option.
Sky Watcher Star Adventurer 2i Pro comes with an auto guider option. You can use the ST4 guide port to use an auto guider with it. Suppose you want to keep your telescope pointed in the right direction when taking long exposure photographs. In that case, this mount is a suitable option for you.
This mount is perfect for time-lapse photography with its pan effects. Persons looking for a mount for this purpose can opt for this mount. I’ve been getting into this type of photography more and more, so I knew this mount would be a useful tool. I’m really excited to use it the next time I’m out photographing the aurora of the Northern Hemisphere.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
The Star Adventurer 2i is designed to be portable and can be taken with you on your travels. The mount head weighs only 1.7 KG. Therefore, it is comparatively lightweight and can be transported while traveling.
As a tracking mount, Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer 2i allows a telescope or camera to follow the apparent motion of the sky. This is necessary for observing astronomical objects for extended periods of time, as the Earth’s rotation causes the objects to appear to move across the sky. It will help the camera capture high-exposure photography and deep sky observation.
It is a mount for a telescope that can rotate around an axis parallel to the Earth’s axis of rotation. This type of mount is necessary for astronomical imaging and tracking of astronomical objects. By aligning the mount with the celestial pole, the rotational axis of the mount will be parallel with the Earth’s axis of rotation. The mount can track astronomical objects as they move across the sky.
A star tracker works by tracking the movement of the stars across the sky. This is done by using a motorized mount attached to the telescope. The frame is usually controlled by a computer programmed with the stars’ position.
Conclusion
The Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer Pro is an excellent star tracker for anyone looking for a portable tracking mount. It is easy to set up and use and has impressive results. Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer Pro is a perfect choice for looking for their first star tracker. It is easy to set up and use and has remarkable results. The complete package includes everything you need to get started. So go out there be an adventurer and shoot some amazing photos of our universe.