Master Kit includes the StarShoot CAT tracker, equatorial base, illuminated polar scope, ball head adapter, BHM-13 Panoramic Ball Head Mount, Declination bracket, and Counterweight and Shaft.
Shoot stunning long-exposure and nightscape astrophotography and create captivating daytime and nighttime time-lapse videos with the Orion StarShoot Compact Astro Tracker (CAT). This palm-sized, precision camera tracking module houses a right ascension DC servo motor with all metal gears and offers selectable sidereal, solar, and lunar tracking rates. Pop it on a tripod, attach your DSLR or mirrorless camera and you're ready to shoot for the stars - no experience necessary. What's more, the Orion StarShoot CAT is Wi-Fi enabled and controlled wirelessly from your smartphone or tablet with the FREE Tracker Console app for Android and iOS platforms.
With a payload capacity of 6.6 lbs. (increases to 8.8 lbs. with the included Declination Bracket accessory), the versatile Orion StarShoot CAT can support small telescopes for astronomical observing or cameras with even large telephoto lenses for astrophotography. With sidereal tracking, deep-space exposures can be extended to several minutes while still maintaining pinpoint stars, which would trail badly without tracking. Wide-field Milky Way portraits are no longer constrained to 30 seconds or less due to star trailing. Longer exposures mean you can use lower ISO values to reduce noise in your images, too. There's even a 0.5x sidereal speed that minimizes blurring of the foreground in tracked nightscape shots.
Polar alignment for tracked nightscape or celestial photography is easy with the included illuminated polar scope, which works in both northern and southern hemispheres. This Master Kit includes all the accessories you need other than a tripod and shutter release cable for long-exposure astrophotography even with heavy camera and lens combos. The Orion Equatorial Base lets you set the correct angle of the StarShoot CAT for polar alignment and flawless tracking. The clutched Declination Bracket turns the StarShoot Cat into a full-fledged equatorial mount. And together with the Counterweight and Shaft, these accessories support camera payloads - or even a small telescope - up to 8.8 lbs.
The free Tracker Console app lets you control the StarShoot CAT from your smartphone or tablet. A local Wi-Fi network is established between the tracker and your phone - no internet connection is needed. Just choose the photographic or time-lapse mode you want and set the parameters of your exposure(s). Then tap Run to start the automated sequence (requires optional remote shutter cable for your particular camera to connect it to the tracker).
Unlike most trackers on the market, the StarShoot CAT comes standard with a panoramic ball head camera mount to give you maximum freedom in aiming your camera and framing your shots. The only other item you need is a tripod, and we've got a good one in the Orion StarBlast AutoTracker Tripod (See "We Also Suggest" at right for more information.)
Small and lightweight enough to tuck into your camera bag or backpack, the StarShoot CAT is perfect for the mobile photographer. It is powered by two user-supplied AA batteries, which provide 24 hours of operation, or an external 5V USB power source. Weighs 22 oz.
Special order. Usually ships in 1-3 weeks.
An order for this can be placed with our supplier, and usually ships within the specified timeframe.
