Doing astronomy and astrophotography from a motorhome - using an Ioptron Skywatcher Pro

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As well as a telescope for my newly found hobbies of astronomy and astrophotography, I have just received an Ioptron Skytracker Polar Pro as well.

It’s basically a compact, motorised, one axis mount which precisely tracks the stars as they pass overhead of you. It has a maximum payload capacity of 6.6lbs, weighs 2.5 lbs and is made of die-cast aluminium covered by ABS plastic. With an internal battery (2000 mAh) which is rechargeable using a micro-USB cable, it has 4 tracking speeds.

And when I mean compact, I really do mean compact. It fits in my hand and the bottom compartment of my camera bag with no problems.

Well packaged, it arrived in a padded bag which was a snug fit. I struggled to get it in and out but I guess that means it won’t shift around!

Unpacking the kit, I discovered the mount, an alt-azimuth base, a brass 3/8 and ¼ inch threaded ball head mount plate, a charging cable and the polar scope. People will also need a ball head to mount their camera to the tracker. I just used one I had off my Joby Gorillapod [although since originally writing this post I have now bought a Joby Gorillapod 5lb ball head which is much more suited to the task].

I’ve spent a couple of hours fiddling around with it working out how to set the latitude angle and also how to alter the horizontal plane as well. The polar scope has proved troublesome though. This little scope has a scale reticule inside it which you use to line up the tracker with Polaris in the night sky. Sadly, my reticule seems to be at a 90-degree angle to what it should be which does my head in when trying to do the simple alignment adjustments needed. I have contacted Rother Valley Optics and Ioptron to see if one of them can send me a new one [Ioptron never got back to me – great customer service, eh? RVO’s however, immediately told me to send it back and they would fix it for me.  In the end, I have just lived with it and trained my brain to ignore the 90-degree twist].

Over at Wembury Bay in South Devon trying to shoot the full moon

Having used it a few times now, I have discovered it is a clever bit of kit. I can take longer exposures of the night sky using one of the four tracking modes available. Star trailing has been reduced. Sadly, I suck at post processing and this is where I will need to concentrate my efforts over the next few months!

And now you can see why we have gone to the trouble of up-plating Bryony! It was the tow bar, the e bikes, the bike rack, the telescope and the camera gear wot did us in. Maggie would like to point out that when we recently went through all the stuff we could ditch out of Bryony, all she had that was hers …. were her clothes and ………. a tiny 12v hair dryer!

I am still trying to live this down!

If you are out and about in your motorhome or waiting for yours to arrive, stay safe, take care out there and have fun. I will let you know how I get on with the tracker (and the telescope). This could be the start of a new interest group: ‘motorhoming astronomers!’

Clear skies, live long and prosper motorhoming buddies!

Steve

 

What are my initial impressions of the tracker?

Pros: Seems lightweight, portable, easy to put in camera rucksack. Fits on my standard photographic tripod. Has a good padded travel case. Construction seems solid. Well designed. Procedure to align tracker with Polaris seems straight forward from the videos I have watched thus far. Can be used in either northern or southern hemisphere – so will be taken on our future international travels as well. Easy to adjust. The associated app for locating Polaris works well. The motor is soundless, very impressive. There are four speeds – one for tracking night sky; one for night sky with landscape included; and two others for sun and moon tracking.

Cons: without the optional counterweight stem, then the payload is only 2.4lbs which is basically a DSLR and 50mm lens max so no telephoto lenses on it without the counterweight. Need to take all straps off your camera so they don’t catch the polar scope. Similarly make a little bag to hold your intervalometer so that it can be velcro’d to a tripod leg. That stops the cable from catching anything as the mount rotates.