Best Star Trackers for Astrophotography in 2024

Are you wondering what kind of star tracker is the best choice for you? Well, after conducting some research, I’ve concluded that two brands are most popular among astrophotographers: Sky-Watcher and iOptron. If you’re seeking a small, lightweight option, the Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer Mini weighs just 650 grams (1.4 pounds) and stands less than 10cm3 (4 inch3) tall. It is the perfect tracker for capturing widefield (up to 50mm), long-exposure pictures, or time-lapses of the night sky. The Ioptron SkyGuider Pro and the Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer 2i WiFi weigh about 1.5 kg (3.5 pounds) and can carry heavier lenses and small telescopes up to 5 kg. Both trackers include an auto-guiding option, which enhances your ability to accurately track the night sky. The 2i features a very easy-to-use wheel for managing tracking speeds, and the Sky Guider Pro has an iPolar scope option, making polar alignment a breeze. Finally, if you’re in search of a star tracker that is almost a full-fledged computerized equatorial mount, the Star Adventurer GTI with auto-guiding, ASCOM, and dual-axis tracking, or the lightweight iOptron Sky Hunter may be perfect for you.

Tracking the night sky doesn’t have to be expensive, especially with the use of a star tracker. A star tracker is a lightweight device that you can use in combination with your camera or a small telescope to track the apparent motion of the stars in the night sky caused by the rotation of the Earth. This allows you to capture long-exposure photos of the stars without getting undesirable star trails in your final image. Star trackers work by automatically rotating the camera at the same rate as the Earth’s rotation, enabling it to capture sharp and detailed images of the night sky. In order to do so, they need to be polar aligned with the celestial pole. Additionally, the auto-guiding option available on most of these star trackers enables you to track the night sky at longer focal lengths. There are various types of star trackers available, ranging from portable and affordable models to more complex and expensive options, each with its own set of features and capabilities. At the time of writing, the most popular star trackers range from about $399 to $775. I researched which star trackers are most popular among actual astrophotographers for photographing the night sky. I concluded that the most popular star trackers at the time of writing are the Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer (available in different variants), the Ioptron Skyguider Pro, and the iOptron Sky Hunter.

Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer Mini

The Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer series is one of the most popular star tracker series among dedicated astrophotographers and for good reason. They are lightweight, easy to set up and use, and affordable. At the time of writing Sky-Watcher offers three models, all tailored to the varying needs you may have as a user. The most affordable model is the Star Adventurer Mini Wi-Fi, available for about $400 at the time of writing. This mini version of the Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer only weights 650 grams and is an ideal tracker when you’re looking for widefield, long-exposure astrophotography such as Milkyway photography as well as time-lapse photography in daytime and nighttime settings. It can be powered by using common AA batteries. I’d recommend using this star tracker with a widefield setup only, so with a camera and photo lens up to 50mm. The maximum payload capacity of this tracker is 3 kilograms (6.6 lbs). The tracker is only 8x7x10 centimeters (4 inch³) in size so it easily fits in your backpack or camera bag, making it a convenient travel companion that can venture with you into remote locations. The Star Adventurer Mini has built-in WiFi and can be controlled remotely with your smartphone using the free Star Adventurer Mini Console App for Android and iOS.

The Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer Mini is available at Agena Astro (USA/WW), Astroshop (EU/WW), and Amazon (WW).

Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer 2i Pro/WiFi

The second version of the star adventurer series is the Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer 2i Pro/WiFi, which at the time of writing is available for about $475. I personally own and tested this star tracker and I love it. It weighs 1.7 kilograms (3.6 lbs) – a little heavier than the mini – but it can carry a heavier payload of up to 5kg (11 lbs). The 2i is a good match for cameras with longer focal length lenses or small telescopes, up to about 300mm focal length. It can be powered by 4xAA batteries, making it easy to take it with you to remote places when there is no power available. Another plus is the option to connect the mount over WiFi with the Star Adventurer App, or by using the physical dial on the device itself. When I’m in the field, I usually take time-lapses and Milkyway pictures with this star tracker, After I have polar aligned the tracker with the included polar scope, I can simply turn the dial to the “star” icon, and it starts tracking the night sky. It also features moon and sun tracking speeds, as well as various timelapse speeds that can be used for day and nighttime time lapses. It runs on a single servo motor and tracks the night sky in Right Ascension. I’ve made two v/blogs about my decision to buy this star tracker, and how to set it up and use it.

The Sky-Watcher 2i Pro/WiFi is available at Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW), Astroshop (EU/WW), and Amazon (WW).

Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer GTI

The third and most advanced variant of the star adventurer series is the Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer GTI, available for $750 with a tripod at the time of writing. This variant looks a lot like a full-fletched computerized astrophotography mount, but it has some distinct features that still puts it into the category of a star tracker. For instance, the GTI can be powered with 8xAA batteries, something that you don’t see on regular astrophotography mounts. The mount head alone weighs 5.4kg (11 lbs) making it the heaviest star tracker in this overview. But when compared to astrophotography mounts, it is still pretty lightweight. The GTI has two worm gears – the other startrackers only have one – so it can track the night sky in Right Ascension and Declination. It also features a much-loved auto-guiding option. If you don’t know what auto guiding is, check this v/blog. It also comes with a counterweight to balance cameras with a long focal length lense, or a small telescope and camera setup to a maximum payload of 5kg (11 lbs). Like the other variants, it connects over WiFi to the Sky Adventurer App available for Android and IOS and there’s an additional ASCOM driver to connect your GTI to all astrophotography software that incorporates ASCOM. The mount can hold vixen-style telescope connections and a common 3/8 ” camera thread. Using all these features, this star tracker is capable of taking sharp, multi-minute exposures of the night sky with telescopes up to about 500mm of focal length. All in all, for those who want to get into advanced forms of astrophotography with a lightweight setup without breaking the bank, the GTI may be the perfect option.

The Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer GTI is available at Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW), and Astroshop (EU/WW)

Ioptron Skyguider Pro

The Ioptron SkyGuider Pro is the most popular alternative to the star adventurer trackers and is much loved among dedicated astrophotographers. At the time of writing this star tracker is available for about $450 without the Ipolar and $650 with the Ipolar option. The SkyGuider Pro is a star tracker that can be used with cameras and small telescopes and supports a payload of up to five kilograms (11 lbs). To make this possible, the SkyGuider Pro has a sturdy right ascension shaft, a large worm gear, and a counterweight to balance your camera or a small telescope. You can buy an optional Go2Nova hand controller to slew the tracker automatically to objects in the sky you want to track and/or photograph. It also features a guiding port (ST-4 input), which enables you to guide this tracker with a guide scope and camera combination. The SkyGuider Pro has a built-in Li-polymer battery that can be charged via USB, allowing the iOptron Skyguider Pro to operate for up to 20 hours. Like any other tracker or mount, the SkyGuider Pro must be aligned with the celestial pole to track the night sky. There is a small, illuminated viewfinder built into the axis of the SkyGuider Pro for bearing. If you decide to get the Ipolar option, you’ll get an integrated electronic polar finder scope that ensures accurate alignment even when the pole star is obscured. The Ioptron Skyguider Pro tracks the night sky at sidereal speed. However, you can also track the Sun and the Moon which have different slewing rates. Another speed option is the use of half-sidereal speed (also available on the star adventurer series) if you you want to photograph stars as well as the landscape or buildings in the foreground. This keeps the stars pointy, without blurring the objects in the foreground – these options are also available on the other startrackers. At just 1.5 kg (3.2 lbs) and 13x12x9cm (4.7 inch³), the Ioptron SkyGuider Pro is a perfect tracker for traveling.

The Ioptron Skyguider Pro is available at Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW), Astroshop (EU/WW), and Amazon (WW)

iOptron SkyHunter EQ/AZ Portable GoTo with iPolar/Tripod

The iOptron SkyHunter is an ultra-compact EQ/AZ GoTo mount, marking a significant advancement fifteen years after the groundbreaking iOptron Cube AZ/EQ GoTo mount. Embracing portable mount technology, The Sky Hunter stands as the lightest and most compact full-function GoTo mount in iOptron’s history, weighing a mere 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg), inclusive of its internal rechargeable battery, yet capable of accommodating an impressive 11 lbs (5 kg) payload in both equatorial and alt-azimuth configurations.

The iOptron Sky Hunter boasts four distinct tracking rates — 1x or sidereal, 1/2x for combined sky and landscape tracking, solar, and lunar — operational in both hemispheres. Control options are equally flexible, with compatibility extended to iOS or Android smartphones/tablets, an optional 8410 hand controller, or computer interfaces such as ASCOM, INDI, or embedded drive (e.g., the ASIAIR Mini and ASIAIR Plus are compatible).

Crafted with precision and durability in mind, The iOptron Sky Hunter features a metal frame structure housing a dual-axis DC servo motor with optical encoder, facilitated by a synchronous belt transmission system. Its extensive capabilities include a maximum slew speed of 4.5°/sec, supported by a Φ 77 mm, 144 teeth RA/DEC worm wheel, ensuring smooth and accurate tracking. With a Li-Poly 3.7V, 2000mAh internal rechargeable battery, The iOptron Sky Hunter delivers up to 10 hours of uninterrupted operation, making it an indispensable tool for astronomical observation enthusiasts.

The Ioptron SkyHunter EQ/AZ is available at Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW), and Astroshop (EU/WW).

Star Tracker Comparison Table