DIY star/sky tracker

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Dogwatch

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Name
Graham
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Has anyone built their own star tracker? I'm just getting into astrophotography but clearly need a tracker of some sort. I have seen lots of plans and ideas for a barn-door tracker and have started going down that route, my plan being for control to be provided by a Raspberry Pi 3B+ and a stepper motor, both of which I already have. However, I am unsure about the Python code for controlling the motor speed.

If anyone has done this before, I would be very pleased to hear from you!

Thanks.
 
If you are shooting Milky Way landscapes or constellations just buy a Move Shoot Move.

Plans and ideas are all well and good but you try using something you've made on location....? Probably a royal pain the butt!
 
LeeRatters said:
If you are shooting Milky Way landscapes or constellations just buy a Move Shoot Move.

Plans and ideas are all well and good but you try using something you've made on location....? Probably a royal pain the butt!
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Well, yes, on the one hand I could just go out and buy an MSM, but on the other I have all the basic kit to hand and a workshop equipped enough to build it in with some accuracy. Some fantastic results can be achieved with a home-made barn-door tracker and all I need to work out is how to code for the motor controller.

I don't expect it to work perfectly straight out of the workshop and there will be a period of trial and error, but I am looking forward to the challenge and reward of achieving something so far removed from my work and career.
 
Dogwatch said:
Well, yes, on the one hand I could just go out and buy an MSM, but on the other I have all the basic kit to hand and a workshop equipped enough to build it in with some accuracy. Some fantastic results can be achieved with a home-made barn-door tracker and all I need to work out is how to code for the motor controller.

I don't expect it to work perfectly straight out of the workshop and there will be a period of trial and error, but I am looking forward to the challenge and reward of achieving something so far removed from my work and career.
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You'd be better off asking the question on an astronomy forum where some people really will have made a barn door tracker, rather than a photography forum where everyone will have gone out and bought a tracker. Astronomers are usually happy to share knowledge.
Apologies if you already have.............
 
Dogwatch said:
Well, yes, on the one hand I could just go out and buy an MSM, but on the other I have all the basic kit to hand and a workshop equipped enough to build it in with some accuracy. Some fantastic results can be achieved with a home-made barn-door tracker and all I need to work out is how to code for the motor controller.

I don't expect it to work perfectly straight out of the workshop and there will be a period of trial and error, but I am looking forward to the challenge and reward of achieving something so far removed from my work and career.
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Yes, as I said I fully get the'making it yourself' thing. I really do. In all my years massing with cars & the house & building my own fireplace because we didn't like anything we found last year. Building curved metal framed tables because again we wanted something different...

I also shooting from locations rather than at home - I guess that's where my 'easier to buy something' came from as the MSM takes up about as much space as a prime lens.

Good luck - I would be interested to see your progress with it :)
 
I did think of building my own and saw a couple ideas below I could build up on

www.hackster.io

Star Tracker by Emvilza: A Stepper Barn Door Mount

A barn door astrophotography mount made with no special tools. By Emvilza.
www.hackster.io

www.hackster.io

Arduino Star Tracker

Track stars using Arduino, GPS, a laser pointer, and some motors! By TinyCircuits.
www.hackster.io

In the end just bought a MSM simply because some other tinkering projects caught my fancy and those I couldn't buy "off the shelf" unlike a tracker.
 
Interesting project. There’s got to be python library that’s suitable on github something like this? https://github.com/gavinlyonsrepo/RpiMotorLib use that to rotate at 0.25 degrees per minute and align with the North Star it should work, no?

Personally I’d buy the MSM too.
 
TimHughes said:
Interesting project. There’s got to be python library that’s suitable on github something like this? https://github.com/gavinlyonsrepo/RpiMotorLib use that to rotate at 0.25 degrees per minute and align with the North Star it should work, no?

Personally I’d buy the MSM too.
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Thanks for the link - I'll try it out.
LeeRatters said:
Yes, as I said I fully get the'making it yourself' thing. I really do. In all my years massing with cars & the house & building my own fireplace because we didn't like anything we found last year. Building curved metal framed tables because again we wanted something different...

I also shooting from locations rather than at home - I guess that's where my 'easier to buy something' came from as the MSM takes up about as much space as a prime lens.

Good luck - I would be interested to see your progress with it :)
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I'll post some images (of the tracker!) asap. Thanks. :) Oh, and hats off to anyone who can build their own fireplace!
 
CavGez said:
Could anyone tell me what the second-hand going price is for one of these?
Rabbit hole incoming...
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I bought one on here... basically you are looking at about 20% discount I think...
In fact I think I might know someone selling one (they have upgraded to a larger tracker) if you are interested.
 
nandbytes said:
I bought one on here... basically you are looking at about 20% discount I think...
In fact I think I might know someone selling one (they have upgraded to a larger tracker) if you are interested.
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I’m interested, can’t wait to see that on the classified section :)
 
For a new one they have a Halloween sale on….
 
CavGez said:
I did see that yes.... I think I'll end up getting a new one.

This might be the first time I'm looking forward to winter nights! :)
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You can use discount codes from a few of the night sky photographers such as Alyn Wallace. It might be 10% but I think it's more likely 5%

Not sure if that applies on top of any sale though.
 
LeeRatters said:
You can use discount codes from a few of the night sky photographers such as Alyn Wallace. It might be 10% but I think it's more likely 5%

Not sure if that applies on top of any sale though.
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I've ordered one, couldn't resist. I got a further 10% off the sale price by signing up to the newsletter.

Sorry Dogwatch for hijacking your thread! Look forward to trying this out and seeing peoples images
 
Please post some images. I will be really looking forward to seeing them. ;)
 
Excellent set ;)
 
LeeRatters said:
Thanks. Mainly wanted to show the image quality difference between the tracked Stonehenge and for example the Portland Bill images from the previous year.
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Just thinking about doing some astro photography and keen to learn , could you elaborate what the MSM is and how it helps and suggest a good recommendation for one if they are a game changer ?
 
SDawes said:
Just thinking about doing some astro photography and keen to learn , could you elaborate what the MSM is and how it helps and suggest a good recommendation for one if they are a game changer ?
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Well, it's a star tracker, so it allows you to take longer shutter speed sky shots at a lower ISO so you get more detail and much cleaner images.

I'm not sure what you mean by a good recommendation for one?

For me personally, it's worth it for the benefits.
 
LeeRatters said:
Well, it's a star tracker, so it allows you to take longer shutter speed sky shots at a lower ISO so you get more detail and much cleaner images.

I'm not sure what you mean by a good recommendation for one?

For me personally, it's worth it for the benefits.
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Thanks Lee , I meant there must be more than make / model available on the market so would you recommend a specific one ?
 
SDawes said:
Thanks Lee , I meant there must be more than make / model available on the market so would you recommend a specific one ?
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I only shoot lightweight, landscape, wideish angles so I went for the Move Shoot Move.

There are more heavy duty ones though if you want to shoot heavier gear or deep space stuff.
 
I'm interested in a MSM. They offer a basic kit, also extras of pointer and polar scope (for a bit more money).
Are these extras worth it?
 
Peter123 said:
I'm interested in a MSM. They offer a basic kit, also extras of pointer and polar scope (for a bit more money).
Are these extras worth it?
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For me the Z/V mount is really worth it. Makes it so much easier and quicker to setup.
I bought the scope in hopes that I will use it one day especially using is tele primes where larger accuracy is needed.
For the (ultra) wide angle stuff the laser pointer is good enough.

I am also thinking of ditching the laser pointer for a phone mount which seems even easier to work with. Perhaps less accurate but for UWA stuff once again its probably good enough.
 
nandbytes said:
For me the Z/V mount is really worth it. Makes it so much easier and quicker to setup.
I bought the scope in hopes that I will use it one day especially using is tele primes where larger accuracy is needed.
For the (ultra) wide angle stuff the laser pointer is good enough.

I am also thinking of ditching the laser pointer for a phone mount which seems even easier to work with. Perhaps less accurate but for UWA stuff once again its probably good enough.
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LeeRatters said:
Well, as said, you need either the laser or scope (or phone mount) to be able to align.
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thank you both for this helpful info.
 
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