ORION TELESCOPES & BINOCULARS StarShoot Compact Astro Tracker User manual

Orion StarShoot™Compact
Astro Tracker
#21192
IN 631 08/19
INSTRUCTION MANUAL
* Nightscape Photography
* Long-Exposure Astrophotography
* Daytime and Nighttime Time-lapse Photography
Congratulations on your purchase of the Orion StarShoot Compact Astro Tracker (CAT). This
palm-sized, high-precision camera tracking module is designed for long exposure astropho-
tography as well as daytime or nighttime time-lapse photography with a DSLR or mirrorless
camera. The StarShoot CAT houses a right ascension DC servo tracking motor with select-
able sidereal, solar, and lunar tracking rates. Its small size and light weight make it conve-
nient for taking with you to remote locations. It is Wi-Fi enabled and controlled wirelessly from
your smartphone or tablet with the free, downloadable Tracker Console App for Android and
iOS platforms. The StarShoot CAT is easy and fun to use, and will add a new dimension to
your photographic capabilities!
This instruction manual will help you set up, properly operate, and care for your tracker.
Please read the following text thoroughly before getting started.
Corporate Offices: 89 Hangar Way, Watsonville CA 95076 - USA
Toll Free USA & Canada: [phone]
International: [phone]
Customer Support: [email protected]
Copyright © 2020 Orion Telescopes & Binoculars.All Rights Reserved. No part of this product instruction or any of its contents
may be reproduced, copied, modied or adapted, without the prior written consent of Orion Telescopes & Binoculars.
AN EMPLOYEE-OWNED COMPANY

2
WARNING:
• NEVER look at the Sun through the polar scope, even for an instant. Doing so could cause permanent eye
damage, even blindness. Do not aim the polar scope at or near the Sun.
• Do not use in the presence of ammable gas, as doing so could result in explosion or re.
• Keep out of reach of children. Failure to do so could result in injury to the child. This item contains small
parts that constitute a choking hazard. Consult a physician immediately if a child swallows any part of this
device.
• Do not disassemble this product. Touching the product’s internal parts could result in injury. In the event
of malfunction, contact Orion Technical Support for assistance.
Contents
Included Components ........................ 2
Optional Accessories.......................... 3
Parts and Features Identication................. 4
Introduction ................................. 4
Downloading and Installing the Tracker Console App . 4
Basic Power-Up, Wi-Fi Connection, and Status LEDs. 4
Time-Lapse Photography with StarShoot CAT ...... 5
Setting Up for Regular Exposure Time-Lapse and Long
Exposure Time-Lapse Operation................. 5
Using the Tracker Console App for Time-Lapse
Photography ................................ 7
Time-Lapse Parameter Details .................. 8
Time-Lapse Progress Screen ................... 8
Astro Time-Lapse Using the StarShoot CAT ........ 9
Astro Time-Lapse Progress Screen .............. 9
Night Sky Photography (Astrophotography) with the
StarShoot CAT.............................. 10
Using the Tracker Console App for Night Sky
Photography ............................... 12
Astrophotography Progress Screen ............. 13
Manual Control of the StarShoot CAT ............ 13
Reviewing the Settings of the Tracker Console App . 13
Network Troubleshooting ..................... 15
Appendix I. Polar Alignment ................... 15
Polar Alignment in the Northern Hemisphere ... 16
Polar Alignment in the Southern Hemisphere ... 17
Appendix II. Calibration of the Polar Axis Finder Scope
19
Appendix III. The Optional Equatorial Base........ 20
Appendix IV. The Optional Declination Bracket ..... 21
Appendix V. How to Restore Factory Wi-Fi Settings . 21
Appendix VI. Updating the Firmware............. 22
Appendix VII. StarShoot CAT Specications ...... 22
Included Components
The StarShoot Compact Astro Tracker basic kit includes the
following components (Figure 1).
1. Tracker module
2. Polar scope
3. Ball head adapter
4. Polar scope illuminator (two pieces)
5. Panoramic ball head mount
6. CR-2032 3V lithium battery (not shown)
7. 3/8” to ¼” thread insert (removable, comes installed in
Tracker module)
Figure 1
1
2
3
4
5

3
8. Optional Accessories
The following optional accessories are available for use with
the StarShoot CAT:
A. Equatorial base (#4802)
B. Declination bracket (#4803)
C. Counterweight and shaft (#4804)
D. DSLR control cable (SNAP)
· Canon 3-pin plug (#4805)
· Canon 1-pin plug (4808)
· Nikon 1-pin plug (#4806)
· Sony 1-pin plug (#4807)
E. StarBlast AutoTracker Altazimuth Mount Tripod (#8976)
E.
A.
C.
B.
D.

4
Setscrews
Figure 2. Familiarize yourself with the parts and features of the
StarShoot CAT.
Parts and Features
Identification
1. SNAP Port: DSLR shutter control
2. Micro USB Port
3. Dovetail Lock Knob
4. Saddle
5. Saddle Rotation Lock Knob
6. Power Button
7. Power Status LED
8. Wi-Fi Status LED
9. Battery Compartment (2 x AA)
10. Tripod Mounting Disk Retaining Knob
11. Tripod Mounting Disk
12. 3/8” Threaded Side Socket (with 3/8” to 1/4” thread
insert installed)
Introduction
The StarShoot Compact Astro Tracker (CAT) is a compact,
versatile camera tracking module that excels for taking long-
exposure night photographs and daytime or nighttime time-
lapse videos. For astrophotography, StarShoot CAT’s precise
sidereal tracking enables long exposures of celestial objects
while keeping star images pinpoint sharp. Use StarShoot CAT
to capture jaw-dropping Milky Way nightscape shots and pan-
oramic starscapes. Use the timelapse modes to “compress
time” by capturing fun daytime time-lapses, or the rising of the
Milky Way at night, or the progression of a lunar eclipse. The
creative possibilities are endless! And you can do it all from
the convenience of your smartphone or tablet running the free
Tracker Console app.
Read on to learn how to set up StarShoot CAT for different
applications and how to control it using the intuitive Tracker
Console app.
Downloading and Installing the
Tracker Console App
You will control the StarShoot CAT wirelessly
via a Wi-Fi connection from your smartphone
or tablet using the free Tracker Console app
(Figure 3). The app is available for both iOS
and Android platforms. Go to the App Store or
Google Play, respectively, and search for the
Tracker Console app, then download it to your
device. Guidelines for use of the app are pro-
vided in the relevant sections of this manual.
Basic Power-Up, Wi-Fi
Connection, and Status LEDs
This section describes the basic power-up and Wi-Fi con-
nection procedures for the StarShoot CAT. Please familiarize
yourself with them before moving on to specic uses such as
astrophotography, time-lapse, etc.
Power Sources: StarShoot CAT can be powered by two on-
board AA type batteries or from a 5V external power source via
USB, or from the USB port of a computer. Don’t worry about
frying the internal electronics by using a 5V power source
instead of the 3V (2 x 1.5V) on-board AA batteries: StarShoot
CAT has a 5V-to-2.8V DC converter inside.
Power On: Push and hold the PWR (power) button until the
red Power LED lights up (Figure 2B). The green Wi-Fi LED will
start to blink, indicating that the built-in Wi-Fi is activated and
ready for connection to your smartphone or tablet.
Connect to Wi-Fi: After power-up, go to “Settings > Wi-Fi” on
your phone, nd and join the Wi-Fi access point “SynScanWi-
Fi_xxxxxx”. Start the Tracker Console app and tap the Connect
button. Once the Wi-Fi connection is established you can run
the Tracker Console app to access its many features. See spe-
cic details in the relevant sections.
1 2
2
Figure 3. The
Tracker Console
app icon
3
4
56
10
11 12
9
7
8
A
C
B
D

5
LED Status Indicators
Red LED Off: The power is off.
Red LED Solid On: Power is on and system is normal.
Red LED Slow Blink: Low Battery Level or Firmware
Update in Progress. The red LED blinks two times
per second when the battery level is lower than
2.3V, or during rmware upgrades.
Red LED Fast Blink: The red LED blinks three times
per second to indicate motor speed errors exceed-
ing 5% and/or motor stalls that last over 5 sec-
onds. Speed errors can be caused by overloading
the mount and by low battery levels. To correct a
speed error reduce the load or supply new batter-
ies. Motor stalls are usually caused by obstructions
of the mount so that it cannot rotate. In the case
of motor stalls, remove the obstruction, then restart
your task.
Green LED Off: Wi-Fi is turned off.
Green LED Blinking: Wi-Fi is activated and ready for
connection.
Green LED Solid On: Wi-Fi is connected and
Tracker Console app is running.
Green
Red
Power Off: Press and hold the PWR button for about 5 sec-
onds to turn off the power.
Reconnecting the Wi-Fi After a Time-out: In the
absence of Wi-Fi traffic the StarShoot CAT’s internal Wi-Fi
automatically shuts off and the green Wi-Fi indicator light goes
out. The default time-out is 10 minutes but you can set it to
other values using the Tracker Console app. To resume Wi-Fi,
press the PWR button briey until the green Wi-Fi LED comes
back on, then release the PWR button. Re-connect to the Wi-Fi
as described above.
Refer to the sidebar below for a detailed description of all sta-
tus indicators.
Time-Lapse Photography with
StarShoot CAT
There are three different time-lapse modes to choose from
with the StarShoot CAT: Regular-Exposure Time-Lapse,
Long-Exposure Time-Lapse, and Astro Time-Lapse.
Regular-Exposure Time-Lapse mode is for capturing time-
lapse videos in daylight or well-lit conditions with short expo-
sures. In this mode, exposure settings are set on your camera
itself. The StarShoot CAT pans your camera and sends sig-
nals to trigger the shutter as it creates your time-lapse video.
In the Long-Exposure Time-Lapse mode StarShoot CAT con-
trols the exposure time instead of your camera doing so. This
way you can use exposures that exceed 30 seconds, which
are often needed in low light conditions. Whenever you use
Long-Exposure Time-Lapse mode set your shutter dial on
your camera to BULB. If it is not set on BULB mode the cam-
era shutter speed setting will be used instead.
You can make time-lapse videos using StarShoot CAT to
control the shutter only (no panning), or to pan continuously
while ring the shutter of your camera at intervals set by you.
Use the rst of these techniques to produce a time-lapse
video from a xed perspective and the second to create a
time-lapse video in which the perspective moves – that is, the
camera pans -- during the video.
Unlike in Regular-Exposure Time-Lapse mode, in Long-
Exposure Time-Lapse mode rotation stops during the expo-
sures. This enables the camera sensor to capture more of the
available light resulting in a better image.
For the Astro Time-Lapse mode, the StarShoot CAT tracks
the sky to allow amazing videos of celestial vistas.
Note that StarShoot CAT does not generate time-lapse
videos for you; it just collects the individual exposures,
which must then be combined into a time-lapse video
using a third-party software program.
Setting Up for Regular
Exposure Time-Lapse and
Long Exposure Time-Lapse
Operation
Attaching StarShoot CAT to Your Tripod
Set up your tripod and ensure it is stable and set at the
desired height. The top of the tripod should be roughly level.
For regular-exposure time-lapse photography StarShoot CAT
should be mounted directly to the tripod via the tripod’s 3/8"
threaded post. If your tripod has a pan head or ball head
mount attached, it is recommended that you remove it and
attach StarShoot CAT directly to the tripod using the 3/8"
threaded socket in the knurled Tripod Mounting Disk (Figure
4).

6
Orion BHM-13 Panoramic Ball Head Mount
A ball head mount is the perfect camera mounting plat-
form because it is easily adjustable, solid when tight-
ened, and allows pointing of the camera in any desir-
able direction. We recommend using the included Orion
BHM-13 Panoramic Ball Head Mount with the StarShoot
CAT for all photographic and time-lapse applications
except possibly when using the Dec Bracket with its Dec
Platform.
The BHM-13 Panoramic Ball Head Mount has a weight
capacity of 13.2 lbs. (6 Kg), which well exceeds the load
capacity of the StarShoot CAT itself.
To attach the Ball Head Mount to the StarShoot CAT,
just thread it onto the 3/8" post of the included Ball Head
Adapter via the 3/8" socket on the bottom of the Ball
Head Mount. Then slide the Ball Head Adapter into the
saddle of the StarShoot CAT and lock it in place with the
dovetail lock knob.
Remove the Ball Head Mount’s quick release (QR) plate
by turning the QR plate lock knob counterclockwise until
it stops. Then remove the plate. Attach the QR plate to
the bottom of your DSLR camera via the ¼"-20 post until
tight. Then place the QR plate back into the saddle of
the Ball Head Mount and tighten the QR plate lock knob.
Figure 4
Figure 5
Mounting Your Camera
Now you can attach your camera gear (Figure 5). We recom-
mend attaching the included Ball Head Mount to the StarShoot
CAT and attaching your camera to the Ball Head. The Ball
Head will give you the ability to aim the camera in any direc-
tion, allowing far more exibility and control when composing
your shots. Once your camera is attached to StarShoot CAT,
it’s time to connect them electronically using the appropriate
SNAP Cable (sold separately) for your camera model. One
end plugs into the camera’s shutter control port and the other
into the SNAP port on StarShoot CAT.
3/8" Socket
SNAP
Cable
QR plate
lock knob
Ball joint
lock knob
Azimuth
lock knob
1/4"-20 post QR plate
Saddle
Ball Head
Mount
Ball Head
Adapter
Tripod
3/8" post

7
Figure 7
Figure 6
Using the Tracker Console App
for Time-Lapse Photography
Now you are ready to start making time-lapse videos using the
Tracker Console app on your smartphone or tablet.This section
assumes that you have installed the app on your device. If you
have not, please refer back to the section titled Downloading
and Installing the Tracker Console App on page 4.
Boot up the Tracker Console App. The main screen will be
displayed (Figure 6). From the main screen, select Regular-
Exposure Time-Lapse by tapping on it. This is the simplest
mode for StarShoot CAT and a good one for helping you get
the hang of setting the control parameters.
Regular- and Long-Exposure Time-Lapse
Parameters
The parameters for Regular-Exposure Time-Lapse and Long-
Exposure Time-Lapse are identical except for the Exposure
parameter. On the Regular Exposure Time-Lapse screen you
cannot change the value for Exposure. It is xed at 0.5 sec-
onds, which is a requirement for StarShoot CAT to provide
an adequate signal to control the camera shutter. Note: This
0.5-second period is automatically taken into consideration
when the App calculates the Video Time Span parameter.
In the Long-Exposure Time-Lapse mode the Exposure param-
eter controls the shutter speed setting of your camera and can
be set to suit your needs. For night scenes individual expo-
sures may range from a second or two to several minutes.Take
some test shots to establish the best settings and exposure for
your needs, then enter that value into the Exposure parameter
eld. Again, you must set your camera to BULB mode, other-
wise the shutter speed setting on your camera will take prece-
dence over the value in the Exposure eld.
The screen shot in Figure 7 shows the various parameters
that you can set to create your time-lapse video. All of the
parameters are explained in detail below.
The simplest way to get started is to set StarShoot CAT up on
a tripod and take a static time-lapse video (one that doesn’t
involve panning). To do this, all you need to know is the time
span over which your video will be taken and the desired
length of your nal video. For instance, if you want to get a
time-lapse video covering the last hour leading to sunset, enter
a value of 1 for Video Time Span. If you want to compress that
hour into a 45-second video, set your Video Length to 45. It’s
that easy. The Tracker Console app will calculate the other nec-
essary parameters for you.
Once all of your parameters are set, just tap Run to start the
time-lapse sequence. If you are happy with a set of parameters
you can save them in a prole to recall again whenever you
like.
Time-Lapse Parameter Details
The following is a complete list of the parameters you can set.
Note that because several of the parameters are interdepen-
dent some may be unavailable at certain times. For instance,
when Frame Rate and Video Length are set you cannot manu-
ally choose the number of Photos, as it is calculated for you
based on the other two parameters. However, if you deselect

8
Figure 8
Video Length and set Photos directly, the app will calculate a
new value for Video Length.
Exposure (Sec): Fixed at 0.5 seconds for Regular-Exposure
Time-Lapse. For Long-Exposure Time-Lapse set this value to
suit your exposure requirements. Be sure to set your camera
shutter to BULB mode.
Video Time Span (Hr): Set this parameter to the total Video
Time Span time for your video in hours. For example, if you
want your video to cover a span of three hours, set Video Time
Span to 3. Note that Video Time Span does not refer to the
length of your video, it refers to the time span over which it is
photographed. You set the desired length of your video in the
Video Length parameter.
Video Length (Sec): Set Video Length equal to the desired
length of your video in seconds. For a one-minute long video,
set Video Length to 60.
Frame Rate (fps): Select NTSC (30 fps) or PAL (25 fps)
according to the video standards for your location. You can
further adjust the playback speed of your video in your video
editing software. In the United States, NTSC is the standard.
Photos: This parameter is automatically set by setting Video
Length and Frame Rate using the formula: Photos = Video
Length x Frame Rate
Frame Period (Sec): You can set the Frame Period to select a
desired interval between photos taken rather than have it cal-
culated for you based on other parameters. Note that if you set
Photo Interval and Video Length the app will re-calculate Video
Time Span. Anytime you are changing a parameter it is a good
idea to check its effects on the other ones.
Swing Range (Deg): Use Swing Range to create an interest-
ing swing or pendulum effect for your time-lapse video. When
used, StarShoot CAT will pan to the limit of the Swing Range
that you set, then pan back to your starting point as many
times as specied in the Swing Count parameter.
For instance, say you have two interesting subjects that you
want to feature in your video. Set Swing Range to the angle
between them and Swing Count to 1, then point your camera
at the rst subject. As the time-lapse video is being recorded,
StarShoot CAT will pan from the rst subject to the second
subject, then stop. By setting Swing Count to 2, it will pan to
your second object, then back to your rst object, then stop.
By using Swing Range values greater than 1 you can have
StarShoot CAT pan back and forth multiple times during the
video. Set Swing Range to 0 for no panning and to an even
number to always end up where you started.
Speed (Deg/Hr): Speed determines how quickly StarShoot
CAT will pan in degrees per hour. In most cases, you do not
need to set this parameter unless you want to control the pan-
ning speed but are not concerned with the actual video time
span. If you do not want StarShoot CAT to pan in your time-
lapse video then set Speed to 0.
Clockwise: ON will cause StarShoot CAT to rotate left to
right (viewing down with the saddle on top). OFF will cause
StarShoot CAT to rotate right to left.
Wi-Fi Off on Run: When enabled, StarShoot CAT will automat-
ically turn off Wi-Fi at the start of a task to save power. Wi-Fi
can be restored at any time by pressing and holding the power
button until the green LED Wi-Fi indicator light comes on.
Proles Save / Edit: To save a prole tap Save. To edit or
delete a prole tap Edit. You can store multiple proles of your
favorite settings for recall at future sessions.
Time-Lapse Progress Screen
Once your tripod, StarShoot CAT, and camera are set up and
all of your task parameters are set, just press Run to start the
task.Your parameter settings will remain in view and Status will
appear at the bottom of the screen. To view the task progress
tap on Status. (See Figure 8.)
Pressing Stop brings up a conrmation screen; you can cancel
the Stop request and resume the task or proceed to end the
task at that point.
The Long-Exposure Time-Lapse progress screen shows the
same information and works in the same manner.
Astro Time-Lapse Using the
StarShoot CAT
One of the most powerful features of StarShoot CAT is its abil-
ity to create time-lapse videos of celestial vistas. Now you can
do this in Regular-Exposure Time-Lapse or Long-Exposure
Time-Lapse mode – for instance, taking a video of the Milky

9
Figure 9 Figure 10
Way rising or a constellation moving across the sky. But in
those modes you are not tracking the sky – and the StarShoot
CAT is not polar aligned – therefore you will be limited in the
length of exposures you can make before trailing of the stars
occurs.
The beauty of the Astro Time-Lapse mode is that it combines
StarShoot CAT’s astrophotography functions with its time-
lapse functions. That means you can take longer exposures
without trailing, so instead of a 30-second exposure you can
go for 60 or 90 seconds, or whatever you like. Doing so will
result in a brighter foreground and greater resolution of the
star eld or Milky Way. You might wonder that if the StarShoot
CAT is tracking the sky, won’t the foreground move slightly with
each image, causing it to “smear”? Yes, but it’s fairly negligible
because StarShoot CAT automatically returns to the starting
point after each exposure, which keeps the foreground in rea-
sonably sharp focus. Pretty cool!
Note that to capture astronomical time-lapse videos you must
polar align StarShoot CAT as described in Appendix I. Below
are the parameters you can set in the Tracker Console app
along with explanations for how they’re used to produce astro-
nomical time-lapse videos (Figure 9).
Exposure (Sec): Exposure should be set to a value that is
sufficiently long to record detail in the nighttime sky, which is
typically longer than 30 seconds. Be sure that your camera
is attached to StarShoot CAT via the SNAP control cable,
then set your exposure time in this eld. Make sure also to
set your camera to BULB mode, otherwise your shutter will
close according to whatever shutter speed is selected on your
camera.
Video Time Span (Hr): Video Time Span refers to the amount
of real time (in hours) that will elapse from the start to the end
of the recording. Video Time Span is affected by Exposure,
Photos, Video Length and Frame Rate, and will be calculat-
ed based on the parameters you set. However, you can also
directly set a value for Video Time Span. For instance, if you
want to follow the Moon for 5 hours to record the stages of
a lunar eclipse, you could set Video Time Span to 5. Set the
length of your desired time-lapse video in Video Length and
the appropriate frames per second (fps) in Frame Rate. Other
related parameters will then be calculated automatically.
Video Length (Sec): Set this parameter to the desired length
in seconds of your nished time-lapse video. You can set this
parameter directly, or you can allow it to be calculated for you
based on the values of other parameters.
Frame Rate: Select NTSC (30 fps) or PAL (25 fps) accord-
ing to the video standards for your location. You can further
adjust the playback speed of your video in your video editing
software.
Photos: Enter the number of exposures you wish to make up
your video. It is usually easier to let this eld be calculated
based on settings for other parameters. For instance, you
have more creative control on your time-lapse video by set-
ting the Video Time Span and the Video Length parameters,
and letting the app calculate the number of Photos that will be
required.
Tracking Rate: If you are making a time-lapse video of the
Moon then select Lunar. Otherwise, select Sidereal.
Wi-Fi Off on Run: When enabled, StarShoot CAT will auto-
matically turn off Wi-Fi at the start of the task to save power.
Wi-Fi can be restored at any time by pressing and holding the
power button until the green LED Wi-Fi indicator light comes
on.
Proles Save / Edit: To save a prole tap Save. To edit or
delete a prole tap Edit. You can store multiple proles of your
favorite settings for recall at future sessions. Once your tripod,
StarShoot CAT, and camera are set up and all of your task
parameters are set, just press Run to initiate the task. This will
bring up your Progress Screen.
Astro Time-Lapse Progress
Screen
Once your task has started tap Status to review information
regarding the number of photos completed and time remaining
(Figure 10).
Night Sky Photography
(Astrophotography) with the
StarShoot CAT
With the StarShoot CAT you will be able to take stunning pho-
tographs of constellations, the Milky Way band, star clusters,
galaxies, and gaseous nebulas. But before you do, let’s start
with why you need a tracking mount in the rst place. What
benet does the StarShoot CAT offer for night sky photogra-
phy, or astrophotography?
The answer is that it solves two problems that you don’t
encounter in typical, terrestrial types of photography. One is
the need to use long exposures (e.g., greater than 30 seconds)

10
Figure 12. Two 60-second exposures at 24mm.
A) No tracking – star trailing is evident. B) Tracked with StarShoot
CAT – stars are sharp.
to record dim night sky objects. The second is the need to have
the camera follow – or “track” – the sky during the exposure.
Why Take Long Exposures?
For night sky photography, you need a sufficiently long expo-
sure for your camera to collect enough light to reveal celestial
objects that are much too faint for our eyes to see. Many DSLR
cameras can be set to take up to a 30-second exposure, which
may be sufficient for shooting some night sky subjects. But you
can take an even longer exposure -- like a minute or two, or
four! -- by selecting the BULB mode on your camera and using
StarShoot CAT’s SNAP cable connection to really capture the
stareld or celestial object in glorious detail (see Figure 11.)
But solving the exposure problem reveals the second problem.
The Need for Tracking
In your now nicely exposed photo, the stars don’t look like
sharp pinpoints anymore – they’re “smeared” into little lines
and arcs! This is called trailing, and it becomes more notice-
able as the focal length of your lens and/or your exposure time
increases.
Figure 11. Antares region of Scorpius at 200mm. This is a stack
of 30 1-minute exposures tracked with StarShoot CAT.
Star trailing is caused by the rotation of the Earth on its axis.
It’s the same phenomenon that causes the Sun and Moon to
appear to rise and move across the sky and then set every day.
The Earth’s rotation also causes the stars to move across the
sky from east to west over the course of a night. And a cam-
era sitting still on a tripod will, after a relatively short period of
time, record that apparent movement of the stars as streaks, or
trails. (See Figure 12A.)
StarShoot CAT overcomes this problem by moving your cam-
era precisely at the same rate that the Earth is rotating, which
negates the effects of that rotation while a long exposure is
being made. Such tracking keeps the specic area of the sky
you’re targeting from moving relative to the camera’s sensor,
so stars remain pinpoints and everything stays sharp rather
than smearing (Figure 12B).
So with StarShoot CAT, two of the primary challenges in
doing astrophotography are simplied and automated for you.
First, StarShoot CAT’s camera control function enables you to
take exposures longer than 30 seconds in duration. Second,
its tracking capability compensates for the Earth’s rotation to
produce pinpoint star images even with long exposures. As
your skill level in night sky photography progresses you can
set StarShoot CAT to take multiple, successive images of your
subject, then use post-processing techniques like stacking and
stretching to produce truly rich, detailed celestial images.
Setting Up for Night Sky Photography
For long exposure night sky photography, or astrophotogra-
phy, you will need the Equatorial (EQ) Base (sold separately).
This will allow you to precisely polar align the StarShoot CAT
so that it can track the sky. The polar alignment procedure is
described in detail in Appendix I.
To assemble the components of the StarShoot CAT needed for
night sky photography, follow these steps:
1. Set up your tripod and ensure it is stable.
2. If you have a pan head or ball mount on the tripod,
remove it. Doing so should expose a 3/8" threaded post.
Attach the EQ Base to the tripod’s 3/8" threaded post via
the 3/8-inch threaded mounting hole on the bottom of the
EQ Base.
3. Once the EQ Base is securely attached, align the tripod
so that the Altitude Adjustment Knob on the EQ Base is
facing north.
4. Now, level the tripod as best you can by eye. It is
not required that the EQ Base be level for night sky
photography, but it makes subsequent adjustments
easier.
5. Next, loosen the Altitude Lock Handle a bit, then rotate
the Altitude Adjustment Knob until the Altitude Indicator
points to your latitude on the Altitude Scale (Figure 13).
(The altitude of Polaris above the horizon at your location
matches your latitude). If you don’t know your latitude you
can look it up in the Tracker Console app under Settings:
Location (assuming the GPS function of your phone is
A B

11
enabled), or on the internet. The retighten the Altitude
Lock Handle.
6. Next, attach StarShoot CAT to the Dovetail Mounting
Plate included with the EQ Base; the 3/8" post of the
mounting plate threads into the 3/8" socket in the side of
the StarShoot CAT housing. (You will likely have to rst
remove the 3/8"-to-1/4" thread insert that comes installed
in that socket.) Orient the Plate so that the end with the
Safety Stop is nearest the StarShoot CAT’s Saddle, as
shown in Figure 14. Use a quarter, a large at blade
screwdriver, or (preferably) the included 4mm Allen
wrench to tighten the bolt head on the underside of the
Dovetail Mounting Plate.
7. Now slide the Dovetail Mounting Plate into the Saddle of
the Equatorial Base, as shown in Figure 15, then tighten
the Saddle Lock Knob to secure it.
Figure 13
Figure 15 Figure 16
Figure 14 Figure 17
A B
8. Remove the Tripod Mounting Disk from the back of the
StarShoot CAT (refer to Figure 2). To do this you will
need to loosen the Mounting Disk Retaining Knob one
full turn or so.
9. Once the plate is removed, fully insert the Polar Scope
into the exposed hole (Figure 16). It should snap into
place.
10. Finally, you will install the Polar Scope Illuminator on the
front end of the Polar Scope. First, assemble the grip
adapter to the Illuminator as shown in Figure 17A. Then
t the grip adapter over the exposed end of the Polar
Scope (17B).
Connecting the SNAP Camera Control Cable
Make sure you have the correct SNAP camera control cable
for your particular camera brand and model. Insert the camera
end of the cable into the camera’s shutter release port and
the 2.5mm mini stereo plug end into the SNAP port on the
StarShoot CAT. You’re all set!
Polar Alignment
With the StarShoot CAT now assembled for night sky photog-
raphy, it’s time to polar align. Please refer to Appendix I for the
detailed procedure.
Saddle
Altitude
Scale
Altitude lock
handle
Azimuth
adjustment
knob (x2)
Saddle Lock
Knob
Altitude
indicator
Altitude
adjusment
knob
A
A B B
Safety stop
Polar
Scope

12
Installing the Battery in the Polar Scope Illuminator
1. Unthread the knurled battery compartment cap of the
Illuminator.
2. Place the 3V CR-2032 lithium battery in the compart-
ment, positive (+) side facing up.
3. Replace the battery compartment cap.
Operating the Polar Scope Illuminator
To turn the Illuminator on, rotate the brightness (MIN/MAX)
dial until the red LED bulb lights up. Adjust the brightness
of the LED to the desired level between MIN and MAX
with the brightness dial. To turn off the Illuminator, turn the
brightness dial all the way to the MIN setting. (Note: The
ON/OFF dial is for removal/replacement of the threaded
battery cover.)
Using the Tracker Console App
for Night Sky Photography
For Astrophotography,
or night sky photog-
raphy, there are only
a few parameters that
need to be set. These
are described below
(refer to Figure 18):
Exposure (Sec):
Exposure should be set
to a value (in seconds)
that is sufficiently long
to record detail in the
nighttime sky, which
is often longer than
30 seconds. Be sure
that your camera is
attached to StarShoot
CAT via the SNAP
control cable, then set
your exposure time in
the Exposure eld. Be
sure your camera is set
to BULB mode, otherwise the shutter will close according to
whatever shutter speed is selected on your camera.
Photo Interval (Sec): This is the time in seconds between the
end of one exposure and the beginning of the next exposure.
StarShoot CAT continues to track the object during the Photo
Interval, then resumes with the next exposure once the Photo
Interval has elapsed.
Photos: Enter the number of exposures you wish to capture of
the subject. You can combine multiple exposures of an object
into a single image in post processing to increase the signal-
to-noise ratio. In other words, by digitally “stacking” multiple
images of the same target, you will see less noise (graininess)
and more detail than can typically be recorded in a single long
exposure.
Tracking Rate: The StarShoot CAT can be set to one of
three different tracking rates: Sidereal, Lunar, or Solar. While
stars (other than our Sun) and deep-sky objects move at the
Sidereal rate, closer objects such as the Moon and Sun move
at slightly faster rates. Choose Sidereal if you are shooting the
Milky Way or a constellation, and Lunar if you are tracking the
Moon (e.g., to record the stages of a lunar eclipse). Solar is
reserved for advanced uses where specialized equipment –
most notably a protective solar lter -- is being used to photo-
graph the Sun.
Wi-Fi Off on Run: When enabled, StarShoot CAT will auto-
matically turn off Wi-Fi at the start of a task to save power.
Wi-Fi can be restored at any time by pressing and holding the
power button until the green LED Wi-Fi indicator light comes
on. If you encounter any problems, reconnect to StarShoot
CAT’s network on your device.
Proles Save / Edit: To save a prole tap Save. To edit or
delete a prole tap Edit. You can store multiple proles of your
favorite settings for recall at future sessions. Once your tripod,
StarShoot CAT, and camera gear are set up and all of your
task parameters are set, just press Run to initiate the task. This
will bring up your Progress Screen.
Astrophotography Progress
Screen
Any time you have a process running you can view its progress
by tapping on Status at the bottom of the parameters screen.
This brings up information about number of photos taken,
percentage of task complete, etc. The information may vary
slightly depending on which function you are currently using.
Manual Control of the StarShoot
CAT
Manual Control gives you the ability to nudge your camera, but
without touching it directly – a handy feature when you need
to tweak your composition to get that perfect shot, or to move
Figure 18

13
the camera incrementally, without bumping your gear out of
alignment.
Go to the Main Menu and tap on Manual Control. This will
bring up the manual control arrows on either side of an angle
given in degrees, minutes, and seconds (Figure 19). Tap or
touch and hold the arrow symbols to nudge or continuously
move StarShoot CAT
to the left or right,
respectively. Release
the arrow symbol to
stop StarShoot CAT’s
movement. The angle
you have rotated
through will show up
between the arrows.
You can also use
Manual Control to
determine the Swing
Range for your time-
lapse video composi-
tions. For instance, say
you have two points of
interest and want your
video to swing from
one to the other. Aim
your camera at the
first point, then Zero
the counter. Now, tap
and hold the arrow
keys until your camera
is pointing at your second point of interest. Record the angle
that is showing between the arrows and enter it as your Swing
Range parameter when you are ready to create your time-
lapse video.
Reviewing the Settings of the
Tracker Console App
Tap on Settings on the home screen to set a variety of device
functions as detailed below.
Language: Choose the default language for the Tracker
Console.
Night Mode: This mode is designed to help preserve your
dark adaptation. Tap and choose On or Auto to display a black
background with red text. Note: if there are any visual astrono-
mers in your vicinity you should set the app to On as a cour-
tesy to them.
Location: Tap to get a sub-menu that gives you the option
to use the location sensor in your device to set your current
longitude and latitude. If the sensor is disabled you can enter
the coordinates manually. Location determines the hemi-
sphere you are in and sets the correct rotation direction for
Astrophotography and Astro Time-Lapse functions. It is also
used to display the position of Polaris and Octans on the Polar
Scope reticle.
Finder LED Auto-Off:
After the selected delay
the Polar View Finder
LED will automatically
turn off. To turn on the
LED again just quickly
press StarShoot CAT’s
Power button, or set
the LED to on using
the Tracker Console.
Wi-Fi Auto-Off: Ta p
to choose a delay to
automatically turn
off Wi-Fi to preserve
power. Wi-Fi will turn
off when no Wi-Fi
activity is detected
during the Auto-Off
interval. You can turn
it back on by quickly
pressing and releasing
StarShoot CAT’s Power button. Note: Wi-Fi is not needed once
parameters for a given task have been set.
Auto Shut Down: To save power StarShoot CAT will automati-
cally turn off after the specied amount of time if no tasks are
running and there have been no communications between
StarShoot CAT and the Tracker Console app.
Auto-Run Task: If enabled, StarShoot CAT will automatically
re-start the previous photography process the next time the
power is turned on.
Wi-Fi Network
Tap on Wi-Fi Network to bring up the Wi-Fi options as detailed
below. You can choose either Access Point (AP) Mode or
Station (STA) Mode. Use AP mode for a basic connection to
StarShoot CAT. Use STA mode if you wish to control StarShoot
CAT while simultaneously being connected to a wireless net-
work (e.g., for internet access) or want to control StarShoot
CAT remotely via the internet. Be sure that you have the correct
STA SSID and Password information. If you enter the incorrect
information you may need to reset StarShoot CAT to its factory
settings using the procedure outlined on p. 21.
Access Point (AP) Mode: This is the default and sim-
pler mode. In AP mode StarShoot CAT acts as a wireless
access point so that you can connect to it via the Tracker
Console.
AP Mode SSID: The SSID will automatically appear
based on the SSID you entered to make your initial Wi-Fi
connection. Select it to connect your device to StarShoot
CAT. Before attempting to connect be sure that StarShoot
CAT is powered up and the green Wi-Fi light is blinking.
The green light signals that StarShoot CAT is ready to
make a Wi-Fi connection.
Figure 20
Figure 19

14
AP Mode Security: Select Open if no encryption is to be
used. Otherwise, tap on the settings eld and choose an
encryption type from the list.
Station Mode (STA): Choose this mode if you wish to
have internet access while using StarShoot CAT, control
StarShoot CAT via the internet, or to save battery power.
When you select STA mode StarShoot CAT will join an
existing Wi-Fi network. To use STA Mode, select it, then
set the SSID and Password for the network you are join-
ing. When all of your selections are made click on Apply.
StarShoot CAT will restart and join the network. The new
settings will be stored in StarShoot CAT’s memory and will
remain there until the settings are changed.
STA SSID: Select the network you wish to join and enter
the SSID for that network.
STA Password: Enter the Password for the network you
have selected to join.
STA Use DHCP: Turn this off ONLY if you want to set the
IP address manually.
Network Troubleshooting
Re-establish Wi-Fi Connection
The Wi-Fi connection to StarShoot CAT will disconnect if either
the SSID or Password is modied. If you lose your Wi-Fi con-
nection please follow the procedures to reconnect your device
to StarShoot CAT as outlined on pages 4-5.

15
Big Dipper
(in Ursa Major)
Little Dipper
(in Ursa Minor)
Cassiopeia
N.C.P.
Pointer
Stars
Polaris
Figure 21
Figure 22
Figure 23
Appendix I. Polar Alignment
In order to accurately track the movement of the night sky, the
rotation of the camera must occur about an axis that is paral-
lel to Earth’s rotational axis. Therefore, the two axes must be
aligned with each other before StarShoot CAT’s tracking fea-
ture is turned on.
Polar Alignment refers to the procedure for aligning StarShoot
CAT’s rotational axis with the Earth’s rotational axis. If we
extend Earth’s rotational axis out into space it intersects an
imaginary point called the Celestial Pole. In the Northern hemi-
sphere that point is called the North Celestial Pole, or NCP. In
the Southern hemisphere it is the South Celestial Pole, or SCP.
Because the celestial poles are imaginary points, you can’t
see them. Fortunately, there are a couple of celestial “land-
marks” close to the poles that help us pinpoint them. In the
northern hemisphere that landmark is Polaris, the North Star.
In the southern hemisphere it is the star Sigma Octantis.
Polar Alignment in the Northern
Hemisphere
To successfully polar align the StarShoot CAT in the northern
hemisphere, you must perform the procedure at night with an
unobstructed view of Polaris. To nd Polaris in the sky, look
north and locate the pattern of the Big Dipper (Figure 21).
The two stars at the end of the “bowl” of the Big Dipper point
right to Polaris. If you need help determining which direction is
north, you could use your smartphone’s compass feature or
nd a physical compass to point the way.
Assuming you already followed the setup procedure detailed
on pages 10-11, the next step is to turn on the Polar Scope
Illuminator. A red LED bulb illuminates a reticle inside the Polar
Scope (Figure 22). Now when you peer into the eyepiece end
of the Polar Scope you should see the illuminated reticle pat-
tern. (You can familiarize yourself with the reticle in daytime
without the need for the Illuminator.) Adjust the intensity of the
Illuminator by turning the brightness (MIN/MAX) dial. You want
enough brightness to see the reticle pattern, but not so much
that it overpowers your view of Polaris.
Orient the tripod so that the Polar Scope is roughly aimed at
Polaris when you “eyeball” it (Figure 23). Next, rotate the Polar
Scope so that the “0” label on the reticule pattern is at the 12
o’clock position (i.e., at the top, as in Figure 22). When posi-
tioned correctly the “3” will be seen at the right, “6” and the bot-
tom and “9” to the left. Use the Altitude and Azimuth Adjustment
Knobs on the EQ Base to move the Tracker incrementally while
viewing through the Polar Scope, until you can see Polaris in
the eld of view. (For the Azimuth Adjustment Knobs, turn one
clockwise and the other counterclockwise the same amount,
or vice versa.) It doesn’t matter where it is in the eld of view
at this point; you will make ne adjustments to position Polaris
where it needs to be in a moment.
Polaris

16
Using the Polar Clock Utility to Nail Your Polar
Alignment
Select the Polar Clock Utility in the Main Menu of the Tracker
Console app. Tap on Northern Hemisphere if it is not already
selected. The app displays a graphic that matches the reticle
in the Polar Scope (Figure 24). Note the position of the small
black dot - it represents Polaris and shows where Polaris
should be located relative to the NCP at the current time.
Without moving the tripod itself, turn the Altitude and Azimuth
Adjustment Knobs until the position of Polaris in the Polar
Scope matches that of the black dot. When it does, you are
precisely polar aligned with the NCP (represented by the inter-
section of the perpendicular lines at the center of the reticle).
Now carefully remove the Polar Scope Illuminator and Polar
Scope, making sure that you do not disturb the position of the
tripod in doing so. NOTE: You do not have to remove the Polar
Scope completely; you can just back it out enough (about ½")
so that the end of it does not protrude into the StarShoot CAT’s
saddle.
Now that the StarShoot CAT is polar aligned, you can go ahead
and attach your Ball Head Mount or Declination Bracket, your
camera, and the SNAP cable connecting the StarShoot CAT to
your camera. NOTE: If you are using the optional Declination
Bracket you can perform the polar alignment procedure with
all of your gear already mounted. More on that later.
Figure 24
Attaching the Panoramic Ball Head Mount and
Camera
The Ball Head Mount will allow you to aim the camera at any
area of the sky. Attach the Ball Head Adapter to the bottom of
the Ball Head Mount by threading the adapter’s 3/8" post into
the 3/8" socket in the bottom of the Ball Head Mount until tight.
Then slide the Ball Head Adapter into the StarShoot CAT’s
Saddle and tighten the Saddle Lock Knob (Figure 25).
Now remove the quick-release (QR) plate from the Ball Head
Mount by loosening the QR plate lock knob as far as it will go.
This will allow you to lift the QR plate out.Attach the plate to the
bottom of your camera via the ¼"-20 threaded post. Then with
the camera attached to the QR plate, re-insert the plate into its
saddle and tighten the QR plate lock knob.
Polar Alignment in the Southern
Hemisphere
Unfortunately, there are no bright reference stars in the imme-
diate vicinity of the Southern Celestial Pole (SCP), so the polar
alignment procedure is a little more involved. However, there is
a small group of stars near the SCP that can be seen in your
Polar Scope. Once you have this group of stars in view, a preci-
sion polar alignment is just as easy to achieve in the Southern
Hemisphere as it is in the North, with the aid of the Polar Clock
function included in the Tracker Console app.
We’ll start with a coarse polar alignment, which is intended to
bring a small group of four stars near the SCP into the Polar
Scope’s eld of view. We refer to these stars as the Sigma
Octantis group, with Sigma Octantis being the brightest of the
four (but still only barely visible with the naked eye under ideal
conditions), and always the one that is nearest the SCP. You
will use the easily identiable constellation Crux, also known
as the Southern Cross, to point the way.
Figure 25
Saddle Lock
Knob
Ball head adapter

17
1. Attach the EQ Base to your tripod via the 3/8" mounting
post.
2. Then attach the StarShoot CAT to the EQ Base.
3. Once the EQ Base is securely attached, align the tripod so
that the Altitude Adjustment Knob on the EQ Base is facing
south.
4. Now, level the tripod as best you can by eye. It is
not required that the EQ Base be level for night sky
photography, but it makes subsequent adjustments easier.
5. Next, loosen the Altitude Lock Handle a bit (refer to Figure
13) then rotate the Altitude Adjustment Knob until the
Altitude Indicator points to your latitude on the Altitude
Scale. If you don’t know your latitude you can look it up in
the Tracker Console app under Settings: Location, or on the
internet. Then retighten the Altitude Lock Handle.
6. Next, attach StarShoot CAT to the Dovetail Mounting
Plate included with the EQ Base; the 3/8" post of the
mounting plate threads into the 3/8" hole in the bottom of
the StarShoot CAT housing. Orient the Plate so that the
end with the Safety Screw is nearest the StarShoot CAT’s
Saddle, as shown in Figure 14. Use a quarter, a large at
blade screwdriver, or (preferably) the included 4mm Allen
wrench to tighten the bolt head on the underside of the
Dovetail Mounting Plate.
7. Now slide the Dovetail Mounting Plate into the Saddle of the
EQ Base, as shown in Figure 15, then tighten the Saddle
Lock Knob to secure it.
8. Remove the knurled Tripod Mounting Disk from the back of
the StarShoot CAT. To do this you will need to loosen the
Mounting Disk Retaining Knob one full turn or so. Once
the plate is removed, fully insert the Polar Scope into the
exposed hole. It should snap into place (Figure 16).
9. Now, install the Polar Scope Illuminator on the front end of
the Polar Scope as shown in Figure 17.
10. Find the Southern Cross (Crux) in the sky, and its brightest
star, Acrux. Acrux is considered the “foot” of the cross.
Referring to Figure 26, draw an imaginary line between the
foot of the cross and the “head” of the cross, then extend
it another four and a half lengths from Acrux. That is the
approximate location of the SCP.
11. Now point your polar scope to that spot.You should be able
to see the Sigma Octantis group of four stars in the eld of
Figure 26
Figure 27
view of the Polar Scope (see Figure 27). If you can’t, keep
making adjustments until you can using the Altitude and
Azimuth Adjustment Knobs on the EQ Base. Be sure the
brightness from the Polar Scope Illuminator is not cranked
up too high,or it will wash out the view of the Sigma
Octantis group of stars.
Using the Sigma Octantis Clock Utility
Once you can see the Sigma Octantis group in your Polar Scope
eld of view you are ready to rene your polar alignment to the
SCP.
1. Bring up the Tracker Console app and tap on the Polar
Clock Utility.
2. Tap on Southern Hemisphere if it is not already selected.
This will bring up a representation of the reticle in your Polar
Scope (Figure 27).
3. Rotate your Polar Scope to match the view in the Polar
Clock utility. That is, rotate it so that the representation of
the Sigma Octantis group in your Polar Scope has the
same orientation as shown in the Polar Clock utility.
4. Now use the Altitude and Azimuth Adjustment Knobs on the
EQ Base to move the EQ Base incrementally while viewing
through the Polar Scope, until all four stars of the Sigma
Octantis group fall inside the little circles representing them
on the Polar Scope’s reticle (refer to “Octans” in Figure 22).
When they do, you are polar aligned on the SCP!
Sigma Octanis
group (4 stars)

18
A B
C
R
o
t
a
t
e
1
8
0
°
Figure 29. Calibration of the Polar Scope
A. Look into the Polar Scope and, using the EQ Base’s Altitude
and Azimuth Adjustment Knobs, place a target on the reticle’s
crosshairs. Make sure the reticle is oriented with “0” at the
top as in the illustration.
Now rotate the Polar Scope 180 degrees.
B. The target has moved off of the crosshairs, indicating that
the Polar Scope reticle is misaligned. Adjust the reticle using
the three Allen screws as described in steps 4 and 5 until the
crosshairs move half the distance out to the target (not all the
way!).
C. This illustrates the point made in B, that the adjustment
should reduce the displaced distance by half. (The crosshairs
should move halfway out to the target.)
Now rotate the Polar Scope back to the starting position and
repeat A and B. When rotation of the Polar Scope 180 degrees
does not result in a signicant movement of the target off of the
crosshairs, the Polar Scope is calibrated.
Appendix II. Calibration of the
Polar Axis Finder Scope
For accurate polar alignment the Polar Scope’s reticle must be
aligned exactly with the polar scope’s mechanical axis. A sim-
ple calibration procedure will ensure that this is the case. But
rst, check to see whether the Polar Scope requires calibration
at all. It may be precisely aligned right out of the box, so do this
simple test before attempting the calibration procedure:
1. With your Polar Scope installed in the StarShoot CAT,
aim it at a distant object at least 100 yards away. A street
light or distant chimney is a good choice.
2. Center the distant target on the intersection of the
crosshairs in the Polar Scope reticle.
3. Now rotate the Polar Scope 180 degrees.
If the distant target is still centered on the crosshairs, or if it
has barely moved from that point, then YOU DO NOT NEED
TO CALIBRATE your polar scope. If the distant target has
moved away from the crosshairs signicantly, then you should
perform the following calibration.
Aligning the Polar Scope Reticle to the Polar
Scope Optical Axis
You will need a 1.5 mm Allen wrench to perform the calibra-
tion. Refer to Figures 28 and 29 during this process. The Polar
Scope’s thin glass reticle is held in place by three small Allen
screws around the perimeter of the eyepiece. You should not
completely loosen any of these screws as the reticle will lose
Figure 28
its support and no longer be adjustable. If this happens you
will need to unscrew the eyepiece from the polar scope, manu-
ally center the glass reticle as best you can, then reinsert the
screw that had lost contact.
Continuing from Step 3 above, note how far your target moved
off the crosshairs. To align the reticle you need to adjust the
three small Allen screws (tighten/loosen) so that the target
moves one half of the distance back toward the crosshairs.
4. Choose one of the screws and loosen it 1/4 turn. Note
the movement of the crosshairs. If it moves in the correct
direction, tighten the two other screws about 1/4 turn
each, then loosen the original screw again.
5. With each loosening of a screw and tightening of the
opposing screws the crosshairs will move. Continue
until the crosshairs move half way out to the target at its
maximum deviated position. Now, gently tighten all three
×
×
×
×
Allen
Screws
(x3)

19
Figure 31
Allen screws to secure the reticle. Do not overtighten the
screws or you may crack the glass reticle!
6. Now reset the polar scope so “0” is up, and repeat steps
2 and 3. Note the location of your target relative to the
crosshairs.
7. If the target has moved off the crosshairs again, repeat
steps 4 through 6. Perform the adjustments until the
target stays centered on the crosshairs when the Polar
Scope is rotated 180 degrees.
Remember:
•First verify that your Polar Scope requires calibration
before starting the calibration adjustments!
•When adjusting the Allen screws, always proceed by rst
loosening one screw, then tightening the other two gently.
•Do not loosen one screw completely or loosen more than
one screw at a time as the reticle may lose its support
and become nonadjustable.
•To make things easier, perform the calibration during the
daytime.
Appendix III. The Optional
Equatorial Base
To use the StarShoot CAT for long-exposure astrophotography
or astro time-lapse, polar alignment is a must. The optional
Equatorial Base accessory (Figure 30) enables the ne point-
ing control required for accurate polar alignment.
The Equatorial (EQ) Base includes the following key parts:
Dovetail Mounting Plate: The removable Dovetail Mounting
Plate includes a 3/8" threaded post for attachment of the
StarShoot CAT.
Safety Stop: The Safety Stop prevents the StarShoot CAT
from slipping out of the saddle of the EQ Base should you let
go of it before tightening the Mounting Plate Lock Knob.
Saddle Lock Knob: Secures the Dovetail Mounting Plate in
the Saddle.
Azimuth (Horizontal) Adjustment Knobs: These two knobs
enable ne pointing of the EQ Base in the left and right (azi-
muth) directions. Once the azimuth is set, make sure both
knobs are lightly tightened.
Altitude (Vertical) Adjustment Knob: This knob enables ne
pointing of the EQ Base in the vertical (altitude) direction.
Altitude Scale: This scale indicates the altitude setting of the
EQ Base. Note that for polar alignment procedures, the alti-
tude of your Base is equal to the latitude of your observing site.
Appendix IV. The Optional
Declination Bracket
The optional Declination (Dec) Bracket (Figure 31) provides
more convenience and control for mounting your photograph-
ic payloads. It gives you ner pointing control for Declination
adjustments when StarShoot CAT is used in its polar-aligned
Figure 30
Saddle lock knob 3/8" post Dovetail mounting
plate
Safety stop
Altitude lock
handle
Azimuth
adjustment
knobs
Altitude
adjustment
knob
Altitude
scale
1/4"-20 post Dec platform
Fine-tuning
control knob
Adjustable
clutch
Camera
attachment
knob

20
A B C
equatorial mode. Use its adjustable clutch to make coarse
movements, and its ne-tuning control knob to make incre-
mental movements. The Dec Bracket is a must-have acces-
sory if you are going to use the StarShoot CAT extensively for
astrophotography.
One great benet of the Dec Bracket is that it allows polar align-
ment with your camera already attached to the StarShoot CAT
(Figure 32). You do not have to back out or remove the Polar
Scope after polar alignment is completed. This way there is
less risk of accidentally moving the tripod after completing the
polar alignment procedure – for example when attaching the
Ball Head Mount or the camera. Any such movement would
ruin the polar alignment and require repeating the procedure.
The Declination Bracket also allows the use of heavier camera
and lens combinations, because the optional Counterweight
and Shaft can be attached to the Declination Bracket to coun-
terbalance the load (Figure 33A). Without such counterbalanc-
ing a heavy camera could put stress on the StarShoot CAT’s
motor and result in poor sky tracking. What’s more, adding the
Counterweight and Shaft increases the StarShoot CAT’s pay-
load capacity from 6.6 lbs. to 8.8 lbs.!
You can also remove the Declination Platform to reveal a 3/8"
mounting post to which you can attach the Ball Head Mount
and camera, if you want more freedom of movement and posi-
tioning than is afforded by the Declination Platform (Figure
33B). To remove the Declination Platform you will need an
Allen wrench to remove the two socket head cap screws that
couple it to the dovetail bracket.
Or, leave the Dec Platform in place and attach the Ball Head
Mount to it via its ¼"-20 post (Figure 33C) (you will need to
install a 3/8" to 1/4" thread adapter [sold separately] in the bot-
tom of the Ball Head Mount). This does put the camera up
higher, which means you must be sure to counterbalance that
load appropriately with the optional Counterweight and Shaft. Figure 32
Figure 33. Different ways to use the Declination Bracket with the StarShoot CAT