Mounts

Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer GTi

Monday, June 20, 2022

The Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer GTi is a versatile and portable equatorial mount designed for astrophotography enthusiasts. With Go-To functionality, enhanced auto-guiding, and an 11-pound payload capacity, it offers advanced features for capturing deep space, widefield, and nightscape images.

Sky-Watcher's Star Adventurer GTi equatorial mount offers full GoTo performance in a compact and portable design. Priced at $740.00, this mount caters to astrophotographers seeking a lightweight and versatile solution for deep space, widefield, and nightscape photography.

Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer GTi

The Star Adventurer GTi boasts an 11-pound payload capacity, making it ideal for a range of equipment, from DSLR or mirrorless cameras with wide-angle or telephoto lenses to small optical tube assemblies (OTAs) like Skymax Maksutov-Cassegrain telescopes. This versatility allows users to capture a wide array of celestial objects, including deep space phenomena, the Moon, and planets.

Equipped with multiple tracking rates, including sidereal, solar, and lunar, the Star Adventurer GTi ensures precise tracking for extended exposures. The mount features a built-in illuminated polar scope, facilitating accurate alignment in equatorial mode. Additionally, it offers various interface options, including USB, autoguider (ST4), SynScan hand controller, and a SNAP port for DSLR shutter control, programmable via the free SynScan Pro app for iOS and Android devices.

One of the standout features of the Star Adventurer GTi is its built-in Wi-Fi, enabling users to control the mount wirelessly via their smartphones. The mount also includes dual counterweight positions, allowing for optimal balance and performance at low latitudes. For power, it can be operated using eight AA batteries (not included) or an external 12V DC power source.

Sky-Watcher's Star Adventurer GTi is available in two configurations: one with a steel tripod and pier extension, and another without. It accepts a V-style dovetail plate and comes with lifetime free firmware upgrades, ensuring that users always have access to the latest features and improvements.

Sky Watcher Star Adventurer GTi REVIEW by AstroBackyard

Trevor Jones highlights the new features of the Star Adventurer GTi, including Go-To functionality, enhanced auto-guiding, and a sturdier wedge base. He appreciates the mount's user-friendly design, making it ideal for beginners in astrophotography, with the ability to automatically point to desired celestial objects and adjust the brightness of the illuminated reticle via a phone app. Trevor emphasizes the importance of star trackers in astrophotography and acknowledges the capabilities of the previous Star Adventurer and 2i models. The GTi, with its 11-pound payload capacity, performs well with a mirrorless camera and telephoto lens. Trevor underscores the critical role of precise polar alignment for capturing sharp, round stars in long exposures, praising the mount's solid construction, built-in polar scope, and the SynScan Pro app's alignment utility. He expresses excitement about the GTi's potential as a portable setup for nightscape and Milky Way photography. Watch his full review in the video below.