Just realized I spent $80 on a cheap star tracker that ruined a whole night of photos

I got this tracker online for a trip to Joshua Tree last month, thinking it was a good deal. Set it up for a 4-hour session on the Orion Nebula, but the motor kept slipping and all my shots were blurry streaks. Wasted a clear night and a full camera battery for nothing. Has anyone found a decent budget tracker that actually holds up, or is it just a waste of money to go cheap?

3 comments

3 Comments

rowan_roberts491mo ago

Wasted a clear night" is the real gut punch, isn't it?

danielr941mo ago

What do you mean by wasted?

margaret_kelly551mo agoMost Upvoted

Remember my friend who saved for a year to buy that fancy telescope? He finally got it, and we had a string of cloudy nights. Then, one perfect clear night arrived, and he was just too tired from work. He said he'd do it tomorrow. It rained for two weeks straight after that. The look on his face when he talked about missing that one clear window, that's the feeling. It's not just about the night, it's about the chance you know you let slip by.