In this blog, I’ll show you and easy setup and how to use the Move-Shoot-Move (MSM) star tracker I’ve been using for a number of years now and have really come to love. I’ve used many different types and versions of star trackers, and I keep finding myself coming back to this one for so many reasons.
As you probably know, the whole point of a star tracker is to counteract the apparent movement of the stars in the sky due to the rotation of the earth. We do this by lining up the axis of rotation of the tracker with the axis of rotation of the Earth. Fortunately, in the northern hemisphere this can be as simple as pointing a laser directly at Polaris, AKA the North Star. When aligned, the tracker rotates at the same speed as the Earth but in the opposite direction, effectively stopping the apparent movement of the stars. This lets us take longer exposures resulting in nice tack-sharp stars, more details and color in the Milky Way and night sky, reduced noise, and better, more natural star color. It does create a bit more work in the editing process since you’ll have to combine at least two images; one for the tracked sky and one for the foreground, but for me the benefits far outweigh the additional complexities. And honestly, it’s like any new skill you learn – it’ll feel a bit cumbersome at first, but once you get the hang of it the quality of your nightscape images will be instantly taken to the next level.
Here I have a portable star tracker from a company called Move Shoot Move. It’s a small, lightweight portable star tracker that fits easily in to your bag (or even your pocket!). It’s easy to carry around – so much so that it’s almost always in my bag, it has a reasonably long battery life, and it’s just so simple to use. It’s not terribly expensive, and considering how much it can improve your night sky images, the value is tremendous. This unit has been out for a number of years and grown huge in popularity, but I’ve been a bit surprised by the number of people I’ve run in to on my workshops, in online forums, etc, that have had trouble getting this set up. Or people tend to add too much complexity to the setup which ultimately just adds weight or unnecessary height and extension that results in poor tracking and vibrations. So let me give you a quick run-through of how I set up and use the Move Shoot Move portable star tracker that adds very little time to my process compared to just shooting from a tripod.
This unit can attach quite easily to most tripod setups you’re already using, and while 2-way heads, 3-way heads, and geared heads can afford you the ability to fine tune your alignments more than a ball head, many photographers regularly shoot with a ball head (myself included) so it makes no sense to me to use anything but.
That said, all that is really needed to get this set up is a mounting plate, the laser, and an extra ball head. I’ve added a separate mounting plate to my tracker so I can leave it permanently attached, and have also added Alyn Wallace’s V-Plate between the tracker and the second ball head, which we’ll talk about in a minute.
One very important note: don’t forget to TURN OFF image stabilization and IBIS! This applies to any long exposure photography, but it’s especially true in astrophotography when we’re trying to get pin point stars and any movement becomes very apparent in star trailing (or squiggles).
I’ve seen people push this little device to its limits and well beyond (which I can’t really recommend) to achieve some really incredible results even with much longer focal lengths. If I’m trying to use longer focal lengths, or shoot some wide field images of deep space objects I would typically suggest a more heavy-duty tracker like the iOptron Sky Guider Pro or other equatorial mounts, but the fact that some of these things are even possible on such a small, portable star tracker really serves as a testament to its quality and ease of use.
There are a ton of really exciting new pieces of equipment coming out at the moment, like Benro’s Polaris Astro Edition Smart Tripod Head which aims to provide go-to and tracking capabilities without the need for polar alignment (what!?) and a whole host of other trackers and mounts. It’s great to see all these new options coming out, but the Move Shoot Move is still at the top of my list for portable star trackers. For its size, weight, capabilities and price tag of just under $300 for the basic kit, I just don’t think you can beat this right now. If you’ve never used a star tracker before, it doesn’t get any easier than this and the next level of images you’re able to create with it is just incredible. There are very few scenarios where I wouldn’t recommend this piece of kit to someone. And while the links below are affiliate links meaning if you use those to purchase the Move Shoot Move I do get a small percentage at no extra cost to you, I am an ambassador to MSM, I’m in no way sponsored by Move Shoot Move – I’ve purchased my own equipment from them and truly believe in this product.
If you have one, or end up getting one, I’d love to know what you think about it. Leave a comment below, or find me on Instagram @marcrasselphoto and show me the images you’re creating with it – I’d love to see them!
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