About this product
Now Mac compatible with Intel-based Mac computers! Software and drivers are now available for use of the Orion StarShoot AutoGuider with Apple computers running Mac OS X. Visit the StarShoot AutoGuider product support section to download software and drivers.
Autoguiding has revolutionized the capture of deep-sky astro-images by mechanizing the tedious and tiring method of "manually" guiding an astrophotography exposure, which involved staring endlessly into an illuminated reticle telescope eyepiece while vigilantly tweaking your mount's electronic drive controls by hand to keep the stars pinpoint sharp. Until now, the problem has always been the lack of a simple, affordable autoguider camera to do the job.
Problem solved. The Orion StarShoot AutoGuider provides a user-friendly, dedicated autoguiding camera for long-exposure astrophotography. It's compatible with virtually any mount equipped with an autoguider port and comes with all the software and cables needed to work right out of the box!
The StarShoot AutoGuider is built around a high-resolution, 1/2" format 1.3-megapixel CMOS monochrome chip, with 5.2µ x 5.2µ pixels for highly accurate guiding. That high accuracy due to the small pixel size means you can use the Orion StarShoot AutoGuider with smaller, less expensive guide scopes than what's possible with other guide cameras (such as the now-discontinued ST-4). The chip resides in a super-compact, anodized aluminum housing that measures just 2.5" wide by 2.35" long and weighs a mere 4.4 oz. It has a 1.25" nosepiece that can be removed to access a T-thread interface. On top of that, the StarShoot AutoGuider's short inward focus requirement of only 15mm from a typical 1.25" Plossl telescope eyepiece makes it compatible with virtually any telescope.
The StarShoot AutoGuider's incredible ease of use will appeal to beginning and experienced astrophotographers alike. We've included highly acclaimed PHD Guiding software for the most intuitive and user-friendly autoguiding experience. The included PHD Guiding software requires no previous knowledge of autoguiding. It offers automatic calibration and guiding with literally a single mouse click. PHD Guiding has been ranked as the #1 guiding software in the 2007 "AstroPhoto Insight" magazine. The StarShoot AutoGuider is powered via your computer's high-speed USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 connection with the included 5' USB cable; no other power source is needed. A 6' RJ-12 cable is also included to connect the AutoGuider to the mount without the need for an additional RS-232 adapter.
With the Orion StarShoot AutoGuider, precision autoguiding for deep-sky photography is now easier and more economical than ever. Buy one today for your imaging setup!
Requires Mac computer running OS X, or PC running Windows 8/10/11 Operating Systems. AutoGuider is not recommended for use as a stand-alone imaging camera.
Media Buzz
Sky & Telescope Magazine - January 2009
"The StarShoot AutoGuider from Orion Telescopes & Binoculars is so affordable that now even casual astrophotographers can justify the cost of being freed from the tedium of manually guiding a telescope during long exposures... The StarShoot AutoGuider is supplied with powerful yet easy-to-use software..."
Sky & Telescope Magazine - November 2008
Australian Sky & Telescope Magazine - November/December 2008
"Orion's StarShoot AutoGuider worked great. It was simple to set up and start guiding accurately. The resulting photos showed well-tracked, pinpoint stars."
"A nice feature of the StarShoot is its simple cable connections. There's an RJ-12 jack on the camera, allowing it to connect directly to the mount with a single, simple cable. The other camera connection is for a USB cable that runs to a laptop....just two cables are needed to run the auto-guiding system."
"With my 66-mm guidescope, the StarShoot proved sensitive enough to always find a suitable guidestar even in the star-poor fields surrounding some popular galaxies."
"Orion has provided a fine autoguiding package that breaks new ground for affordability and ease of use.... Given the StarShoot AutoGuider's low cost and high level of performance, virtually every deep-sky astrophotographer can now enjoy the benefits of autoguiding."
AstroPhoto Insight - August/September 2008
"The StarShoot AutoGuider delivers what is promised: an affordable guiding solution.
"The results speak for themselves. I had nice round stars and PHD [Guiding] and the StarShoot AutoGuider did a great job.
"All in all, I would recommend this camera if you want a low-cost alternative for guiding. It should fit within the budgets of many imagers and make astrophotography a little easier."
Astronomy Technology Today - October 2008
"The StarShoot AutoGuider (SSAG) could not be simpler to use.... Insert the SSAG in the guide scope, connect its USB cable to your computer, and the RJ-12 cable to the guide port on the mount and you are ready to go. Fire up the PHD guiding software included with the SSAG, select a guide star and let the software do its thing.... As one of the more famous TV infomercials used to say, 'Set it and forget it!' "
- A refreshingly easy-to-use and affordable autoguider for accurate long-exposure astrophotography. Now Mac compatible with Intel-based Mac computers!
- StarShoot AutoGuider keeps track of a selected guide star and communicates constantly with connected equatorial telescope mount to correct any tracking errors throughout long exposure astrophotography sessions
- Uses a 1/2" format 1.3MP CMOS chip, with tiny 5.2 x 5.2 micron pixels for highly accurate autoguiding so your astrophotos feature pinpoint star images
- Included software offers automatic calibration and autoguiding with a single mouse click
- Compatible with Mac OS X, Windows 8, 10 or 11 Operating Systems
