Baader StarAid Revolution Standalone Autoguiding – Revision B

Baader StarAid Revolution Standalone Autoguiding - Revision B

Combines stand-alone autoguider, AI-controlled automatic polar alignment and plate solving in one lightweight package, now in revision B with new features:
Camera control with dithering
comet tracking
USB-C port with USB (5.0 V) instead of DC jack (12 V). The USB-C port is located in the splitter as well as on the StarAid.
Shorter housing, only 6.3 cm long
StarAid automatically monitors air imbalance and mount responsivity
Ready to use, for uninterrupted recording
Focusing via Live View function
Does not require a laptop Control via the free, built-in StarAid app and via built-in WiFi or the included USB cable.
Multi-star guiding
High quality - increases image quality by up to 30% with faster and multi-star guiding
Zero in in 30 seconds - high accuracy of typically ~30" within about 2 minutes.
Eliminates tracking errors instantly and with ease. If guiding is interrupted, LED lights immediately indicate it
Automatic platesolving within 2 seconds
Powered via USB (compatible with USB power adapter, USB power bank or PC).
1¼ connector, optional C-mount adapter
Dust and fingerprint resistant housing
Works with all mounts that allow manual adjustment of polar altitude and azimuth (even mounts that only have a tracking axis).

StarAid Revolution Product Features

Revolutionary stand-alone autoguider
No configuration necessary
Autoguiding starts automatically as soon as the StarAid is connected to the power supply. Point the telescope at any point in the sky and StarAid will find multiple guiding stars. This works even under a full moon or under dark skies in the magnificent clouds of stars in the Milky Way
Does not require a laptop or other devices
Guiding continues automatically when interrupted by clouds or when you point the telescope at a new target
Precise and fast guiding for the best image quality
Precise:

Fast:
Detects 1 to 20 stars at a time and uses them for guiding
Advanced, proprietary algorithms for high-performance star detection and centering
Guiding accuracy is not affected by gear backlash
Up to 30% sharper photos through faster and multi-star guiding
automatic processing of meridian flips
less "image waste" as more images are usable
sends up to 5 correction signals per second (5Hz) to the mount to minimize drift effects and partially compensate for air turbulence
Calibration of the mount is completed in 4-30 seconds

Automatically optimized guiding parameters
StarAid automatically monitors air turbulence and mount responses
Uses artificial intelligence to determine optimal settings
Real-time feedback via LED status
LEDs indicate tracking status, warnings and errors
Different LED patterns for different actions
No need to connect laptop or smartphone
Use the StarAid app to adjust the brightness of the LEDs or turn them off completely


Tracking of comets
Create long exposure images of comets. StarAid provides a well-maintained catalog of interesting comets. Simply select a comet from Object Guiding and point your main telescope at the comet. StarAid will then track to that comet, allowing you to create long exposure, deep images of the comet without it wandering out of frame
Once Object Guiding is activated, laptop or smartphone are no longer needed

No laptop needed
Free, built-in StarAid app for additional functions
Although autoguiding with StarAid is completely automatic and requires no other equipment, there is the handy StarAid App to access additional functions:

Autoguiding status monitoring
Very simple AI-controlled zeroing of the mount
Automatic plate-solving ("sky detection")
LiveView for easier focusing of the StarAid.
Works with any device
Access and use the app via smartphone, computer or tablet
Works without internet
Connect your device via the built-in StarAid WiFi or the included USB cable

Precisely zero in in as little as 30 seconds using the app
Point your teescope at any point in the sky. You don't have to see the celestial pole from your location!
StarAid will now tell you how to align the mount.
Works in the northern hemisphere as well as in the southern hemisphere and at the equator
Also works on balconies or terraces where the view of the celestial pole is obstructed.
Choose between fast alignment or high precision: accuracy is typically 30″ in 2 minutes (Good enough for guiding), 10″ in 4 minutes (accurate), or 1″ in 12 minutes (precise).
Intuitive user guidance with real-time visual feedback during pole alignment.
Works with all mounts that allow manual adjustment of polar elevation and azimuth (even mounts that only have a tracking axis).
Zeroing is also possible without connection to the guiding port.
Automatic platesolving in only 2 seconds


StarAid's star field detection speeds with a 200mm guiding tube. The colors show the time needed in seconds. The dark blue unresolved fields lie along the plane of the Milky Way. In most cases even less than one second is needed.

Plate-Solving detects 96% of all sky regions within 2 seconds (under clear sky, without moonlight)
Start by tapping in the StarAid app
Does not require internet
Check coordinates in the app and enter them into your telescope's controller to use for GoTo
No large guiding telescope required
StarAid Revolution works best with small focal lengths between 100 and 150 mm. This makes for a very lightweight and stable setup. You can mount it in a 1.25" eyepiece clamp or via the optional C-mount adapter.

Camera control/Dithering
The StarAid Revolution also supports dithering - the telescope can be moved a few pixels during a shooting session to avoid structural artifacts of the camera. A 2.5mm cable for camera control is sold separately. Camera control, dithering and guiding is done directly through the app (i.e. no PC required).

Power supply via USB
The StarAid is powered via one of the two USB-C ports (one on the StarAid unit itself and one on the splitter). The USB-C port on the StarAid itself is used for data connections. It only requires 5V/0.5A, so you can power it with any USB power adapter or a USB powerbank, or via your computer's USB port.

Compared to the previous version, power is still supplied via the splitter, the only difference being that the splitter is now powered by USB (5.0V) via a USB-C socket instead of a DC socket (12V). On the StarAid device itself, the micro USB jack has also been replaced with a USB-C jack. The USB-C jack on the StarAid unit can power both the StarAid and the splitter. Unlike the USB-C jack on the splitter, the USB-C jack on the StarAid also allows communication and access to the StarAid web app.

All modern mounts are supported
Tested on various models
All mounts with an ST-4 compatible guiding port are supported.
Has been tested on the following mounts and mount types:
All mounts with Astro-Electronics FS-2 control.
Astro-Physics 1100
Astro-Physics1200
Astro-Physics Mach1
Astro-Physics models with GTOCP v2, v3 and v4
Celestron AVX (same control as CGEM, CGEM DX, CGEM II, CGX, CGX-L and others)
Losmandy GM-8 with original DDS
Meade FORK mount
SkyWatcher EQ5
SkyWatcher EQ6
Vixen Super Polaris with BoxDorfer MTS-3 Kit
Can be used with Losmandy DDS Control Box

ARTICLE NUMBER (#) 1485001
EAN CODE 0745178249300
DIAMETER (MM) 39 mm
SENSOR Sony IMX290LL monochrome STARVIS CMOS
INTERFACE Optical interface: 31.65 mm (1¼") outer diameter x 12 mm for guide tube eyepiece mount, 1¼" filter, C-mount lens / guidescope connection via C-mount adapter (sold separately), camera control via 2.5 mm adapter cable (sold separately)
READ NOISE (RMS) 0.72e-
TELESCOPIC CONNECTION ST-4 compatible connector
ENVIRONMENT TEMPERATURE Storage temperature (air): -20C - +60C | Operating Temperature (Air): -15C - +40C
ADAPTABLE TO All mounts with an ST-4 compatible guiding port are supported.
PEAK QE 75%
POWER INPUT Standard USB 5.0V, 0.5A or higher - common power supply or USB outlet
POWER CONSUMPTION 1.2W (active), 2.5W (peak)
SENSOR SIZE 1/2.8"
PIXEL SIZE 2.9µm
USB CONNECTION USB 2.0 via USB-C port
INCL. ACCESSORIES Supplied with: StarAid Revolution (Ø 39 x 39 mm); USB-A to USB-C cable (1m); guiding cable (RJ-12, 6P6C ribbon cable, 0.5m); splitter (36 x 22 x 20 mm); uplink cable (RJ45, CAT6 cable, flexible, Ø 3 mm x 2 m)
LENGTH (MM) 63 mm
WEIGHT (KG) 70 gram