Sky Watcher Star Adventurer 2i Pro Pack – Motorized DSLR Night Sky Tracker Equatorial Mount for Portable Nightscapes, Time-Lapse and Panoramas – Wi-Fi App Camera Control – Long Exposure (S20512)
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Free returns are available for the shipping address you chose. You can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition: no shipping charges
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Purchase options and add-ons
- Portable nightscape tracking platform: Motorized portable tracking platform perfect for capturing incredible detail of the Milky Way, eclipses and other astronomical objects.
- Wide-field astrophotography: The unique, modular design allows for integration with existing photographic tripods. Wide-field astrophotography as well as time-lapse video and telescopic use are all possible with the Star Adventurer 2i.
- New features: The new, upgraded Star Adventurer 2i includes Wi-Fi, allowing for smartphone control using Sky-Watcher’s free SAM Console app.
- Equarorial base: Deluxe Equatorial base helps position the Star Adventurer 2i at the perfect angle for polar alignment.
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This Item Sky Watcher Star Adventurer 2i Pro Pack – Motorized DSLR Night Sky Tracker Equatorial Mount for Portable Nightscapes, Time-Lapse and Panoramas – Wi-Fi App Camera Control – Long Exposure (S20512) | Recommendations | dummy | dummy | |
Try again! Added to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart | |
Price | -24% $397.75$397.75 List: $520.00 | $475.00$475.00 | $22.49$22.49 | -6% $15.00$15.00 List: $16.00 |
Delivery | — | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 24 | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 24 | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 24 |
Customer Ratings | ||||
Value for money | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.3 |
Accuracy | 4.0 | 3.7 | — | 5.0 |
Easy to use | 3.6 | 4.3 | — | 3.8 |
Light weight | 4.1 | 4.7 | — | — |
Sturdiness | 4.0 | — | — | 5.0 |
Sold By | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | RUIHOTOR | Amazon.com |
From the manufacturer
Star Adventurer 2i Pro Pack. Nightscapes Made Easy.
Highlights and Features of the Star Adventurer Tracking Mount
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Durable All-Metal GearsDurable, accurate and reliable brass and aluminum gearing allows for greater accuracy and longer exposures. Boasting a 144-tooth wheel gear and a 13mm diameter worm gear, the Star Adventurer has a payload capacity of 11 pounds, strong enough for a full-size DSLR or a small telescope. |
Built-In Polar Alignment Scope with IlluminatorEven for users with no polar alignment experience, the Star Adventurer is easy to setup using the included illuminated polar finderscope. Once aligned, users can attach their camera and activate sidereal tracking to start photographing the Milky Way and other deep sky objects. |
Mulitple Pre-Programmed Speeds for Tracking and Time-Lapse PhotographyMultiple preprogramed speeds, including sidereal, solar, lunar, as well as four additional speeds for time-lapse photography and nightscapes, including 0.5x, 2x, 4x and 12x. |
Time-Lapse, Snap Port, Auto Guider Port, DC Power InputWith several exposure presets, the Star Adventurer triggers the DSLR using the auxiliary shutter release cable. For photographers seeking perfectly round stars, the mount also comes equipped with a standard ST-4 port, allowing users to connect an autoguider for additional tracking accuracy. |
The Importance of Polar Alignment in Nightscape Photography
For the best results, the Star Adventurer 2i must be polar aligned before you start shooting. To do so, set your corresponding latitude on the base, identify Polaris and align it in the included polar scope. Once aligned, the Star Adventurer's tracking will counter the Earth's rotation accurately.
Why Use a Star Tracker?
Star trackers correct for the Earth's rotation, allowing you to shoot longer exposures and capture greater detail without star trails.
Without a tracker, DSLRs can only capture 15 second exposures before the Earth's rotation make stars appear blurry. But by integrating the Star Adventurer into any standard photo tripod, you can increase exposure times from 15 seconds to several minutes, allowing users to capture greater detail in the Milky Way with less grain or noise in their images, due to a lower ISO.
- Shoot longer exposures, from 15 seconds to several minutes!
- Capture greater detail in the Milky Way, as well as other celestial objects
- Lower ISO = Less Grain!
Star Adventurer 2i Pro Pack | Star Adventurer 2i Astro Pack | Star Adventurer 2i Photo Pack | Star Adventurer Mini (SAM) Pro Pack | Star Adventurer Mini (SAM) | |
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Customer Reviews |
4.5 out of 5 stars
803
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4.5 out of 5 stars
803
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4.5 out of 5 stars
803
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3.9 out of 5 stars
108
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3.9 out of 5 stars
108
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Comes with | Mount, Equatorial base, Declination bracket, Counterweight kit, Ball head adapter, Polar scope illuminator | Mount, Declination bracket, Polar scope illuminator | Mount, Ball head adapter, Polar scope illuminator | Mount, Equatorial base, Declination bracket, Ball head adapter, Polar scope illuminator | Mount, Ball head adapter, Polar scope illuminator |
WiFi enabled | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Weight | 7.85 pounds | 3.63 pounds | 2.69 pounds | 3.94 pounds | 1.5 pounds |
Payload capacity | 11 pounds | 11 pounds | 11 pounds | 6.6 pounds | 6.6 pounds |
Tracking rates | Sidereal, 1/2 sidereal, solar, lunar, time-lapse, 12x/6x/2x | Sidereal, 1/2 sidereal, solar, lunar, time-lapse, 12x/6x/2x | Sidereal, 1/2 sidereal, solar, lunar, time-lapse, 12x/6x/2x | Sidereal, 1/2 sidereal, solar, lunar, time-lapse, 12x/6x/2x, custom | Sidereal, 1/2 sidereal, solar, lunar, time-lapse, 12x/6x/2x, custom |
Power requirements | External mini-USB power support or 4 AA batteries | External mini-USB power support or 4 AA batteries | External mini-USB power support or 4 AA batteries | External mini-USB power support or 4 AA batteries | External mini-USB power support or 4 AA batteries |
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Nightscapes Made EasyCapture longer exposures of the Milky Way and take your nightscape images to the next level! Works with nearly any photographic tripod, and compact enough to fit in a camera bag. Align in minutes and start shooting exposures ranging from 30 seconds to several minutes. |
Perfect for EclipsesTraveling to view eclipses in 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024, or 2026? The Star Adventurer 2i makes for the perfect travel companion! With it's compact size and accurate solar tracking, you'll be ready to capture this once in a lifetime phenomenon. |
Versatile Time-lapse ModesProduce stunning time-lapse videos of both terrestrial and celestial objects using one of the Star Adventurer 2i's four distinct time-lapse modes! Choose from 0.5x, 2x, 4x and 12x speeds, and utilize complete camera automation using the included SNAP port. |
Videos
Videos for this product
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mount testing with counterweight at 12x speed
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What's in the box
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Product information
Product Dimensions | 13.9 x 9.6 x 6.3 inches |
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Item Weight | 7 pounds |
ASIN | B07NY44782 |
Item model number | S20512 |
Batteries | 1 AA batteries required. |
Customer Reviews |
4.5 out of 5 stars |
Best Sellers Rank | #11 in Professional Video Stabilizers |
Date First Available | January 15, 2019 |
Manufacturer | Sky-Watcher |
Country of Origin | China |
Warranty & Support
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Product guides and documents
Product Description
Whether you’re looking for a tracking platform to capture wide-field images of the Milky way, or seeking a compact travel mount, the Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer is a necessity for photographers of every skill level. This high-precision, portable celestial tracking platform can transform almost any tripod into an equatorial mount, assisting photographers with long exposures of the night sky. It's small size and light weight (only 2.4 pounds) make it ultimate portable, while it’s beefy all-metal gears give it a hefty 11 pound payload capacity. The Star Adventurer breaks from the mold of traditional equatorial mounts with an abundance of add-on accessories to complement wide-field astrophotography, nightscape images, eclipses, panoramas or time-lapse photography. By using the optional latitude (EQ) base, The Star Adventurer is transformed into an easy-to-align astronomy mount, perfect for photographing long exposures of the Milky way or other astronomical objects. When paired with the Dec bracket and counterweight, the tracking platform is transformed into a powerful equatorial mount Ideal for small telescopes.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the value, portability, and performance of the mount. They mention that it's affordable, and a great portable mount. Customers are also happy with alignment, and perform. However, some customers have reported issues with polar alignment, saying that the polar scope was out of alignment. Customers disagree on appearance, ease of setup, and the sturdiness of the product.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers like the performance of the mount. For example, they mention it works well for general night sky photography, and the alignment is much more forgiving. Some say that the phone app works very well, and that the time lapse functions work well. That said, most are happy with the mount and find it to be a good useful tool.
"...It also performs well for general night sky photography and the alignment is much more forgiving...." Read more
"...Overall, I am mostly pleased with the design and very happy with the performance. So far I’ve only used the basic settings...." Read more
"...The phone app works very well too. Five stars for quality, design and useability out of the box !..." Read more
"Seems to be working fine ....yet to have clear skies tho so actual field test not done yet...." Read more
Customers like the alignment of the product. They mention that the tracking accuracy was phenomenal, it's a nice tracker, and it tracks the stars well. The finder reticle alignment was spot on as received, and the counter-weight that makes it easy to line up with Polaris and balance the camera.
"The sky watcher star adventurer pro is a good mid level star tracker. The device is well built and tracks well when properly aligned...." Read more
"...I’m using a Canon 800d with a Rokinon 135mm. Polar alignment was very easy and my first time trying it out I was easily able to get 2” exposures..." Read more
"...It also makes it easier to align to Polaris because there is a slot in the L bracket that allows you to place the LED device which illuminates your..." Read more
"...All I ever got was star trails. Set up during the day. Tracker does not move in any mode. Send back and try from another seller...." Read more
Customers like the portability of the mount. They say it's the best professional lightweight mount, and it' s easy to carry on trips. They also appreciate the small size and accurate polar alignment. The mount is ideal for small scopes and cameras, and is reasonable even when packing it in.
"...The kit is rather light, so it is easy to travel with. One of the drawbacks of this setup is the lighting of the polar scope...." Read more
"...8 inch (200m) computerized SCT scope but this one is so much easier to carry on trips ! Once properly polar-aligned it tracks extremely well...." Read more
"It’s pretty good for amateur astrophotography, it’s very light weight and is a good price compared to other star trackers." Read more
"...-It's rather easy and intuitive to set up-Its small size makes it the perfect travel mountCONS..." Read more
Customers are satisfied with the value of the mount. They mention that it is affordable and produces great images.
"This device is well worth the money. I will say it's not completely for the faint of heart. There is some configuration required...." Read more
"...good for amateur astrophotography, it’s very light weight and is a good price compared to other star trackers." Read more
"...PROS-This mount is quite cheap for the photos you can make with it-It's rather easy and intuitive to set up..." Read more
"...It works, it's simple, it's cheap and it's great. Overall I love it." Read more
Customers are mixed about the sturdiness of the camera. Some mention that it is built like a tank, while others say that the battery cover is a little flimsy and the on/off mode switch is too easy to toggle. The switch bolt itself is built with cheap plastic, and the craftsmanship is cheap for them. The red light plastic mount is floppy.
"...The device is well built and tracks well when properly aligned...." Read more
"...There are few things that need to be improved. The battery cover is a little flimsy and the on/off mode switch is too easy to toggle while being..." Read more
"...Adventurer Pro 2i .Haven't even fired it up and I'm very impressed with the build quality and apparent ease of use...." Read more
"...Quality of the ubit is pretty good, but I will say the battery cover is rediculous...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the ease of setup of the camera other accessories. Some mention that it is well built and easy to set-up and use, while others say that there is a learning curve to the set up, but once mastered, it is easy. Some customers also mention that the supplied manual is fairly useless.
"Very easy to use and well-made. There are few things that need to be improved...." Read more
"...The app that works with the device is somewhat lacking and basic. Hopefully it is updated soon...." Read more
"...Five stars for quality, design and useability out of the box !..." Read more
"...I'm very satisfied with the results obtained and the ease of setup...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the appearance of the camera. Some mention that they are pleased with the design and very happy with the performance, while others say that the battery cover needs a better design, the side controls need an outer cover for protection, and that it starts looking ugly after a little use.
"...Overall, I am mostly pleased with the design and very happy with the performance. So far I’ve only used the basic settings...." Read more
"...After a little use, this thing starts looking ugly. Finally, a bunch of the plastic components, like the battery cover, just don't fit well...." Read more
"...The second night I got a milky way picture that was absolutely stunning...." Read more
"I love almost everything about it...except the cheesy POS battery cover and lens cap. The reticle illuminator is also a piece of crap...." Read more
Customers have negative opinions about the polar alignment of the camera other accessories. They mention that it is a big pain, the flimsy contraption provided does not work, and the optics were out of alignment. There is a steep learning curve to do polar align, and it can be prone to misalignment. The method will work, but it can prone misaligned. Overall, customers are not satisfied with the planetary alignment of this product.
"...The easy method will work, but it can be prone to misalignment...." Read more
"...There is a steep learning curve to do polar alignment...." Read more
"...I give it 4 stars and not 5 because I've had trouble with maintaining polar alignment and periodic errors, which causes me to throw out about half..." Read more
"...5 stars from a functional perspective, but loses one for the somewhat sorry polar scope, and another for coming in clown paint without my consent." Read more
Reviews with images
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Regarding the tripod, you do want one that is very stable. I read that many times but until I set it up I didn't truly realize what it meant. It's not really about wind per say. It's more about how much play your tripod has. Meaning if you were to put downward pressure on the tripod, would it flex? Millimeter adjustments matter with this thing. It is extremely delicate. Even when turning the device on you can accidentally tweak your Polaris alignment. I do not think any photography tripod will truly qualify. Now I must admit, I do not have a very stable tripod, but I was extremely careful. I mounted the legs at a steep angle so downward pressure due to weight did not give vertical play. I did also purchase a leveling mount to place between tripod and sky watcher gear. You need to have the kit level to the ground. I think this is very important. Trying to level your tripod using the legs would be a nightmare.
I bought the Astro package even though I use a dslr. I made the right choice because I can mount my existing tripods ball head onto the L bracket no problem. It also makes it easier to align to Polaris because there is a slot in the L bracket that allows you to place the LED device which illuminates your Polaris scope. Then you do not have to add your camera after the alignment, which would surely tweak your setup and give you bad results. So I would say, only buy the Astro package.
Before you align to Polaris, you want to roughly level your gear, and roughly point towards Polaris. Then mount your camera to the L bracket using the ballhead and point it to your desired destination and tighten the clutch. You can point the camera in any direction you wish. It doesn't need to face polaris. It can point anywhere and this device will work. If this is your first run I'd highly recommend a wide angle lens. That way, even if your alignment is not perfect you will still get acceptable results. Next change your iso, aperture, focus, wb, and shutter to like 30 secs and snap a shot using a timer then check the rough results. If you are happy, attach your shutter control cable from your SA to your camera (you need to buy this), take camera off the timer, set your camera to bulb mode, proceed to leveling your tripod perfectly, then do the Polaris alignment. There are 2 ways to align Polaris. Easy way and hard way. Using the easy way I got stellar results :) it requires an app. I used the Android app Polar finder and set the recticle to the star adventurer setting to mimic the layout. It tells you where Polaris should be located in your scope. But to locate Polaris use Google sky map. When aligning it helps to have a green laser pointer and point to Polaris then look through the scope and verify. You will see the laser in your scope. Also make sure the cross hairs are pointed straight 90 degrees, not at an angle. Once aligned perfectly with a leveled rig make sure to your hemisphere N or S is set then turn the dial to the star. The tracker will then control your shutter at a default 140 seconds.
The first night I forgot to focus correctly. The second night I got a milky way picture that was absolutely stunning. The attached picture was taken with a Canon t5i, with Sigma 10-20mm @ 10mm, 800iso and F3.5 @140 second exposure. 20 separate of these images were stacked to eliminate noise.
Regarding the tripod, you do want one that is very stable. I read that many times but until I set it up I didn't truly realize what it meant. It's not really about wind per say. It's more about how much play your tripod has. Meaning if you were to put downward pressure on the tripod, would it flex? Millimeter adjustments matter with this thing. It is extremely delicate. Even when turning the device on you can accidentally tweak your Polaris alignment. I do not think any photography tripod will truly qualify. Now I must admit, I do not have a very stable tripod, but I was extremely careful. I mounted the legs at a steep angle so downward pressure due to weight did not give vertical play. I did also purchase a leveling mount to place between tripod and sky watcher gear. You need to have the kit level to the ground. I think this is very important. Trying to level your tripod using the legs would be a nightmare.
I bought the Astro package even though I use a dslr. I made the right choice because I can mount my existing tripods ball head onto the L bracket no problem. It also makes it easier to align to Polaris because there is a slot in the L bracket that allows you to place the LED device which illuminates your Polaris scope. Then you do not have to add your camera after the alignment, which would surely tweak your setup and give you bad results. So I would say, only buy the Astro package.
Before you align to Polaris, you want to roughly level your gear, and roughly point towards Polaris. Then mount your camera to the L bracket using the ballhead and point it to your desired destination and tighten the clutch. You can point the camera in any direction you wish. It doesn't need to face polaris. It can point anywhere and this device will work. If this is your first run I'd highly recommend a wide angle lens. That way, even if your alignment is not perfect you will still get acceptable results. Next change your iso, aperture, focus, wb, and shutter to like 30 secs and snap a shot using a timer then check the rough results. If you are happy, attach your shutter control cable from your SA to your camera (you need to buy this), take camera off the timer, set your camera to bulb mode, proceed to leveling your tripod perfectly, then do the Polaris alignment. There are 2 ways to align Polaris. Easy way and hard way. Using the easy way I got stellar results :) it requires an app. I used the Android app Polar finder and set the recticle to the star adventurer setting to mimic the layout. It tells you where Polaris should be located in your scope. But to locate Polaris use Google sky map. When aligning it helps to have a green laser pointer and point to Polaris then look through the scope and verify. You will see the laser in your scope. Also make sure the cross hairs are pointed straight 90 degrees, not at an angle. Once aligned perfectly with a leveled rig make sure to your hemisphere N or S is set then turn the dial to the star. The tracker will then control your shutter at a default 140 seconds.
The first night I forgot to focus correctly. The second night I got a milky way picture that was absolutely stunning. The attached picture was taken with a Canon t5i, with Sigma 10-20mm @ 10mm, 800iso and F3.5 @140 second exposure. 20 separate of these images were stacked to eliminate noise.
A couple of more specific comments : (1) carry four replacement AA rechargeable batteries for extended fun, or a usb cable (2) the red light plastic mount is a bit flimsy, I downloaded and printed a 3d file from thingiverse (3) A sturdy tripod is a must, (4) I prefer for my camera the more solid mount with the counterweight, this leaves the hole for the polar alignment unobstructed, that way you can always check later that all is still well, (5) you will definitely need a shutter release cable for your camera, mine is a short Vello cable from BH Photo; it will work with some normal remote shutter releases as well, so you can just use one cable.
EDIT : After three evenings of observing and picture taking, the drive motor started to behave erratically. On power on ("star" mode) it would accelerate unpredictably, and then quit with the light blinking. A few fixes were suggested:
* new fresh aa batteries, did nothing
* factory reset, it did nothing.
* back out that m3 set screw on the bottom, did nothing. It acts as some sort of gear tensioner. It had no loctite on it and was quite loose, so who knows where it's supposed to be ? All the way in minus a quarter turn?
*updated the firmware to version 314, I don't think that did anything either. Plus it's unclear what version was in there before.
As a last resort, I decided to open the case for some inspection. There's four M3 black screws that hold the metal lid. Once opened, there was nothing obvious to note, the gears looked clean, some clear grease, all the wiring seemed connected and in place. Surprisingly the unit would start running full speed when it was tilted around 45 degrees, then stopped when I rotated it back (flat on its back). Is there some sort of gravity sensor ?
I decided to blow some compressed air (the aircan one) into the case, and that seemed to have stopped the erratic motion. Magic ? Maybe some dust or metal chips somewhere ?
In the evening I took it out again, and it worked perfectly for three hours. Go figure.
Any comments ?
EDIT : On the second trip to the desert that tiny stainless steel threaded ring that hold in place the SNAP connector to the camera flew off never to be see again (see picture). I guess it had not been threaded in properly at the factory. So then the built in (app-based) intervalometer does not work any more. As a result I could not take pictures since I did not carry an extra cable intervalometer...
Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2022
A couple of more specific comments : (1) carry four replacement AA rechargeable batteries for extended fun, or a usb cable (2) the red light plastic mount is a bit flimsy, I downloaded and printed a 3d file from thingiverse (3) A sturdy tripod is a must, (4) I prefer for my camera the more solid mount with the counterweight, this leaves the hole for the polar alignment unobstructed, that way you can always check later that all is still well, (5) you will definitely need a shutter release cable for your camera, mine is a short Vello cable from BH Photo; it will work with some normal remote shutter releases as well, so you can just use one cable.
EDIT : After three evenings of observing and picture taking, the drive motor started to behave erratically. On power on ("star" mode) it would accelerate unpredictably, and then quit with the light blinking. A few fixes were suggested:
* new fresh aa batteries, did nothing
* factory reset, it did nothing.
* back out that m3 set screw on the bottom, did nothing. It acts as some sort of gear tensioner. It had no loctite on it and was quite loose, so who knows where it's supposed to be ? All the way in minus a quarter turn?
*updated the firmware to version 314, I don't think that did anything either. Plus it's unclear what version was in there before.
As a last resort, I decided to open the case for some inspection. There's four M3 black screws that hold the metal lid. Once opened, there was nothing obvious to note, the gears looked clean, some clear grease, all the wiring seemed connected and in place. Surprisingly the unit would start running full speed when it was tilted around 45 degrees, then stopped when I rotated it back (flat on its back). Is there some sort of gravity sensor ?
I decided to blow some compressed air (the aircan one) into the case, and that seemed to have stopped the erratic motion. Magic ? Maybe some dust or metal chips somewhere ?
In the evening I took it out again, and it worked perfectly for three hours. Go figure.
Any comments ?
EDIT : On the second trip to the desert that tiny stainless steel threaded ring that hold in place the SNAP connector to the camera flew off never to be see again (see picture). I guess it had not been threaded in properly at the factory. So then the built in (app-based) intervalometer does not work any more. As a result I could not take pictures since I did not carry an extra cable intervalometer...
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