New Skywatcher Solarquest mount
New Skywatcher Solarquest mount
Has anyone tried the new Skywatcher Solarquest mount, which claims to find and track the sun automatically? If it works as advertised its inbuilt solar auto-guiding/tracking could make it a useful mount for lightweight solar setups (stated load capacity of 4kgs).
Link here to APM telescope's webpage for the product (Skywatcher USA don't seem to have it listed but Skywatcher Europe, Canada, and Australia do).
https://www.apm-telescopes.de/en/mounts ... nt--tripod
Cheers,
Chris Morriss
Link here to APM telescope's webpage for the product (Skywatcher USA don't seem to have it listed but Skywatcher Europe, Canada, and Australia do).
https://www.apm-telescopes.de/en/mounts ... nt--tripod
Cheers,
Chris Morriss
Location: Bay of Plenty, New Zealand.
Solar Ha setup: Daystar Ha Quark, Coronado SMII 60 DS BF15, McDougall Solar AutoGuider. Skywatcher ST80, WO ZS66 SD, and Nova 102mm f/6.5 achromat refractors.
Other scopes: Celestron C8 and C11 on AVX, 8SE, and CG-5 mounts.
Cameras: Celestron Neximage Burst Mono, ZWO AS120MC, ASI174MM, ASI290MC, Canon 60D, Celestron Nightscape CCD, Astro-Video MkIV.
Solar Ha setup: Daystar Ha Quark, Coronado SMII 60 DS BF15, McDougall Solar AutoGuider. Skywatcher ST80, WO ZS66 SD, and Nova 102mm f/6.5 achromat refractors.
Other scopes: Celestron C8 and C11 on AVX, 8SE, and CG-5 mounts.
Cameras: Celestron Neximage Burst Mono, ZWO AS120MC, ASI174MM, ASI290MC, Canon 60D, Celestron Nightscape CCD, Astro-Video MkIV.
- pedro
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Re: New Skywatcher Solarquest mount
It seems interesting for outreach.
more info at:
http://ca.skywatcher.com/product/product/solarquest/
more info at:
http://ca.skywatcher.com/product/product/solarquest/
- ffellah
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Re: New Skywatcher Solarquest mount
Interesting that someone thought about it...
Franco
Franco
Re: New Skywatcher Solarquest mount
Agena Astro have asked Skywatcher USA if they will be selling it, and told me the answer was, no they won't.
Chris M
Chris M
Location: Bay of Plenty, New Zealand.
Solar Ha setup: Daystar Ha Quark, Coronado SMII 60 DS BF15, McDougall Solar AutoGuider. Skywatcher ST80, WO ZS66 SD, and Nova 102mm f/6.5 achromat refractors.
Other scopes: Celestron C8 and C11 on AVX, 8SE, and CG-5 mounts.
Cameras: Celestron Neximage Burst Mono, ZWO AS120MC, ASI174MM, ASI290MC, Canon 60D, Celestron Nightscape CCD, Astro-Video MkIV.
Solar Ha setup: Daystar Ha Quark, Coronado SMII 60 DS BF15, McDougall Solar AutoGuider. Skywatcher ST80, WO ZS66 SD, and Nova 102mm f/6.5 achromat refractors.
Other scopes: Celestron C8 and C11 on AVX, 8SE, and CG-5 mounts.
Cameras: Celestron Neximage Burst Mono, ZWO AS120MC, ASI174MM, ASI290MC, Canon 60D, Celestron Nightscape CCD, Astro-Video MkIV.
- marktownley
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Re: New Skywatcher Solarquest mount
I wonder if it will stop tracking when the sun goes behind a cloud?

http://brierleyhillsolar.blogspot.co.uk/
Solar images, a collection of all the most up to date live solar data on the web, imaging & processing tutorials - please take a look!
- pedro
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Re: New Skywatcher Solarquest mount
I ordered one and I guess I will have it this week. I will keep you guys posted.
For 300 euros it is difficult to ask for more
For 300 euros it is difficult to ask for more
- marktownley
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Re: New Skywatcher Solarquest mount
That was my thought too Pedro, I quite fancy the idea of something for quick grab and go full disks that I can just carry the scope and mount out in one go (in between the clouds!) - be interesting how you get on Pedro. You don't have clouds where you are very often so give it a try covering the sensor with your hand and see if it stops tracking for me.
The only other thing that concerns me is payload, not sure it would take my 60mm scope with DS 50mm etalons on...
The only other thing that concerns me is payload, not sure it would take my 60mm scope with DS 50mm etalons on...

http://brierleyhillsolar.blogspot.co.uk/
Solar images, a collection of all the most up to date live solar data on the web, imaging & processing tutorials - please take a look!
Re: New Skywatcher Solarquest mount
The answer is in the manual:
2.3 Envioremental Influence
1. Clouds, especially thick or low clouds might reduce the accuracy of auto-pointing. They might also lead to visible drift of the Sun in the eyepiece while the SolarQuest is tracking the Sun.
2. Strong reflected light, which happens to appear within the SolarQuest’s searching path, can terminate the auto-pointing routine unexpectedly.
2.3 Envioremental Influence
1. Clouds, especially thick or low clouds might reduce the accuracy of auto-pointing. They might also lead to visible drift of the Sun in the eyepiece while the SolarQuest is tracking the Sun.
2. Strong reflected light, which happens to appear within the SolarQuest’s searching path, can terminate the auto-pointing routine unexpectedly.
- marktownley
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Re: New Skywatcher Solarquest mount
Thanks Bart, I thought that might be the case.

http://brierleyhillsolar.blogspot.co.uk/
Solar images, a collection of all the most up to date live solar data on the web, imaging & processing tutorials - please take a look!
- pedro
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Re: New Skywatcher Solarquest mount
The payload is 4Kg, I guess it will hold your 60mm scope Mark
http://www.opticalvision.co.uk/spotting ... mount.html
http://www.opticalvision.co.uk/spotting ... mount.html
- pedro
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Re: New Skywatcher Solarquest mount
My solarquest mount arrived today. Unfortunately I will not be able to use it during the next weekend
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- pedro
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Re: New Skywatcher Solarquest mount
Ré, P. (2018). Sky-Watcher SolarQuest Mount. PDF
http://www.astrosurf.com/re/solarquest_ ... 181008.pdf
http://www.astrosurf.com/re/solarquest_ ... 181008.pdf
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