A fast, simple and reliable system for keeping your scope pointed at the Sun.
...the SolarQuest mount does its job superbly and is really easy to use. BBC Sky at Night Magazine, August 2018 Read full review
About this product
Model: sw_solarquest_mnt_head
Part Number: 20322
Sky-Watcher SolarQuest Solar tracking mount.
Remarkably easy to use!
Level the tripod (near enough is good enough) and point your solar telescope anywhere to the left of the sun. Sky-Watcher's HelioFind Solar Alignment Technology will do the rest!
Built-in GPS automatically enters the date, time and location and then calculates the altitude and azimuth of the sun. The mount then points the telescope to the correct altitude and slews clockwise, hunting for the sun. When the Solar Sensor (photodiodes) detect the sun, the mount locks onto it and then silently tracks it, keeping it within the eyepiece's field of view.
It can be used by educational establishments, beginners and experienced observers alike.
Lightweight, portable and quiet in operation.
Payload capacity up to 4kg.
Accepts telescopes with standard 45mm (Vixen-type) Dovetail Bars.
The saddle can be removed, offset 90 degrees, and then refitted, making it suitable for use with Skywatcher's L-Bracket (available separately).
IMPORTANT: The SolarQuest mount is designed for use with solar telescopes only. Do not point any other type of optical device at the Sun. Looking directly at the Sun without verified-safe, professionally made solar filtering will cause immediate and irreversible damage to your eye (blindness!), damage to the telescope, and will be a fire risk.
FEATURES
- HelioFind™ Solar Alignment Technology: Solar Sensor with 4 x Photodiodes & built-in GPS data fixing to obtain time & location to calculate the sun's azimuth and altitude
- Telescope Auto-levelling feature with the help of the built-in tilt sensor (3x axis accelerometer in the sensor block).
- Auto drift correction through feedback from Solar Sensor
- Auto Pointing Offset Correcting Feature
- 8-Way Sliding Switch for Centring Sun in Field of View
- Tracking Rates: Alignment-Free Solar Tracking
- Pointing Accuracy: Up to 3 arc-minute (after customer calibration)
- Resolution: 2073600 Counts/Rev., 0.625 arc-second
- Slewing Speeds: 16x & 1200x
- Tracking Mode: Dual Axis Tracking
- Motor: DC Servo Motor, Gear Ratio 6480
- Payload Capacity: 4kg
- 45mm Sky-Watcher/Vixen-type dovetail saddle
- 3/8" Screw Fittings (tripod/mount)
- Adjustable Aluminium Tripod with Accessory Tray
- Bubble Level
- Height of optional Tripod/Mount: 80.5cm - 152cm
- Mount Head Weight: 1.3kg
- Total Weight with optional Tripod: 4.05kg
- Low Power Consumption
- Power Requirement: 8 AA-size batteries (not supplied) or External Power Supply DC 12V, Centre Positive (via adaptor panel).
Product Videos
IMPORTANT: The videos below show the SolarQuest mount being used with a Sky-Watcher 70mm dedicated white light solar telescope. Never view the Sun without a suitable Solar Filter! Solar observing is dangerous and can be hazardous to eyesight.
Customer reviews
Average Rating (19 Reviews): | |
05 November 2024 | John
The usual prompt delivery. Thank you. FLO are the masters of instant gratification.
Looks good. Please arrange a break in the clouds so I can test it.
10 May 2024 | Timothy
Prompt delivery. Not had chance to test it yet.
Excellent light mount for my solar scopes 27 July 2023 | Franco
First class service, as always, from FLO. Product arrived in perfect condition, quickly, by DHL. The mount is easy to assemble and tracks the sun well. Great addition to my equipment. Thank you.
11 April 2023 | Michael
I have had a few days now to test this mount and I to say it is a game changer for me. The battery life is just excellent, I have used it for about 24 hours altogether and the batteries are still going. The mount is light weight and does exactly as it says on the tin. I am observing and imaging the Sun within 60 seconds of setting up. This mount is now my primary mount for using my PST and 80mm Refractor with my Herschel wedge or CaK module. No more need to polar align just turn on and the mount does the rest. Imaging with this mount i have done 12 pane full disc mosaics, solar animations of flares and the best thing off all if correctly set up level etc the area of interest never drifted off my DMK21 chip of 640x480 pixels for a full 5 hours of imaging with larger chips in my ZWO ASI174MM imaging is just a breeze. I can also now take the whole thing to a local park in the winter months when i lose the Sun from home for all round imaging and observing. This mount is a must if like me you are an avid solar observer and imager. Top marks also go to Firstlight Optics too for excellent customer service. The mount arrived i day after my order. When my mount was delivered i e-mailed Firstlight optics a question about the mount and had a reply within 30 minutes from them.....how many dealers do that? sometimes you are waiting days if you get one at all from some other dealers. Just excellent all round, the customer service and the mount. This mount is now my primary solar goto mount and i am delighted with this purchase. and Firstlight optics will be my first stop for all my future astronomy kit.
21 February 2022 | Jeffrey
So simple to set up! After centering tracks perfectly. FLO set the standard for customer service
21 January 2022 | Leigh
I received the SW Solar Quest on the Tuesday, and the clouds came with it! There was an hours break on the Thursday and there wasn't time to think. The Quest, the mount (got it with the mount - light and sturdy) my solarscope, plus battery were loaded into the car and I drove to a clearer area.
Quickly set up in minutes and plugged into my battery (comes with 12v dc socket and AA battery options). Powered up and after a small tweak to centre the sun, was imaging soon after.
So easy and very accurate! The sun was low, so seeing wasn't perfect, but as the tracking was spot-on, my image was pretty good! IMO .. 😉.
Superb addition to my kit.
30 December 2021 | Everett
This is the perfect mount for a lightweight, portable, solar setup. It takes all the work out of finding the sun and without the need for a traditional "solar finder" mounted on your scope. My primary purpose for buying is for traveling to image solar eclipses but it would be great for any solar imaging rig as long as it wasn't too heavy. Skywatcher says 11lbs max but I plan to be in the 7-8 range to be safe.
03 July 2021 | David
The other reports, and Skywatcher instructions about 'put on floor, point and use' are all valid.
You place the mount, power up then while assembling and generally sorting the scope, the mount gets its act together.
I have often left the mount running all day tracking the sun, returning to the scope at intervals. Hands and brain are fully free to handle the scope.
I am using a Lunt LS60, sometimes double stack, sometimes visual ,sometimes a camera.
This heavy assembly is handled by the mount, provided it is kept well balanced.
It is though important to check new configurations for balance on another mount that has clutches.
Any low cost (tatty and wobbly) mount with a dovetail fixing is good enough. You are only looking to identify the pivot point.
I have marks on the dovetail for the different configurations so the 'other mount' balance is a once only excersize.
Small balance changes for eyepieces and the like don't matter.
Power consumption is low. So AA cells won't break the bank, and will avoid a trailing cable.
I did run (for while) from an external 12V supply. The supplied DC lead is (like most supplied for scopes) the usual 'desined soon for landfill' quality.
22 June 2021 | Hans
I ordered my SolarQuest from FLO on Monday. It arrived in Norway the following Friday. This was seriously impressive, I think (is it DHL I should praise?). Prior to purchase, FLO responded promptly to my queries, so doing business with them was a breeze. A strong contender for my next purchase.
Excellent tracker and superb service 09 April 2021 | Michael
This tracking mount was ordered one day and delivered two days later - superb service! The mount was straightforward to fit on the tripod with an extension (advisable to avoid bending one's back too often). Of course I did not initially follow the instructions carefully enough and lined up the sun manually but the tracker immediately locked on to the sun and held it centrally in my Solarscope for the duration of the session. It also tracked silently. If you follow the instructions and just point it east of the sun it will automatically find the sun and lock on. Makes life much easier instead of having continually to realign the scope. Buy one! And buy it from First Light Optics for superb service. Also, when I had a query about my my camera (nothing to do with the purchase) I had a reply first thing the next working day. You can't beat this. Thank you FLO.
Read all 19 customer reviews...
FAQ
Please fill in the form below to ask a question.
Q1. Can this be used with an L-Bracket?
Yes - the dovetail saddle can be removed, offset 90 degrees and refitted to enable use with an L-Bracket.
Q2. Can I use an L-Bracket with the SolarQuest mount?
Yes but you need to rotate the saddle 90º. To do this, first remove the white cover circle from the side of the saddle to reveal 4x screws.
Remove the screws and rotate the saddle 90º.
Replace the screws.
You will likely find that the cover plate is no longer usable - it's almost impossible to remove it cleanly. Either do you best to re-attach it or leave it off - it is only there for aesthetics and won't affect the functionality of your mount.
Q3. Can I use a different power supply rather than the AA batteries?
Yes - the mount is supplied with a battery cover plate which goes in place instead of the battery holder and allows you to use a 12v DC center positive power supply. We recommend a Lynx Astro 12v DC mains power supply or a Celestron Lithium Powertank.