A heliostat is a device that tracks moving objects in the sky. This way you are able to extract the maximum amount of sunlight, take a series of photos of a moving planet or track a satellite for the best radio or TV reception with a dish. In this article we describe a simple heliostat that uses two servo motors. The servos are controlled via a PC program. This project shows an example for a heliostat, built using two servo motors. The position of the sun with respect to time and the location on Earth is calculated using a mathematical model. The result is used to drive the servos and make them point in the direction of the sun.
Elektor Magazine has been one of the leading sources of information on electronics for engineers, designers, start-ups and companies for 65 years. Our magazine is powered by an active community of electronics engineers – from students to professionals – who are passionate about designing and sharing innovative ideas.
For them, we publish hundreds of items a year, in formats such as articles, videos, webinars, and other learning formats. Our mission is to share knowledge in every possible way and inspire readers with the latest developments within the electrical engineering sector.
Thank you for your vote!
Leave further comments in the fields below.
Thank you for your vote!
If you wish to leave a comment with your rating, please first use the login below. If not, just close this window.
Discussion (1 comment)