Solar mirror tracking?
Question:
I assume part of what I need is a clock drive & equitorial mount. But how what would I put on the equitorial to keep the mirror pointed at the spot halfway between the sun and my target, so that the reflection of the sun will illuminate the target as much as possible?
Answer:
It's worse than that. You need two drives: one to track the sun across the sky each day, and one to track the sun across the sky around the year (analemma; unless you are at the equator)).
http://www.cerrilloshills.org/analemma/i...
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sun analemma 1890 hits.
It could be done dynamically, by feedback. Have a photocell at the output and slightly slowly alternately oscillate across both axes. Shift average position to maximize output. The hourly shift obviously needs much more priority than the daily shift. Or, you could use calculated tables (good sundials).
What do you do about clouds?
you would need 2 mirrors. and your right you would also need an equitorial mount. the mirror atched to the equitorial mount would track the sun. then you would need another mirror atched to another mount that would reflect the light from the sun mirror onto your target. hope this helps!!
Use optical sensors like the kind that turn your $2 nite lite on arranged in a circle under a light proof cup that has a small hole drilled in it to let a bit of light in. 6 or 8 should be enough. When light hits one, it will do so when the sun is off center and turn one or both of two motors on in one direction or another to line it back up and go off. Use long thin threaded bolts or all-thread bar, not gears, attached to the motors to shift alignment. A timer can reset the affair every morning to pick up the sunrise.
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