Design of an automated solar tracker for teaching astronomy and mechatronic engineering

Abstract Astronomy is one of the sciences that attracts a large number of people, because of the celestial bodies and phenomena that can be observed, such as the moon, planets, constellations and the sun during the day. Telescopes, the main observation tool employed for astronomical observation, are often not very accessible for the majority of the population, due to their cost. This problem has been addressed through the design of low-cost three-dimensional printed telescopes or the use of digital cameras and cell phones with filters suitable for this purpose. This work describes the components and building of an automatized light tracker that can be coupled to a digital camera, protected by a white light filter, to emulate a low-cost solar telescope. The resulting device can also be operated manually, serving as a teaching tool for astronomy that illustrates how mechatronics and programming can be employed for scientific outreach. Aided by a digital camera, the robotic solar tracker was used by students to observe and record the 2019’s Mercury transit.