What if your next telescope could also prepare you for future solar observations? By choosing the Sky-Watcher Virtuoso GTi 150P, you're buying a 150-mm Dobsonian telescope with a motorized mount. That same mount can then accommodate a small H-alpha solar telescope, such as the Solar Scout 60 mm, provided the assembly is checked. Two instruments, one mount: that's an interesting development.
The inspiration comes from Evel Meckarov, who shared his setup in the Facebook group “Telescope Addicts.” His post shows a DayStar Solar Scout mounted on a Virtuoso GTi base to create a compact system with motorized tracking. Thanks to him for sharing this.
The Virtuoso GTi 150P combines a 150-mm mirror, a 750-mm focal length, and a retractable tube. This is an ideal setup for observing the Moon, the planets, star clusters, and many deep-sky objects, depending on sky conditions.
Its table base includes Wi-Fi and the GoTo system, which can be controlled using the SynScan Pro app. Once aligned, it allows you to point at objects and track them. This means you have a night-sky instrument and its motorized mount right from the start.
The Virtuoso GTi mount is compatible with a Vixen-style dovetail. The 150-mm tube can therefore be removed to make room for another small, compatible instrument. That’s precisely what makes Evel’s idea so appealing: reusing the mount you already own.
For a Virtuoso GTi owner, the solar project can thus focus on the eyepiece and the necessary accessories. Purchasing a second mount is no longer necessarily the first step. The two tubes can be used alternately on the same base.
The model offered in our store is the DayStar Solar Scout SS60DS, a dedicated 60-mm solar eyepiece. Its built-in H-alpha filter allows you to explore the Sun’s chromosphere—including prominences and details of its activity—depending on conditions.
DayStar includes a Vixen/camera mounting bracket. This interface serves as the starting point for mounting the system on the Virtuoso GTi base. The Solar Scout also requires a power supply for its thermal control, as well as a stabilization period before observation.
| When? | Instrument at the base | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| At night | Virtuoso GTi 150P, 150/750 mm | The Moon, Planets, and Deep Sky |
| The Day | Solar Scout SS60DS, 60 mm (sold separately) | H-alpha solar observation |
| In both cases | The same Virtuoso GTi platform | Reused motorized mount |
Before installing it, check that the Vixen mount is tight, and verify the balance and clearance of the tube, the right-angle mirror, and the cables throughout the entire usable pointing range. The base must rest on a rigid and stable surface. The complete setup, including all accessories, must remain compatible with the mount.
Sky-Watcher announces a solar tracking feature, including a mode that does not require alignment with the stars. However, this mode still requires the preparation and pointing steps described in the manual: the mount does not locate the Sun on its own.
The Solar Scout is sold separately from the Virtuoso. The standard SS60DS version available in our store does not include the angled mirror, eyepiece, or battery that come with the bundle. You’ll therefore need to prepare the accessories and power supplies for the setup before your first session.
The Sun is observed here using the complete, undamaged Solar Scout telescope, operated in accordance with the DayStar instructions. Never point the 150-mm Newtonian telescope or an unprotected finder scope at the Sun. The Solar Scout’s filter components must remain in place.
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If solar observation then piques your interest, its base provides a practical way to mount a 60-mm Solar Scout and extend your observing sessions into the daytime. Find the Sky-Watcher Virtuoso GTi 150P in our store and the DayStar Solar Scout SS60DS 60 mm. To prepare this set, please let us know which accessories you already have: we can then check which parts are needed for assembly.
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