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Sunday May 3rd solar - Must read !!!!!!


Pig

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Finally got a break in the clouds ..... 3 cheers :laugh:

Michaels blockbuster filament is still there and looking amazing, I thought I was going to miss seeing this but a fortunate break in the clouds changed everything for the better.

I have just tried the Leica Zoom in the Esprit and I can honestly say I am flabbergasted with the detail. When I first put it in the Quark I thought it was on the low power setting and the view was quite soft but still not too bad.... I then looked at the dial and to my surprise it was on the high end 7.9 !!!!!! I slowly adjusted  the zoom all the way back and the view just got better and better.... I cant achieve a full disc but who cares, the view was magnificent

I then remembered what ED mentioned about the polarising / moon filter enhancement and popped mine on the end of the Leica ...... incredible :laugh: It is by far the best I have seen solar surface detail... better than some images I have seen !!!!

I only wish I had the Equinox set up next to the Esprit instead of the SCT as that gives a tad better detail.

These Quarks do take some experimenting but it does seem that they get better and better as one gets more usage

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Oh no something else to spend on, should be picking up Leica zoom soon now I'll have to buy a filter  :grin:

Also just run out in a panic as the Sun appeared, unfortunately still set up for taking flats yesterday as I wasn't expecting Sun, by the time I was ready and the Quark warmed up the clouds were back but after half an hour of pacing up and down looking at the sky the Sun is back, bit windy but surprisingly the seeing is good and I'm imaging without the .5X f/r for only the second time since I've had it, done the length of the filament and some close ups of the AR. Going back out for more.

Dave

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Michael,

Mine is a variable filter.... it doesn't enhance prominences and if anything it stifles them a tad... the filter performs like the appearance one sees when clouds are traversing the surface :smiley:

Dave,

I have the Leica Vario, I think you may be getting the later ASPH version, which I believe is an improved version :smiley:

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Michael,

Mine is a variable filter.... it doesn't enhance prominences and if anything it stifles them a tad... the filter performs like the appearance one sees when clouds are traversing the surface :smiley:

Dave,

I have the Leica Vario, I think you may be getting the later ASPH version, which I believe is an improved version :smiley:

Lets hope so  :grin:

Dave

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I tried the polarising filter with the SLV 25mm, the 32mm TV Plossl, the Vixen 40mm NPL and it was not as effective as it was with the Leica Zoom. There wasn't much difference in the time between checks so I can only assume it is enhanced with either magnification or coatings. The FOV was about the same for all 4 eyepieces :smiley: The 40mm was least effective with the filter so maybe magnification is the overall contributor.

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Heard some thunder out there 10 mins ago. It was very frightening :eek:

Nice write-up, Shaun, what mag would that first view have worked out as?

I was happy to sneak some shots in with the Quark earlier today. For the price I think the Quark is amazing, it is more than good enough for my needs :laugh:

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Luke,

If you mean the Leica at full power ( it is in fact 7.3 not 7.9 as I stated) it works out at an incredible 235 x but it was very soft but surprisingly clear (400/7.3 x 4.3)

or Low power Leica it is 78 x  (400/22 x 4.3) with polarising filter.

Strange happenings...... it appears if you can achieve focus it will take anything

All the above was with the Quark after the 2" diagonal.

I don't think you can beat them Luke, even at more than 2 times the cost for a dedicated scope, much more if you start double stacking and adding B1200 etc....

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Wow! I must try some higher mag some time. I've had a very good view in white light at a high power with a binoviewer, I am not sure how high it was, other than I almost fell in the sunspot. One of the most incredible views I have had in astronomy :shocked:  I didn't intend to go that high, but had to use one or two barlows to get focus with the bino (I now have a shorter light path sorted out).

My default is 120x with the Quark and ED100.

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... These Quarks do take some experimenting but it does seem that they get better and better as one gets more usage...

Great to read this, Shaun, 'cos I'm still at the 'iffy' stage with my Quark set-up. The focus and eye placement issues have not gone away. When I can get the disc in view it remains 'challenging' (which I think is the modern phrase employed to avoid using removed-word language) to get any real reward.

Today was tragic, weatherwise. It started off bad and just got worse :-(( so no chance to follow up on the 'experimenting' that I tried yesterday. But that's where I'm at just now - trying different combinations with different bits and bobs ... and struggling!

Weather forecast is a bit more clement for the coming week and I intend to get right into it ...

Glad you're having fun. Gaun yersel!

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Is anyone using the Quark with a short focal length scope (under 480mm) & 1.25" diagonal ? and if so is inward focus travel an issue ?

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Sticking my neck out here, but the TV 60 (fl360) seems to be close to cut-off point for ease of use. I'm right on the edge with my fl480 and kicking hard to stay afloat ...!

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Gordon, are you putting the Quark before or after the diagonal?

Also which eyepieces are you using? If you are using TV 32mm plossl without a focal reducer then the eye guard extender really is almost essential

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If it's any comfort Gordon ( probably not ) but I've had mine a while and still find focussing tricky which is why I fitted a motor focuser and purchased the eyecup extension thingy for the TV Plossl as the image doesn't actually fill the eyepiece, just the center of it so you have to get the Sun centred in the eyepiece, a nudge the wrong way and it dissappears.

Sorry, don't know what mount your using, expect you said somewhere along the way, I know folks track by hand but I find the mount tracking indispensable.

Dave

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Wow! I feel like I'm in a thread that I started before. Thanks for caring, folks.

Shaun and I have been corresponding off-thread about the issues I'm having and, honestly, I'm embarrassed to go through this again. Nevertheless, in the spirit of sharing and responding to your thoughtfulness, here goes.

I've used only a 2" diagonal.

I've tried the Quark before and after the diagonal.

I use a TV 32mm plossl, with eyeguard extender, or a 40mm Vixen.

I'm experimenting mostly with my TV76 (fl480). It has a standard TV focuser.

The mount is a Vixen Porta II, with slow mo control.

I have tried the Quark in my TV102, with feathertouch focuser, only once, on a Gibraltar mount.

I have a solar finder on both scopes.

I have tried/continue to try using a x0.5 reducer.

I can, just, achieve focus - but with difficulty. This applies equally to the 76 and the 102.

Eye placement is challenging but I'm learning.

But folks, it's OK. I'm having fun playing around with my frustration; finding things out; searching for whys and whats. This is not life and limb stuff and, as earlier, I'm quite embarrassed to run through my little trials. It'll be fine or the Quark will move on ... No broken hearts.

Thanks for caring and sharing.

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