Couple of Quark shots 2nd Aug 2015

[Helen]

I'm finding the Quark rather enigmatic!

I'm managed a little bit of visual earlier in the week with the WO FLT98 and it was certainly better than with the Megrez 90.  I think that is actually due to scope rather than just seeing.  Today between clouds I managed a little bit of imaging at native resolution.  On-screen the detail was very soft, but I tried my best at focussing and hoped I'd got it the best I could...  Plugged two avis into AS2 and then a quick fiddle in IMPPG (and CS2 for the spot) and these popped out.  I wonder how impressive the processed images might be if I could get a sharp image on the camera 

WO 98FLT, Celestron Skyris 274 mono camera, best 50% of 636 frames for proms , and 35% of ~500 frames for spot.  No calibration frames (cloud and then rain!) so will need to check the evenness etc of the view later in the week.

Helen

[Pig]

Very nice indeed Helen  I see you caught the Eiffel Tower prom.

[xtreemchaos]

great close ups mate,nice detail. thanks for sharing. charl.

[David Smith]

Nice work Helen. A couple of good images.

[DrRobin]

Nice first images Helen. The Quarks seem to be heavily down on contrast and plenty of people have reported that if you knock the Gamma right off, then you can pull more detail out. With my ASI120MM, I have to knock the gamma completely off (0 on the scale) but with an ASI174MM I find gamma of 20 works best. Gamma in the neutral position for both of these is 50.

If I try shooting with neutral gamma, I get something similar, try it with a very low gamma and I pull out much more detail. My Quark also likes two clicks anti-clockwise (blue shifted) again there is quite a difference in contrast and detail. Yours and mine arrived in the same batch so there might be some commonality?

In terms of ease of use and the ability to get a good image I prefer my Lunt 60, but once the settings of the Quark have been noted it isn't too bad to get there quickly. I did do a full scale comparison full anti to full clockwise tuning in as steady conditions as I could find first.

Robin

[Davey-T]

Have you had a play with the tuning, really makes a difference when it's right, seeing also makes a big difference, I have an LS60DS  and it is less affected by poor seeing than the Quark, maybe something to do with the in built Barlow in the Quark, the 274 does oversample the image but no idea how this affects Solar images, I have a 274, it's been away at the menders for a while so still haven't tried it in the Quark, I use a PG BFly on the Quark which allowing for the Barlow effect gives around .5" / pixel as opposed the the Skyris which gets around .37" / pixel.

As I say I'm no expert so no idea how the resolution affects one big star rather than lot's of little ones 

Dave

[Helen]

Thanks for the feedback, and further information everyone.  I think it really is a case of trial and error to get the optimum settings on both the quark and the camera.  I've tried some adjustment on the Quark, but I need more sun time to fully test and evaluate the different positions.  For some reason the Skyris have the gamma control disabled   So given what Robin and Dave have said I might go back to my DMK41 and see what that can do.  That will have the disadvantage of being USB2 not 3, but that in turn gives me more options for which computer to use (as well as Quark challenges I've been having computer/camera challenges too!)  So maybe back to my reliable little Samsung N10 (it'll be like putting comfy slippers back on ).  

All I need now is a totally sunny day when I'm around and can spend time testing combinations and settings.... hmmmm.  Maybe when in France on holiday in a couple of weeks!

Helen

[Pete Presland]

Good captures

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk

[laudropb]

Very nice images. Well done.

[Ewan]

Wondered where you had gone Helen, nice images still.

I agree with Robin on this.

I find with my DMK if I do set it to native 60fps & 100 Gamma it goes off the right side of the histogram so I tend to use 1/217 - 1/313 & between 30 - 100 Gamma.

Got to have a high gamma though to grab the Chromo & Proms together but if going for a single spot & you want a lot of detail drop the Gamma, I find it is NOT the same as doing this in PS.

Also try the Tuner 1-2 clicks CCW

[smerral]

Yes, I agree with those comments about the Gamma.  I always have mine set at 0 on the ASI120MM (for surface detail at least).

[Helen]

Thanks

The weather really had been poor here since I got the quark, and it is lashing down again today    I've been having newton's rings problems too - never had a problem with any of my other solar set ups, but very obvious with the skyris/quark combo.  Loosening the eyepiece screw solved it, but then camera is slightly tilted and illumination/focus is uneven (as seen the spot shot).

I think I will suggest to Mike that he would really like to spend one sunny day when we're away just chilling with his book and his ipod and I'll experiment and mutter a lot....

Helen

[Davey-T]

Thanks

The weather really had been poor here since I got the quark, and it is lashing down again today    I've been having newton's rings problems too - never had a problem with any of my other solar set ups, but very obvious with the skyris/quark combo.  Loosening the eyepiece screw solved it, but then camera is slightly tilted and illumination/focus is uneven (as seen the spot shot).

I think I will suggest to Mike that he would really like to spend one sunny day when we're away just chilling with his book and his ipod and I'll experiment and mutter a lot....

Helen

Only one day 

Dave

[Montana]

Fabulous images, I think focus is spot on ,you just need some good seeing and it will be cracking! I'd love to have a day to fiddle with the tuning but I never get longer than 10 minutes of Sun since about May I think, I can't imagine what a blue sky day would look like :)

Alexandra