The ultimate, easy and affordable solar scope???

[russ.will]

The view through the Lunt double stack was incredible and it made me think would I require the same double stack arrangement if I bought the 50mm scope.

It wasn't just me then! It really was breath-taking.

Russell

[Luke]

I haven't used a Lunt 50, so I can only speak in relation to my SolarMax 60.

I do a lot of viewing with a SolarMax 60 single stack and a SolarMax 60 double stack. I take the single stack to work for solar lunch/on hols. From home, I use the double stack. The reason why we have two is because my wife Sarah and I are both solar nutcases; we got the second one so I could take it to work for lunchtime :laugh:

The difference at the eyepiece is not subtle. This is not the equivalent of decent £50 eyepiece versus £250 eyepiece on the Moon. This is more like - though not quite to the same extent - as the difference between no filter and OIII filter on the Veil Nebula with a dob. i.e. rather obvious

With single stack, I find details on the disc hard to make out. With double stack, they are in-your-face gorgeous.

Single stack is still fantastic, I always can't wait to look through the eyepiece at lunch time in the single stack, and Sarah and I started off with single stack and got hopelessly hooked on solar...

Several times we have used the single stack and double stack side-by-side. The DS gives far, far better contrast on the disc, and usually, proms are nearly as good as with the DS as they are with the SS - generally a little fainter with the DS, but not so much that Sarah or I feel like we are hugely missing out. The exception has been very faint proms, which we could not see in the DS but could just make out in the SS.

For me, double stacking the SM60 was worth every penny.

[Mark at Beaufort]

Thanks Luke for that report.

As stated previously my PST is quite good on both surface and proms. So to upgrade to a Lunt 50mm it has to be a lot better than my PST. I have come to the conclusion that to upgrade I might need the double stack on the Lunt 50mm. This is going to be quite an outlay.

This brings me back to the Quark and my only worry is having to plug the device into a battery and wait for the warm up. I like the grab and go element of my PST and I don't want to wait too long for something to warm up.

So it looks like I might be sitting on the fence for a bit longer.

[Stu]

Not sure if this question has been asked or answered, but can you stick a Quark in a PST to get a double stack effect?

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[Merlin66]

If it will work at around f43 on the small 40mm aperture the image intensity will be low.

Aggravated by the fact that the 0.7A bandwidth of the PST, combined with the 0.5A of the Quark would result in a 0.35A BUT with a reduction of 50% light transmission.

( Interesting that no one has mentioned the "fainter/ darker" image you see with a double stack....I have regularly used a SM60 double stack on the ED80, and first time viewers all comment how dark it is....")

[russ.will]

The double stack view I saw, was definitely darker than the other views I had, but then it also had more contrast and a far greater three dimensionality about it.

Russell

[Stu]

If it will work at around f43 on the small 40mm aperture the image intensity will be low.

Aggravated by the fact that the 0.7A bandwidth of the PST, combined with the 0.5A of the Quark would result in a 0.35A BUT with a reduction of 50% light transmission.

( Interesting that no one has mentioned the "fainter/ darker" image you see with a double stack....I have regularly used a SM60 double stack on the ED80, and first time viewers all comment how dark it is....")

Thanks Ken.

Not a PST then, but a PST mod or larger aperture single stack

Ha scope?

I always thought the PST SS was 1.0A?

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[Merlin66]

Stu,

Over on the solar chat site there were a couple of images taken with a Lunt/ Quark combo.....doable but worth the effort??????

[Stu]

Thanks Ken, will have a look.

What is your opinion on best/optimum aperture either for a mod or with the quark? Is 150mm worth it or 120mm enough?

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[Merlin66]

IMHO I'd say a 100 to 120mm is as good as it gets in UK/Euro conditions.....you'd have to have some excellent conditions to get the most out of a  150mm.

[Peter Drew]

I agree with Merlin66. I have a range of PST mods from 80mm to 220mm. The 220mm hardly ever gets used, the 150mm is great on a really good day but at F10 it's a bit of a handfull, my most used model is a 105mm which gives excellent images on most days. The 80mm is in Tenerife where the unpolluted skies allow it to perform on a par with the larger versions in the UK.     

[Stu]

Thanks both. I guess that's why scopes like the Tal 100rs and Lyra 102 are so popular for PST mods. Benefit with a Quark also would be no need for a D-ERF

[Joseki]

Both those Tal and Lyra scopes are outside of the recommended f range for the Quark.  I've just bought a used evostar 120, mainly for solar, which is f8 and wouldn't need a D-ERF either.  One day the Quark I ordered will arrive and I will test it out.

[Joves]

Do it Stu, you won't be disappointed!

Seriously though, with your TV76 and 85 alone, you'll be well impressed!!

[Stu]

I will do Aaron, just need to find the cash! Might have to wait for next year's bonus.

I reckon the views should be as good as any in the 106, and pretty good in the 85.

Did you conclude whether you get the full disk plus proms in the 76?

I would like to hang onto the PST if possible but if the 76 does full disk I might sell it to put towards the Quark.

Has anyone bought a prominence version yet? They don't seem popular at all?

Stu

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[Joves]

Stu,

Full disk is definitely doable with the 76. I achieve it with no problem using my Vixen LV 25mm. The full disk is fairly tight when compared to that of the PST, however, I did today just purchase a Televue Plossl 32mm, which should provide a touch more space to work with. I'll give that a shot tomorrow (skies pending, of course, but the forecast is clear) and let you know how it has gone. Either way, I can't see myself getting rid of my PST, even if only for nostalgia's sake. That being said, I haven't ever parted with any astro kit to date, so I'm thinking that may just be the hoarder I am.

My Quark, as most others, is the Chromosphere version. Small issues aside, I'm so impressed with it that I am sure I am going to order the Prominence version as well. Will be interesting to see the difference, as proms are absolutely awesome even in the Chromo Quark. To be honest, I'll probably purchase another Chromosphere one if I can't sort out the issues with the filter on the one I currently have, it is that good. I'd get the one I have replaced, but hey... It's a long story...

Anyhow, after even only a couple of days, I feel I have enough experience at the eyepiece of the Quark to recommend you get one. Considering your desires in this post, I think it is the perfect option when combined with the Lunt Herschel wedge for white light to make for an "ultimate, easy and affordable solar scope." Honestly, it is a ridiculously impressive bit of kit!!

[Stu]

Stu,

Full disk is definitely doable with the 76. I achieve it with no problem using my Vixen LV 25mm. The full disk is fairly tight when compared to that of the PST, however, I did today just purchase a Televue Plossl 32mm, which should provide a touch more space to work with. I'll give that a shot tomorrow (skies pending, of course, but the forecast is clear) and let you know how it has gone. Either way, I can't see myself getting rid of my PST, even if only for nostalgia's sake. That being said, I haven't ever parted with any astro kit to date, so I'm thinking that may just be the hoarder I am.

My Quark, as most others, is the Chromosphere version. Small issues aside, I'm so impressed with it that I am sure I am going to order the Prominence version as well. Will be interesting to see the difference, as proms are absolutely awesome even in the Chromo Quark. To be honest, I'll probably purchase another Chromosphere one if I can't sort out the issues with the filter on the one I currently have, it is that good. I'd get the one I have replaced, but hey... It's a long story...

Anyhow, after even only a couple of days, I feel I have enough experience at the eyepiece of the Quark to recommend you get one. Considering your desires in this post, I think it is the perfect option when combined with the Lunt Herschel wedge for white light to make for an "ultimate, easy and affordable solar scope." Honestly, it is a ridiculously impressive bit of kit!!

Thanks Aaron. Yes, ideally I would like to keep the PST too so will just have to wait a while for the Quark unfortunately. I have a 24mm Panoptic which gives a fraction more fov than the 32mm TV Plossl, but the Plossl may still be better because of its simpler design.

Stu

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[Joves]

Stu,

I have the 24mm Panoptic as well, which seems to give ok views through the Quark, but the Vixen LV seems to give better. For some reason, Daystar advise that Plossl's give the best views, hence my new purchase. Will compare the two tomorrow and let you know how I have gone.

Aaron

[Stu]

Thanks, that would be very useful to know. I sold a 32mm TV Plossl a little while ago because it wasn't giving me anything the Pan wasn't, however the simpler designs work better for solar I think

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[Joves]

Let's hope so. I love my 24mm Panoptic's (I have two of them for bino viewing) and figured one would make the perfect EP for the Quark. Apparently not. Little did I think that I would be heading out to buy a 32mm Plossl with all the eyepieces I currently have. This astronomy caper is never ending, I tell ya!!

[Stu]

As an update to this old thread, I am in the process of acquiring a SkyWatcher 150 f5 Achro to try the quark in.

I have a 75mm D-ERF which I will mount internally, and the scope has an upgraded dual speed focuser which hopefully should be good enough.

Having tried my binoviewers with Zeiss 25mm Orthos in the other day in my 85, I think this will give some great results but time will tell. I guess the f8 would be another option but it's a big old lump and will give very high powered views so I think the f5 is a good bet. I can mask it down to 120mm if seeing conditions aren't so good.

I'll report back once I've had a chance to try it