Quarkenscope iPhone images

[Stu]

A couple from today, although I hesitate to post them after Michael's lovely images.

Handheld iphone through 150mm f5 with Quark and 32mm TV Plossl

Even caught hints of the lovely filament running into the huge prom.

Stu

[Montana]

:) well done! super images with an iPhone :)

Alexandra

[Stu]

Thanks Alex [emoji3]

The view through the eyepiece is soooo much better than this it's frustrating not to be able to share it properly.

[spaceboy]

Thanks Alex [emoji3]

The view through the eyepiece is soooo much better than this it's frustrating not to be able to share it properly.

Sounds like something an imager would say. Wouldn't be coming down with the bug hey Stu

[Stu]

Sounds like something an imager would say. Wouldn't be coming down with the bug hey Stu

Eeeeek! No, please stop me if I do.

My imaging rules are, either iPhone or worst case D-SLR. Single shot only, and only processing which can be done via PhotoShop Express on my phone. [emoji3]

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Sure about that, Stu? There is a nice ASI174MM availble on ABS-UK 

[Stu]

Sure about that, Stu? There is a nice ASI174MM availble on ABS-UK

Behave please Michael [emoji6][emoji3][emoji3]

[Pete Presland]

Pretty good for a iphone!

[Luke]

Very nice phone shots, Stu. The Quarkenscope lives!

It's really nice how you can grab a quick low-hassle shot with a phone (though I really struggled with my SolarMax 60, shoddy technique, probably). I sometimes think it would be nice to be able to grab a shot of DSO's quickly when I am observing, doesn't need to be like the amazing 4hr+ DSO images, more a reminder of what I saw, but I think the DSO's are just too low in brightness? I can see the big appeal of keeping it quick/simple.

Though that ASI174 chip does look good value

[Stu]

Thanks Luke.

The forecast is proving correct so far. Glorious sunshine here today, and hoping for a clear night.

I've been playing around with the scope a lot today, trying different configurations.

It seems very sensitive to seeing conditions. The TV85 reliably gives cracking, contrasty views, but the Quarkenscope seems to need better seeing, I guess that's unsurprising.

I played around with some aperture masks made from foam just for speed. Ooooops! The D-ERF was obviously at too steep an angle and burned a nice hole in one of them! Have corrected the tilt now, but it's quite scary seeing the power of that beam coming back out of the scope.

DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME!!

I was extremely careful not to look directly into the scope, or point the camera at it, but despite knowing the function of the D-ERF, I was (surprisingly) surprised by the strength of the reflection. I guess I wasn't expecting it to be focussed so near the front of the tube, so please be warned.

The second strange experience, is the light via the D-ERF bring totally cool, despite still being dangerously bright. Again, this should be a warning to anyone trying this out to be extremely careful at all times.

This is the hole burned in a few moments by the reflected beam

Finally this is a quick shot through one channel of the Binoviewer with Zeiss 25mm Ortho in place.

Cropped

So far, the best configuration I have come up with is the x0.8 focal reducer, then the Quark, then binoviewer using the built in reducer and either 32mm Plossls or 25mm Orthos, depending upon the conditions.

This gives basically nice hi res full disk views with good contrast. Using just a single 32mm Plossl also gives nice views at higher mag.

I may try to acquire another Seben Zoom, as one of these in the BV worked pretty well too.

Stu

EDIT Just to add, I've tried the 32mm Plossls without the Denk reducer in the light path and that works pretty well too. So, 25mm with Denk reducer, 32mm without seems best.

I'm beginning to wonder whether 40mm Plossl would be worth trying though....DOH, recently sold one. Perhaps I can scrounge a view through a couple at SGLX....

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Nice a-focal results (plus clear demo of Newton rings. Flats should sort that out ).

If the D-ERF is halfway between image plane and objective (which is the case when using a half-size ERF), the beam will be focused at the objective, so look out. The objective should paas all that eneregy, but I do feel it is a bit uncomfortable, ahving all that energy focused there. I must say this project of yours has had me eying some nice 6" achromats on ABS-UK and elsewhere. First I should get that Quark, of course

[Stu]

Thanks Michael. No flats for me I'm afraid [emoji6][emoji6]

Yes, the beam does seem to focus just behind the objective - I was perhaps a little conservative in my positioning although the clear aperture in the holder is something like 72mm so that would explain it too.

I reckon that in summer with the sun higher in the sky it will really come into its own. The TV85 is uncomfortably close at the moment, it is a cracking scope!!

[Stu]

The 'Dream Team' at play [emoji12]

Sun is quite quiet in white light today.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Very nice combo!!