Saturday's Dribs and Drabs - 30th May

[Luke]

Hi Solar Friends,

Saturday was a mixed bag. About 60 minutes that you could almost call Summer. Then it was back to the usual fun and games: high up cloud, middle cloud, low cloud, very low down large crows, waiting for scraps of gaps. Though scraps always beat zip.

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30th May, 2015
Equinox 120, Quark Chromosphere, Grasshopper 3 camera (ICX687), 0.5x reducer, brolly with UV/IR protection and blackened interior (nice blue sky and clouds on the outisde) - please do not use brolly as a substitue for Baader solar film, the optical quality would be awful and it would catch the wind too easily among other things. Nobody reads this stuff, do they?

Anyway, I got my regular round in and then played some more with Quark tuning. I am happy with the Quark in the default but it bugs me that I have not properly checked if that is indeed the best tuning. If it is, great! Must go through the various shots and see. Oh and the other reason why I am playing with tuning is I wonder if the limb and/or proms can benefit from a different tuning. I read something about the features on the limb moving fast towards/away from us. And the other week I accidentally recorded on a different tuning (the Quark's dial must have got nudged accidentally) and the limb seemed to come out quite well

Thanks for looking, Luke

PS The images are probably upside down. One might rotate one's Quark 180 degrees for the next straight through session.

[Davey-T]

Super detail there Luke, haven't had any long enough sunny periods for days, managed a couple of vid's Saturday using LS60DS as the Sun didn't stay out long enough to warm up the Quark

Just had an unexpected bit of evening Sun here and managed a quick vid' that's paused four times to let the clouds blow by.

Dave

[Dave Smith]

Great shots although I especially like the first one.

Dave

[1parsec]

Lovely images. The second one has amazing detail.  I'd certainly settle for a couple of dribs & drabs like that 

Dave.

[dazzaa1966]

Luke your second image is absolutely stunning.

My favourite of the year.

[Blazar]

Stunning Luke.....

PS My Quark is on route...I will probably be asking for assistance any day!

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Very nice. Love the spicules in the first image

[Luke]

Thanks, all! I find it handy as well to know which you think have come out best, I will try and send my best efforts to Daystar's Facebook page and hope they like some of them, though of course they have so many amazing imagers using their products. I see on their page that they have patent pending on the Quark.

Dave, I am sure last year had longer clear spells? Or maybe I am just imagining it. I'm not really being held back by the Quark's warm up time, as I image mornings only (not because of seeing, just because it suits my life at the mo) and if there is any chance I set up and the Quark is warm before Sol clears the tree. I had three blanks recently, which was a bit annoying after setting up, but one morning I was expecting zip and got a decent session and good seeing. I think if anything the Quark's warm up time is actually helping me catch more than with my SM60 as I get it set up ready in case there is a gap, instead of knowing I can rush out with the SM60 so don't bother setting up. I've been rained on a few times, though! :-o

Steve, can't wait to see your first Quark images! Your lunar images are so lovely, you are gonna have a ball with the Quark

[David Smith]

Most of us aspire to what you describe as dribs & drabs Luke

I believe you are correct in that features near the limb can be Doppler shifted a little and these can benefit from a slight re-tuning. Definitely worth experimenting if the weather will allow

Best send that upside down Quark back

[Ewan]

Wowsers !!!

That prom shot mmmmmmmmm fantastic Luke, hey any chance you get to do solar is a bonus, quality not quantity.

Very nice collection.

[Pete Presland]

Superb close ups!

[Montana]

Ooh that prom shot really does win the competition Luke :)

Alexandra

[Luke]

Sorry my bad choice of title, I did have good conditions for the shots I processed, my main memory afterwards was fighting the clouds trying to experiment with Quark tuning, I should have quit after the nice clear patch, i was greedy and spent 3/4 of the time getting 1/4 more shots! Though in hindsight it was worth it, I can see some of the tunings are definitely not worth trying again

Yes I am disappointed this Quark is upside down! I already sent one back that gave a mirrored view. Hopefully they'll get the next one right

Most of us aspire to what you describe as dribs & drabs Luke

I believe you are correct in that features near the limb can be Doppler shifted a little and these can benefit from a slight re-tuning. Definitely worth experimenting if the weather will allow

Best send that upside down Quark back