lunt LS 50 vs Quark

[knobby]

I'm about to choose between a Quark for my William optics 71 or a Lunt LS50 B600 ... Similar price , but worried about the sample quality variations of the Quark.

Leaning towards the Lunt and the need for power on the Quark is also  swaying me to the Lunt.

Will be mainly visual but will inevitably end up pointing my DSLR or ASI 224 through it .

Any advice before I spend would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

[Owmuchonomy]

2 things; the only way to get a DSLR to focus with a Lunt 50 is to use eyepiece projection not prime focus. Secondly, the helical focusser is not up to carrying any weight.  Check a thread elsewhere about trying to get Moonlite to make a decent focusser.

[knobby]

Cheers, food for thought 

[Davey-T]

Don't think you should aim the Star 71 at the Sun due to the internal lens construction, certainly wouldn't use mine

Best to just buy a S/hand SW ST80, just "one" lens up the pipe, I've used one with my Quark successfully for imaging and the focuser while not great can be fettled to a good standard.

The Quark can be powered by a small power pack, I use a little solar jobby, about a tenner on EBay.

Dave

 

[Stu]

Agreed, don't use the Quark in any scope which has rear lens elements/flattener reducers built in. They are often cemented and are nearer the focus point so are likely to overheat and get damaged.

 

[John]

Of the 2 I'd go for the Lunt knowing what I know now about the risks of a Quark:

http://www.scsastro.co.uk/

I know that FLO have reservations about Quarks as well and I respect their judgement.

 

 

[knobby]

Cheers chaps, looks like the Lunt then Probably have a final surf tonight and get ordering ... Thanks for all your input

[Davey-T]

Just read you sig' and realise it's the Zenithstar which should be OK I think.

If you decide on a Quark get it from a specialist Solar dealer, such as Astrograph, who will have tested it first.

Dave

http://astrograph.net/

[Merlin]

I like my LS50F double-stacked with a PST.

[knobby]

1 hour ago, Merlin said:

I like my LS50F double-stacked with a PST.

More money  maybe next year !

[knobby]

Thanks for all your help, grabbed a Lunt LS50 B600 today, got home at 5:30, rushed dinner, bunged it on a camera tripod and saw my first sun spot through my own scope ! It was clearly kind of V shaped with a smaller one quite near to it.

Where do you guys find the numbers for the spots or active region ?Apparently my first AR was 2529.

[Helen]

Great site for solar http://www.solarham.net/

You'll love the scope!

Helen

[David Smith]

I use this site for AR numbers

https://www.raben.com/maps

 

 

[knobby]

Sorry all ... Since I got it, its been raining  non stop .