Quark advice

[ngwillym]

9 hours ago, Davey-T said:

Depending on focuser travel you may find you need an extension as well if imaging with the Quark without a diagonal.

Dave

Good point, well made. on my 127mm Apo I needed an extra 60mm 2" extension tube

Neil

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I must say I am thinking seriously about getting myself a Quark. I might well use it with a little ST80 at work to replace the SolarMax-II 60 I have. It would also serve me well when I get myself that dream set-up of a ES AR-152 (6" F/6.5 achromat) with the Beloptik Tri-Band ERF halfway down the tube. The Quark should offer a much larger free FOV than the Solar Spectrum filter I have. I haven't heard about QA issues on Quarks for quite a while.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

17 hours ago, LukeSkywatcher said:

They also say that you should use TV Eps with the Quark for best results. 

OK Daystar, just affiliate yourself with one of the most expensive EP's available. 

I'll stick with my NPLs. 

Actually, they point to the TV Plossls, which are hardly the most expensive ones. I get good results with my Solar Spectrum Baader TZ-4 combination (which is optically similar to a Quark) with my TV 25mm Plossl and a Vixen 25 mm Ortho (the only focal length ortho I get on with, due to its 20mm eye relief).

[pragmatist]

On 29/05/2018 at 22:36, Peter Drew said:

@Pragmatist.This is the one I have fitted to both of my recently finished 4" aperture PST mods. They work fine. The 2" fit unit has a clear aperture of 45mm so can be placed further forward from the focus, the 1.25" one should screw straight on to the end of a Quark.

Thanks Peter,

so a 1.25” screwed straight onto the quark should be ok for my Altair 115mm F7?

its purely for visual use at this stage of the game.

 

[pragmatist]

23 hours ago, michael.h.f.wilkinson said:

I must say I am thinking seriously about getting myself a Quark. I might well use it with a little ST80 at work to replace the SolarMax-II 60 I have. It would also serve me well when I get myself that dream set-up of a ES AR-152 (6" F/6.5 achromat) with the Beloptik Tri-Band ERF halfway down the tube. The Quark should offer a much larger free FOV than the Solar Spectrum filter I have. I haven't heard about QA issues on Quarks for quite a while.

I have spoken to a couple of dealers and assuming they are not after the hard sale both have reported that the QC issues are a thing of the past now.

 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

2 minutes ago, pragmatist said:

I have spoken to a couple of dealers and assuming they are not after the hard sale both have reported that the QC issues are a thing of the past now.

 

Great, good to know.

[Peter Drew]

It's always encouraging to learn that QC has improved whatever the component. With respect to the Quark, hopefully this will have eliminated "lemons" but it remains to be seen what the benchmark acceptance level is. The Quark mica chips are reported to be "failed" research level chips so your fortune as a purchaser still lies with which end of the spectrum your example sits.

[Davey-T]

40 minutes ago, Peter Drew said:

It's always encouraging to learn that QC has improved whatever the component. With respect to the Quark, hopefully this will have eliminated "lemons" but it remains to be seen what the benchmark acceptance level is. The Quark mica chips are reported to be "failed" research level chips so your fortune as a purchaser still lies with which end of the spectrum your example sits.

I intend to purchase a new one from FLO to do a direct comparison with the poor example that I now have, I wonder if 2 in a binoviewer would work so I could switch my good eye from one to other for comparison.

Dave

 

[Stu]

1 hour ago, Davey-T said:

I intend to purchase a new one from FLO to do a direct comparison with the poor example that I now have, I wonder if 2 in a binoviewer would work so I could switch my good eye from one to other for comparison.

Dave

 

I often wondered how a Binoviewer with one chromosphere and one prominence Quark would perform. Anyone tried it?

[Peter Drew]

This possibility as well as a binoscope with two Quarks has often crossed my mind but it's a rather expensive experiment. A PST binoscope worked well despite my reservations about possible differences spoiling the view. Having tried prominence and chromosphere Quarks, I have a feeling that one would spoil the other if combined.

[Piero]

On 30/05/2018 at 08:50, michael.h.f.wilkinson said:

I must say I am thinking seriously about getting myself a Quark. I might well use it with a little ST80 at work to replace the SolarMax-II 60 I have. It would also serve me well when I get myself that dream set-up of a ES AR-152 (6" F/6.5 achromat) with the Beloptik Tri-Band ERF halfway down the tube. The Quark should offer a much larger free FOV than the Solar Spectrum filter I have. I haven't heard about QA issues on Quarks for quite a while.

Me too! My current plan is to get a quark + 1.25" Baader Ha CCD 35nm for the TV-60, and, in the future, something like a full aperture Baader D-ERF for the Tak-FC100. 

 

 

On 30/05/2018 at 15:38, michael.h.f.wilkinson said:

Actually, they point to the TV Plossls, which are hardly the most expensive ones. I get good results with my Solar Spectrum Baader TZ-4 combination (which is optically similar to a Quark) with my TV 25mm Plossl and a Vixen 25 mm Ortho (the only focal length ortho I get on with, due to its 20mm eye relief).

Can I ask you which exit pupils you use the most for h-alpha observing, please? 

[pragmatist]

5 hours ago, Piero said:

Me too! My current plan is to get a quark + 1.25" Baader Ha CCD 35mm for the TV-60, and, in the future, something like a full aperture Baader D-ERF for the Tak-FC100. 

I may be wrong but I don’t think you’ll need a 35mm HA CCD for your TV 60mm. It’s really only over 100mm that it becomes an issue. Of course someone may come along and correct me. 

[Davey-T]

13 minutes ago, pragmatist said:

Of course someone may come along and correct me. 

No that's correct

Dave

[Piero]

On 31/05/2018 at 19:39, pragmatist said:

I may be wrong but I don’t think you’ll need a 35mm HA CCD for your TV 60mm. It’s really only over 100mm that it becomes an issue. Of course someone may come along and correct me. 

According to Daystar specs you are correct. 

 

The reason why I would get a 1.25" Ha CCD 35nm with the Quark for my 60mm is that I do not like the idea that the Quark becomes warm / hot in an uncontrolled way. At the diagonal, the light is the most concentrated, and this hits the Quark directly. The Baader UV/IR reduces the IR frequencies from reaching the Quark, but it does not do this completely. Instead, the Ha CCD 35nm essentially does. Being a reflective filter, one needs to be careful of the direction the telescope is pointed to, otherwise some serious damage can occur.  A 1.25" Ha CCD 35mm costs ~£50, which is little considering the cost of a Quark. 

Regarding my 100mm refractor, I will get a full aperture ERF because the optics are based on fluorite and these expand differently with heat. In white light observation using a Herschel wedge, the heat comes out from the back of the wedge. In H-alpha observation using the Quark, the heat is trapped in the tube. Therefore, to me, there is a chance that the optics change temperature over time. A full aperture ERF is not cheap, but so is not a Tak 100mm. 

[LukeSkywatcher]

"In H-alpha observing using the Quark, the heat is trapped within the tube.". 

Does it not get expelled back through the front objective.?

[Piero]

11 minutes ago, LukeSkywatcher said:

"In H-alpha observing using the Quark, the heat is trapped within the tube.". 

Does it not get expelled back through the front objective.?

When one leaves a car outside in the summer, does the heat leaves from the windows completely when these are up?

 

Certainly some light comes out (and therefore some IR too). Therefore my sentence is not completely accurate when I said "trapped". Still though, what I meant is that I believe there should be an increase in temperature within the tube. 

[jetstream]

The little silver filter (crucial its there) on the end of the Quark keeps much energy out of the unit. Adding a pre filter keeps un needed energy from the little silver filter (ITF) which in turn should increase the lifespan of the ITF. If I'm not mistaken when this type of ITF fails it blocks even more light and anyone who replaces this type of filter with other options increases their risk considerably.

The best solution is a front mounted Baader D-ERF, IMHO (used with complete Quark). Never take the ITF out... and yes the Quark will heat the tube up eventually.

[pragmatist]

I was told the ERF is the best as you don’t lose any contrast or image quality as you do with the uv/ir filter. Cost is an issue though and they are hellish expensive. Something along the lines of £690 for a 130mm one. Still, you can’t take it with you and it’s great to indulge during daylight hours too. Just hope it lives up to my old Lunt 60 I used to have. 

[LukeSkywatcher]

On 31/05/2018 at 20:08, Piero said:

When one leaves a car outside in the summer, does the heat leaves from the windows completely when these are up?

 

Certainly some light comes out (and therefore some IR too). Therefore my sentence is not completely accurate when I said "trapped". Still though, what I meant is that I believe there should be an increase in temperature within the tube. 

I more than likely meant light (and IR). I read it somewhere weeks ago. Got it a tad wrong.

[newbie alert]

Can anyone tell me the basic setup using the quark...ive seen some really decent images done with them that rival the lunt ,so I had in my head that is prob head in the quark direction once I've saved enough funds...

So my question's  are along the lines of would I need a herschel wedge, what filters would I need..id be using my 80mm frac and purely imaging with it..?

It all makes no sense at the moment!

[Davey-T]

No extras needed with your 80mm, something to supply 5 volts ala USB, just a small rechargeable power pack, and possibly an extension to reach focus if imaging without a diagonal.

Dave

[Piero]

2 hours ago, newbie alert said:

Can anyone tell me the basic setup using the quark...ive seen some really decent images done with them that rival the lunt ,so I had in my head that is prob head in the quark direction once I've saved enough funds...

So my question's  are along the lines of would I need a herschel wedge, what filters would I need..id be using my 80mm frac and purely imaging with it..?

It all makes no sense at the moment!

The Herschel wedge is for white light, whereas the Quark is for h-alpha solar observation. They are two very different things. The former is used to observe the photosphere, whereas the latter allows you to observe the chromosphere, which is the layer above.

[newbie alert]

1 hour ago, Piero said:

The Herschel wedge is for white light, whereas the Quark is for h-alpha solar observation. They are two very different things. The former is used to observe the photosphere, whereas the latter allows you to observe the chromosphere, which is the layer above.

So for Ha I'd only need the quark?

[Stu]

7 minutes ago, newbie alert said:

So for Ha I'd only need the quark?

That’s right, plus D-ERF or filter depending on your scope size.

[newbie alert]

13 minutes ago, Stu said:

That’s right, plus D-ERF or filter depending on your scope size.

It be 80mm