Ha Newbie: Quark or PST?

[Franklin]

Not sure if this is the right place to post?

But I'm itching to dip my toe in the waters of Ha solar and was looking for advice as to which would be best, a starter solarscope or a quark?

[Elp]

What refractor have you got already?

[Franklin]

Vixen SD103 and 81, both f7.7

[Elp]

I've had both and eventually sold the PST.

The PST is very capable and light (and obviously one of the cheapest cost of entry), I eventually even managed to do full disk imaging with it (one of its advantages being 400mm FL), it also supports a decent magnification, think I went up to 6.7mm with it but 9mm was a good balance. You'd have to do some research in which to get as the latter models are the ones you want. You also may have to do some personal tinkering with it to get the absolute best out of it (not majorly difficult).

You will however yearn for more resolution, a thing your refractors will offer in spades. Downsides to a quark are cost (though nothing like the cost of a Lunt or a Coronado Solarmax), having to power them and wait around 10 minutes for them to come onto band and again a few minutes if you switch the setting (not a major issue as they work like white light filters when not on band so you can still look) and quality as reported by a few people (if you buy new, ask the seller what checks they've carried out and what happens if you find yours isn't to your liking, some can be weak or not offer full fov even band-ness, a reputable seller will carry out their own visual checks and will understand your stance on the matter).

If you get a quark, for your refractor apertures some sort of DERF filter is recommended as one of the first elements of glass the rays enter (front mounted ones are expensive) to reduce heat build up within the scope, from what I've read many people use a baader 35nm ha filter instead and put it before the diagonal (further away from the quark the better) to protect it from incoming heat energy. As I use a 60mm refractor I don't really need one but for precaution use a UV/IR block filter.

Your eyepieces will get a reality check as the ones you expect to be good aren't necessarily the best, many I've tried suffer from a blooming effect due to internal reflections.

There are other scope options, many people will recommend Lunt, though that's a personal decision due to cost, Lunt started from ex Coronado employees so they know what they're doing.

HA is completely different from white light observation, you'll enjoy it greatly if you've got the daytime hours for it.

[Franklin]

4 hours ago, Elp said:

There are other scope options, many people will recommend Lunt, though that's a personal decision due to cost, Lunt started from ex Coronado employees so they know what they're doing.

I have been looking at the entry level Lunt40 after searching the web. They offer versions with 5mm, 6mm and 12mm blocking filters but I haven't a clue what differences these will offer, for visual only.

QC seems to be a recurring theme.

I think I need to have a look through some of these products before I part with a grand.......ouch!

[Elp]

https://luntsolarsystems.com/product/lunt-blocking-filters-b600-b1200-b1800/

 

[Paz]

I use a quark with  72mm f6 and 102mm f7 scopes. The views I get are not perfectly consistent across the field but are in line with expectations and I have had lots of good times so far with it. I understand that solar observing perfection comes at a much higher price.

[Carbon Brush]

I have owned a PST and moved on to a Lunt LS60. In both cases I bought used and took a chance.
Actually I bought the LS60 about sunrise on a grey January morning. Yes I had to trust the seller!
As @Elp has said, quality does vary and you need to bear this in mind whether buying used or new.

I think I would find the thermal tuning on a quark to be a bind - but have never done it.
The LS60 I have is pressure tuned. I like this. You can buy tilt tune and I have heard good reports.
What I'm getting at is that if you can visit an owner of any Ha scope on a nice sunny day and see for yourself, you will be better informed.
Not just the views, but the setup effort. You might say 'wow' when presented with the eyepiece. But did the owner have to spend 2 hours getting to that state?

HTH, David.

 

[LDW1]

I started out with the PST and went to the Lunt LS40 and now I just moved to the Lunt LS50. The PST is a very capable scope but for just a bit more the Lunt 40 with the B600 filter would be my choice for a stsrter. I use my Svbony 10-30 zoom in my ha scopes most times as well as a variable polarizing filter and / or a #56-58 green filter to improve the contrast for the low power glare under the brightest of conditions. You really will enjoy ha viewing !  Here is the 40mm and the 50mm.   PS:  I really did enjoy the PST though, starting out !

Edited February 23, 2023 by LDW1

[Sunshine]

1 hour ago, Carbon Brush said:

You can buy tilt tune and I have heard good reports.

Tilt tuned is still an option when buying new? I thought they had done away with tilt.

[LDW1]

8 minutes ago, Sunshine said:

Tilt tuned is still an option when buying new? I thought they had done away with tilt.

They use tilt tuned on the second etalon when double stacking with a single pressure tuned scope and you decide to try double stacking after the fact. As well the relatively new LS40 model is tilt tuned.

Edited February 23, 2023 by LDW1

[Franklin]

Looking at the LS40.

What's the difference between the B500 and the B600? apart from another £100.

From what I've read the B600 and the even more expensive B1200 give a wider field of view and are recommended for imaging over the B500.

The basic LS40/B500 has some favorable reviews though, would I regret not getting the B600?

Even seen a used Coronado PST which was less than 1/2 price but also read about problems with rust.

Don't think I should go down the used route, need it to be working well and safe.

 

[LDW1]

1 minute ago, Franklin said:

Looking at the LS40.

What's the difference between the B500 and the B600? apart from another £100.

From what I've read the B600 and the even more expensive B1200 give a wider field of view and are recommended for imaging over the B500.

The basic LS40/B500 has some favorable reviews though, would I regret not getting the B600?

Even seen a used Coronado PST which was less than 1/2 price but also read about problems with rust.

Don't think I should go down the used route, need it to be working well and safe.

 

Over here the difference in cost between the 500 and 600 is around $50 C, for visual the 500 is more than adequate but the 600 gives you maybe a bit more contrast, a wider view, I would go to the Lunt website and read their liturature, their explanation on those filters and then make your decision on your possible future uses of your scope. I chose to go the extra $'s but I wouldn't be afraid of the B500, as a matter of fact is the next step down from the B600 not a B400 with the 40mm.

[LDW1]

O

Edited February 23, 2023 by LDW1

[Franklin]

6 minutes ago, LDW1 said:

Over here the difference in cost between the 500 and 600 is around $50 C,

Indeed, Lunt equipment seems quite a bit cheaper in the US than here, country of origin I expect. The LS50 is cheaper over there than the LS40 over here, mad!

[LDW1]

2 minutes ago, Franklin said:

Indeed, Lunt equipment seems quite a bit cheaper in the US than here, country of origin I expect. The LS50 is cheaper over there than the LS40 over here, mad!

Over here the 40mm was $1000 C and the 50mm is $1290 C not incl the crayford focuser, both with the B600 blocking filter and of course tax and shipping on top.

[LDW1]

38 minutes ago, Franklin said:

Looking at the LS40.

What's the difference between the B500 and the B600? apart from another £100.

From what I've read the B600 and the even more expensive B1200 give a wider field of view and are recommended for imaging over the B500.

The basic LS40/B500 has some favorable reviews though, would I regret not getting the B600?

Even seen a used Coronado PST which was less than 1/2 price but also read about problems with rust.

Don't think I should go down the used route, need it to be working well and safe.

 

Apparently only the older PST versions had rusting problems that were corrected under warranty, the newer didn't but they never identified the cut off between older and newer, lol ! So when it comes to used one had better find out how old, get the serial number and try and track its age, through Cornado to be safe.

[Carbon Brush]

The PST is very much unpack, point, look, tweak focus then etalon. An instant result without options.

With the Lunt scopes (still thinking the used market not just new today) you have lots of options.
I didn't want to complicate things with the B500/600/1200. But it has been brought up!
Then with pressure tuning, the previous owner of mine splashed out on the air pump system to maintain constant pressure, rather than turn the big reservoir/piston.
Would I have spent on this new? Does it improve things? No idea really.

Finally @LDW1 has shown his Lunt atop a Solarquest mount.

A great mount for solar. Completely useIess of course for anything else.
Place on the ground sort of level, just left of the sun and power up.
Go inside to fetch the solar scope.
While you are doing the carrying, the mount finds the sun and starts tracking.
There is a nudge adjustment. But you don't need it to start.
Just hang the scope on the mount and start looking.

I can confirm the Solarquest will carry an LS60. Though the Skywatcher tripod is a bit flexible for my liking.
A sturdy tripod/top is on my 'to do' list.

[Franklin]

The LS40/B500 is nearly £1100 here but I've seen Agena Astro selling the LS50/B600 for under $1000, maybe it's an old ad and shipping and taxes would add further of course.

The Daystar Solar Scout at 60mm looks great value but I've been reading some scary stories about their QC.

 

[Carbon Brush]

On the 'rusty' PST. Just look at the objective. Is it brown? Does it look as if it has fungus? That is to be avoided.
If the lens is bluish, you are OK.

I think by now the old rusty lens models will have been repaired, or the inner working put into other scopes.
Unless of course you are at the car boot sale or certain auction sites.
TAL100 conversions using a PST etalon were popular at one time.
I mixed parts from 2 PST to make a good one. One had a rusty objective, the other a broken etalon.

[LDW1]

4 minutes ago, Franklin said:

The LS40/B500 is nearly £1100 here but I've seen Agena Astro selling the LS50/B600 for under $1000, maybe it's an old ad and shipping and taxes would add further of course.

The Daystar Solar Scout at 60mm looks great value but I've been reading some scary stories about their QC.

 

Watch the adds, their prices many are but many aren't out of date, just confirm as required. You know what the world is like today.

[LDW1]

4 minutes ago, Carbon Brush said:

On the 'rusty' PST. Just look at the objective. Is it brown? Does it look as if it has fungus? That is to be avoided.
If the lens is bluish, you are OK.

I think by now the old rusty lens models will have been repaired, or the inner working put into other scopes.
Unless of course you are at the car boot sale or certain auction sites.
TAL100 conversions using a PST etalon were popular at one time.
I mixed parts from 2 PST to make a good one. One had a rusty objective, the other a broken etalon.

Who wants to get into that type of stuff ?

[Carbon Brush]

 

 

[LDW1]

22 minutes ago, Carbon Brush said:

The PST is very much unpack, point, look, tweak focus then etalon. An instant result without options.

With the Lunt scopes (still thinking the used market not just new today) you have lots of options.
I didn't want to complicate things with the B500/600/1200. But it has been brought up!
Then with pressure tuning, the previous owner of mine splashed out on the air pump system to maintain constant pressure, rather than turn the big reservoir/piston.
Would I have spent on this new? Does it improve things? No idea really.

Finally @LDW1 has shown his Lunt atop a Solarquest mount.

A great mount for solar. Completely useIess of course for anything else.
Place on the ground sort of level, just left of the sun and power up.
Go inside to fetch the solar scope.
While you are doing the carrying, the mount finds the sun and starts tracking.
There is a nudge adjustment. But you don't need it to start.
Just hang the scope on the mount and start looking.

I can confirm the Solarquest will carry an LS60. Though the Skywatcher tripod is a bit flexible for my liking.
A sturdy tripod/top is on my 'to do' list.

Lets tell it all, that mount is also great for WL viewing and it costs over $600 C !  An AZ mount like a Porta II, with a sol searcher / finder is more than enough to start, I still use that combo especially for WL many times. Both the Lunt and PST scopes come equiped with those type of finders either externally or internally (PST).

Edited February 23, 2023 by LDW1

[Carbon Brush]

The reason I use the Solarquest is convenience. I could use any other mount. This is my typical use.

Take the scope out early morning, look for a while.
Go and make a cuppa. Wait for cloud to pass. Pull some weeds. Wash the car. Fetch a different lens, etc.
Every time I return to the scope between other activities, the sun is still in view.
No need to mess around finding it again.

Then later in the day when a tree or house creates shade, just pick up everything in one go and move across the garden.
Reset the Solarquest and in a couple of minutes it is back in sync.

If you do any public/outreach a Solarquest comes in really handy. Just talk about something while it is sorting itself out.