Solar hydrogen alpha line observation on the cheap?

[Joves (Aaron)]

Originally Posted by SteveInNZ

Do you see anything of prominences with the chromosphere version ?
It sounds like having the choice of brakes or steering in a car.

Steve

Absolutely, the prominences are outstanding, even in the chromosphere version.

[Joves (Aaron)]

Originally Posted by N1

Hi Aaron, sounds interesting. Where did you see the greatest improvements over the PST? Can you do full disk?

The greatest improvement over the PST is the extra aperture/resolution. Going from a 40mm objective to a 76mm objective is effectively 3.5 times increase in light gathering/resolution. Using my 110mm ED APO is basically a 7.5x increase. The level of detail seen with these gains is astonishing, both in active surface regions and prominences/spicules on the limb. The suns disk really comes to life in a larger scope.

Don't get me wrong, I love my PST and it afforded me my first ever views in Ha. I can't see myself ever getting rid of it, probably only for noatalgia's sake though, as I can't see myself really using it very much anymore either. With the Quark in my TV76, using 25mm-32mm Plossl's, I can get full disk views. Tighter the through the PST, but definitely full disk, and with very obvious detail across the entire disk, compared to the quite obvious sweet spot I have to work with in the PST. And this is full disk without having yet tried a focal reducer, which I must do. Apparently the combination works ok.

[Newtownian]

Just throwing in another dumb question?

The Quark http://www.daystarfilters.com/Quark.shtml looks like the ideal 'sunfilter' but the specifications look a little puzzling.

In the specifications diagram they don't identify any blocking filter or use of a Herschel wedge - which suggests the filter can/must cope with the full intensity of the sun directly - which seems hard to credit.

Elsewhere they mention a '12 mm' blocking filter in such a way as to suggest its part of the Quark assembly consistent with this.

What isn't clear to me is how the excess heat entering the telescope would be dissipated without building up to dangerous levels. A 76 mm objective is a pretty good heat collector and a 110 mm even more so. Is the heat just lost without damage?

At the least this suggests using my 200 mm Cassegrain to get high magnification would be ill advised (unless I used one of those aperture stop downs ?) . Could you use a Herschel wedge or would the light intensity potentially damage the secondary mirror's coating.

Though if direct use is possible it sounds like piggybacking my 72 mm refractor could be ok.

One last thing thing is it doesn't look like you would use Baader film over the objective or you wouldn't see anything at all.

Any comments?

[Merlin66 (Ken)]

The Quark design uses a "solid" etalon design and is rated, according to Daystar for use, with no additional energy rejection filters, on refractors up to 80mm aperture.
For 80-100mm aperture they recommend at least a UV-IR filter and a full ERF above 100mm.
The Herschel wedge is ONLY for use on achromat refractors. (No SCT's, Newtonians or complex refractors)
The Baader film is for white light observing (not solar Ha) and can safely be used on all telescope types.

[N1 (Mirko)]

Originally Posted by Joves

The greatest improvement over the PST is the extra aperture/resolution. Going from a 40mm objective to a 76mm objective is effectively 3.5 times increase in light gathering/resolution. Using my 110mm ED APO is basically a 7.5x increase. The level of detail seen with these gains is astonishing, both in active surface regions and prominences/spicules on the limb. The suns disk really comes to life in a larger scope.

Don't get me wrong, I love my PST and it afforded me my first ever views in Ha. I can't see myself ever getting rid of it, probably only for noatalgia's sake though, as I can't see myself really using it very much anymore either. With the Quark in my TV76, using 25mm-32mm Plossl's, I can get full disk views. Tighter the through the PST, but definitely full disk, and with very obvious detail across the entire disk, compared to the quite obvious sweet spot I have to work with in the PST. And this is full disk without having yet tried a focal reducer, which I must do. Apparently the combination works ok.

It does sound like a great addition to an existing small refractor. I'll be watching this space out of interest, although I'll probably stick with the SM60 for the high resolution views.

[Joves (Aaron)]

Originally Posted by N1

It does sound like a great addition to an existing small refractor. I'll be watching this space out of interest, although I'll probably stick with the SM60 for the high resolution views.

Yep, it's a fantastic addition for anyone wanting to get into Ha and already has a simpler designed frac (achro, ED doublet, etc.)

I had a good few hours session with it this morning in the TV76 and tried out a 0.5 focal reducer in the 32mm Plossl. The view was outstanding!!

[N1 (Mirko)]

Originally Posted by Joves

... tried out a 0.5 focal reducer in the 32mm Plossl. The view was outstanding!!

That figures, since anything you do with the light cone after the filter should not affect the filter's performance. Plus the 32 Plossl is a great EP . How do you power the Quark?

[Joves (Aaron)]

Originally Posted by N1

That figures, since anything you do with the light cone after the filter should not affect the filter's performance. Plus the 32 Plossl is a great EP . How do you power the Quark?

True. The 32mm Plossl is a great eyepiece, I agree, however it's eye relief is a little too long to be comfortable for me. I have to hover my eye over the eyecup, which isn't ideal when viewing the sun. The focal reducer brings the eye relief to a more suitable level and brightens the view a little.

I use a Panasonic battery pack, designed as a backup power/charging source for phones and iPads, I believe. Works a charm. Takes about 4 hrs to charge and provides roughly 6 or 7 hours of use in the Quark. Also sits comfortable between the scope and mount in use, so it isn't a hassle at all.