QUARK HYDROGEN ALPHA Solar Eyepiece

[@jamesball1456]

I do like martins videos .he’s so much fun to watch .thanks for all you do and the effort you bring fella . Stay safe all enjoy the show 👍

[@MPAstro]

Thanks James I hope this video really helps you to decide on the Quark

[@georges.5612]

There were little bits of information on practical use here that you do not find on the Quark website, or if available, is likely buried in forums. This is the type of information people interested in buying a product should definitely see. Well done and useful as always, Martin. Thank you!

[@MPAstro]

Thank George S for watching, there will be another video based on the Quark, once I have clear skies again!! So I am drawing up new plans on my next video!!

[@Astronomo_Space]

Thank you for usually take your time to meticulously detailing all aspects!

[@MPAstro]

My pleasure!

[@GalaxyArtMedia]

Good captures!

[@MPAstro]

Not the best images, still a long way to go!!! DAMN I need a MONO camera???

[@AngelSanchez-un6ef]

What a very nice video. Hard work. Thank you for a lot of info!!

[@MPAstro]

So nice of you

[@HollomanUFOLanding]

I look forward to seeing this, Martin. 1K is a lot of money - but if it does the business, then......

[@MPAstro]

1K is a BIG DIVE for most of us!! However this video will make you decide 110%

[@HollomanUFOLanding]

@@MPAstro Cheers Martin, keep up the good work!

[@MPAstro]

No Problem!!! Hopefully the QUARK should be your next investment!! Defo worth every penny despite it's huge price tag

[@domenicomarongiu]

Thank you Martin!! I saw the chromosphere through a similar eyepiece, in a July afternoon during an evening of science divulgation..stunning

[@MPAstro]

Thanks for sharing Dom!!!

[@caput_in_astris]

This is an absolutely amazing video! It contains all the information I was looking for (so little available in the Daystar IFU....) - and a lot of very useful advises. Many thanks for it!

[@MPAstro]

Awesome, thank you! There will be another video on the Quark with more upgrades, Just need the clear skies which is affecting my video content.

[@sjpp71]

Fantastic video, Martyn! Thanks for sharing. Your enthusiasm is absolutely inspiring. I have been trying to make my mind between getting a small lunt solar scope or perhaps getting the quark. You make a very good case for the latter. The things I don't like too much about the quark are that it requires power, the warmup time, and, being an electronic device, how long until it starts having any issues (although I know daystar are serious people and their products seem to be of A1 quality). Being able to use this eyepiece on different refractor sizes of course is a big plus. This hobby is really expensive, but I found it totally worth it, so many wonderful things out there to observe and image. Keep the videos coming, mate!

[@MPAstro]

Thank you so much for your positive feedback!! I'll be honest with you if get the Quark you'll not be restricted on what you can do with it and personally I feel if you get a Solar telescope, I'll be pretty sure that you'll be out growning it after a few uses from it and you'll reach to a point that you cannot do much more with it. Here the Quark is the game changer, as this can be used on variety of equipment and thus allowing you to do many more widefield & close-up shots. It makes total sense to me why you should opt for the Quark. I will be doing another video on the Quark, as I have found some unique features which can used with the Quark to expand on it's uses!! Unfornately UK has been battered with Storms laterly hence I have not managed to make any videos just yet and currently with the different situation in Ukraine at the moment, I maybe called up at any moment being a Servicemen, it's my duty on what I must do, so may put more delays on video production.But end of the day my channel is real content and is not staged, as you'll find plenty of Astro Channels which seem unsual that you do not see actual recordings of themselves using the equipment and pretending the motions with fancy images and cool video footage!! Here on MP ASTRO my videos are long but constructive!! Thank Sergio for taking your time to watch this video and look forward for more videos, I'll let you know as soon as possible if the situation worsens!!

[@sjpp71]

@@MPAstro Thanks for the advise Martin, 100% confidence in the content you post as is evident the amount of effort you put into it, for which I'm sure many more are grateful for! Yes, worrying times we are living, let's hope common sense, restraint and deescalation prevails at the end. Stay safe!

[@whatmattersmost6725]

Guys & Girls when you order the Quark Daystar "TELL THEM MARTIN SAID GET IT". Thanks Martin, I got mine last year and with what's gone on last year I look forward using it! I agree 100% with your reasons as I had the same reasons almost you can't out grow it!

[@MPAstro]

Thanks Chris for your support in this video. The Quark might be expensive at first glance, but it's best buy anyone who can invest in!! Making the right choice with this Eyepiece attachment you can do a lot more stuff from Mono Imaging, to widefield Sun images, to observing through an eyepiece. And yet using different scopes, focal reducers will help get the image of the sun you want. It's a huge choice to make but defo worthwhile the money. If you bought a 50mm Lunt or a 40mm PST scope I can tell you all that you'll can do so much with it to a point that you'll simply out grow it and the next thing you'll need something else bigger and better. The Quark is still cheap even though it costs over £1000, however prices are going up yet again, and I would seriously start saving for this investment early for Christmas, If you want the Hydrogen-Alpha experience of the Sun, look no further than the Quark.

[@Rfhuir343]

Thanks for this great review, Martin! I love how much detail you go into - your reviews always answer all my questions. Going to buy one of these for my 80ED

[@MPAstro]

Glad to help! The quark is defo the best buy for the Hydrogen-Alpha Solar Experience, With Summer closing in!! You'll spend more to time solar work plus you'll don't lose any vauable sleeping hours in the process!!

[@Rfhuir343]

@@MPAstro This is my thinking with summer approaching. Have pulled the triggered on Chromosphere version. I’ve definitely got the solar bug now!

[@shaunmk]

great explaining the new equipment Martin

[@MPAstro]

Glad to help Shaun Good luck on the Mak 127, The first telescope any beginner should always start off with!! Jupiter is going to be stunning when you see it!!

[@e.morrienh]

nice videos you mak, i just have the coronado pst... thanks fore your videos...

[@MPAstro]

Thanks for watching!

[@kevinburke8608]

The switch controls a heating element to bring it on band (the filter is sensitive to temp). The Lunt scopes use air pressure or tilt to bring the filter on band. This allows you to tune it since the filters are ridiculously precise. The pressure Lunts you should tune it every time you use it (similar to focusing). Once you find the sweet spot for the Quark, you shouldn't have to alter it much if using it during similar temps. I dont know what you mean by "charge" at all. Also, you hinted at taking the Quark apart. It should be known that the assembly is pressurized and taking it apart will not allow for reassembly without special tools, materials, and equipment to realign some of the components... you take it apart, you break it with no chance of putting it back together unless you own a factory that can make these.

[@RobertKarlBerta]

Martin....great video! I have a Coronado 60mm original Etalon (US made) and 30mm BF that I use on a couple of different refractors but mainly a 80mm Officina Stellare. I also have a newer 60mm Lunt Ha scope that I was given for use in my education programs. Both are single stacked. I also have a Day Star Chromoshere Ha Quark like yours. I find that the Coronado or the Lunt is superior for visual fast use and also they work best for full disk imaging...especially for public viewing. For photography I prefer the Day Star Quark due to its excellent resolution for small detail. I use a mono high resolution 147 camera for imaging.....a color one shot camera is not a good choice as you are imaging in a verty narrow spectrum so both resolution and amount of data is less with a OSC camera. A couple of safety items.....once you go over about 125mm aperture you MUST use a ERF (Energy Reduction Filter) on the front of the telescope main objective or risk damaging the telescoope. An alternative to that expensive filter is to reduce the aperture of your scope with a mask on the front of the scope. This may be a good idea anyway as a larger aperture than about 90mm will be more affected by seeing so a smaller aperture is often useable on more days than a large aperture. While most any diagonal will work, you can use without a diagonal straight through for photography....and I prefer it straight through. Solar viewing and imaging is fantastic but you have to remember that ignoring safety best practices could be very dangerous to your vision.

[@MPAstro]

Some very good advice there Robert. I will consider the Mono camera option once I have funds saved up, defo agree that one colour is not great for solar work

[@astrovega]

Thank you Martin for your great tutorial and unboxing of the Quark chrominance. You convinced me, and I'm buying it! I already have the Lunt 50mm which I did a review on my channel, but now I want to go to the next level. Thanks again!

[@MPAstro]

Glad I could help! Certainly is the best investment I've done!! I've now got a ERF so I can use the Quark to image the sun with bigger telescopes!! Remember you will never out grow the Quark, so many things you can do with this gadget. Yes Solar telescopes are great too, but you'll soon outgrow it and you soon want more!! The Quark does have a few upgrades too and so the limit on Solar imaging is timeless!! Welcome to the QUARK Club my friend!!

[@astrovega]

@@MPAstro YEAH!!

[@astrovega]

@@MPAstro Tell me can you take the 4.2x barlow out? ..4.2 is alot ?

[@MPAstro]

Unfornately you cannot remove the 4.2x barlow lens, it's sealed together with blocking filter and etalon filter, and stripping it out void your warranty. So it's not worth taking the risk. You can however connect a Quark 0.5x Focal Reducer to half the barlow effect, so in theory, turing the the Quark to a 2.1x barlow system.

[@TareqAstroPhoton]

@@astrovega I bought the Quark, not this Barlow added one, but other version without Barlow, so i am free to use whatever Barlow i need to, lucky me, i was so close to buy this Quark with Barlow until i found the other model, but i didn't test it yet until i buy few more gadgets first which will take time, good luck.

[@davidmoore770]

I received mine two days ago. The first view through it was shocking compared to my old PST. As far as the initial warm up goes., I’ll plug it in as soon as I go outside before setting the telescope up and getting it pointed at the sun. By the time I look at the sun in white light first the Quark is warmed up and ready to go. I have not imaged with it yet only visual.

[@MPAstro]

Thank you David for sharing your experience with the QUARK. I had to be honest that my first views were disappointing at first, but I soon realised, when the clouds moved away, that's when the Quark really does show a lot of detail. But you have to find that sweet spot on the Angstrom tuning switch, I know that 2 clicks to the left is perfect adjustment for the Altair Astro 66mm ED, where I can see all detail visible and very sharp!! But you have to find the right adjustment as not all Refractors work the same!! So you have to play about with the settings to get the perfect balance. However I noticed the QUARK really excels in the imaging department that's for sure!!

[@captaincook6666]

Hi mate. Great video. I am seriously wanting to get into solar. Was considering Lunt 50 for similar price or this quark with my 60mm refractor. Did you get the prominence or chromosphere one? Also how often do you set the switch and wait for it to charge?

[@MPAstro]

The Quark I have is more Chromosphere, but you can tweak it up to do Prominences!! Just not as good if buy a dedicated one!! You get better value foe money with the Quark, as you use it on variety on scopes!!

[@MPAstro]

Yes it takes around 2-3 mins for each setting, so you have to be patient with it, that's it's only draw back, but still well worth it for the views!! It is truly outstanding!!

[@captaincook6666]

@@MPAstro ok thanks mate. Fed up of cloudy nights and want to start moaning about cloudy days haha

[@MPAstro]

Yep that's real Astronomy for you!! Unlike some Astro-imaging fake channels, perfect weather, perfect skies, perfect equipment, perfect images, and everything running perfect all the time and enough to publish a video every week, for more views, subs, likes, sponsorships Etc and Etc, However they never show they achieve such results, just nice flashy images and cool video editing and timelapses to confuce their viewers!! Somethings just not right here???

[@gustavoarenas8335]

thanks for your videos, I wanted to ask you what that diagonal is called and where I can buy it that is used to put the DSLR camera and for visual at the same time, I appreciate your answer, thanks in advance

[@MPAstro]

Yes this piece is called a flip mirror system, and they are quite cheap to buy, Here is a good one from 365 Astronomy, very handy for when you want to image planets and you can't get central to the camera sensor, using the eyepiece helps you centre object you want to view, also if you get it right you can get both eyepiece and cameera focused together which is possible. Here is the link for a flip mirror: www.365astronomy.com/365astronomy-imaging-flip-mirror-for-astrophotography-and-precise-focusing?search=flip%20mirror

[@bhastro9959]

@@MPAstro - I would be very careful using a flip mirror with a Quark in one port and not also in the other!

[@damianbutterworth2434]

I`ve been sat in the front room and could smell smoke and my leg was getting hot. Patted my leg and thought weird. Sat down again and it happened again. Was a magnifier face mirror focused on my leg. :)

[@MPAstro]

Sorry to hear that Just be careful Damian solar imaging is dangerous!!

[@damianbutterworth2434]

@@MPAstro I have a Baader filter for my Celestron 130 than fits over the opening. I only use a camera when looking at the sun, Too risky as I am clumsy lol.

[@MPAstro]

@@damianbutterworth2434 Don't worry, has long your viewing the sun it's Ok. You can use the Badder filter to through the eyepiece, just check the filter for damage before use. You hold the filter in front of sun, before fitting it on the telescope, if there is a light leakage don't use the filter, You should see just the dim pale disc!!

[@HollomanUFOLanding]

You put a lot of work into that video, Martin, and I enjoyed watching it. I know this may sound a bit stupid but I still dpon't understand what the eyepiece actually does. It allows you to look at details of the sun but without having to use the usual solar filter over the end of the end of the OTA? or?

[@MPAstro]

Glad you enjoyed it!! The QUARK allows you to insert a eyepiece, and allows you to view the sun safely. There is no need to place Solar filter with this device, as there is special optical glass and blocking filters which allow only a very small amount of light and a certain light wave to pass through the quark, which will not damage your eyes. However when you increase of aperture above 80mm when you must place IR/UV filter in front of the Quark or Mirror Diagonal to prevent heat build up which will damage the Quark delicate glass. If the Quark fails in event of failure it will shut down automatically and stop any sun light passing through. When your using a Refractor over 120mm aperture or your using a telescope of multiple lenses or mirror compounds then a Energy Rejection filter MUST BE USED!! to prevent heat build up in the main tube. A Normal White Light filter is not needed when you a using the Quark Solar Eyepiece.

[@HollomanUFOLanding]

@@MPAstro Cheers Martin for explaining that. Do you happen to know if there is a maximumaperture that can be used with these? My scope is 11" aperture and 2,800mm FL. (CPC1100)

[@MPAstro]

As long you go for the Sct/Mak Quark eyepiece there is no limit in Aperture, Make sure to invest in on Off-Axis ERF!! That is a MUST HAVE!!!

[@HollomanUFOLanding]

@@MPAstro Cheers Martin, clear skies!!

[@MPAstro]

Clear Skies to you!! Fingers Crossed Autumn will better than Summer!!! Summer has not been to great for Clear Skies even though the weather wasn't too bad!!!

[@frankguyton9596]

I have a 72ED 420mm and a daystar .5x reducer and I have a 174mm I can only get 90% on the chip. I’m using about 3” spacing is there anything more I could do to make it fit.

[@AcousticalEducation]

120 F 5 IS ALSO GOOD LIKE THE 100 F5? it is sufficent in this case only the UV filter? thanks

[@MPAstro]

You should be OK with the 120mm F5, but please don't cheap out on IR/UV Filter, get very good high quality one like a Baader I've shown in my video!! Expensive but will protect the Quark, and remember no Barlow lens or Reducer placed in front of the blocking filter or the IR/UV filter. Always at the eyepiece side!!

[@Daniel_DP83]

i have a Skywatcher 72/420 ED with a unmodified Canon 7D Mark 2 and i could not get a sharp pic. It looks always blurry and in LIVEVIEW on a Laptop too. I know mono cameras are much better in H-Alpha but could that be the problem?

[@MPAstro]

I will be comparing a colour and mono camera in my next video, and see if that's the case!!

[@leoncorns1450]

Good video Martin. I noticed you have great tracking in Sharpcap. But how do you polar align in the daytime?

[@MPAstro]

I didn't Polar align at all, All I did was get the mount pointing North and adjusted the Latitude axis at 56 degrees in my location. And selected Solar tracking and pointed the telescope at the Sun using my Solar Finder to prevent myself looking at the sun. That's it really, you don't need silly apps for this one that's the sure.

[@leoncorns1450]

@@MPAstro Thank you Martin, very useful info! 👍

[@MPAstro]

No Problem!!!!

[@peterojas2105]

What do you have over the objective?

[@MPAstro]

the 80mm ED has a White Solar filter which fits 90mm to 112mm diameters www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01LY1LAXV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

[@marcocambray7725]

I have a dobsonian 10 inch is there a correct h alpha filter I must use for day solar viewing in conjuction with white solar filter ?

[@MPAstro]

Unfornately no, H-Alpha filters will only filter light within a very small portion of the spectrum, and using white solar filter will reduce the light further in another part of the light spectrum, You'll not be able to see anything at all, or it will be just very dim to the eye or camera that the disc will appear blurred even when focused. The QUARK eyepiece energizes the Etalon glass which allows light to pass through, the Blocking filter at the other end filters most of the harmful rays. If you want to see anything on the Sun, you need to invest in an Off-Axis Energy Reduction Filter, in conjunction with the Quark eyepiece MUST BE FITTED AT ALL TIMES. Yes you'll lose aperture in the process (with around 60% to 70%) but you'll see detail safely and will you will not burn out the secondary mirror out (as only a small amount of Solar light is entering through the main tube). However please do not use a Full Aperture ERF, it is stated by Daystar that even though the main tube remains cool, the solar light focussed at the single point of the secondary will create heat build up and will burn off the secondary mirror coatings. So I'm afraid an Off-Axis ERF is way to go with this Quark Eyepiece.

[@marcocambray7725]

@@MPAstro thank you

[@bhastro9959]

@@MPAstro - the Quark should be used with refractors not reflectors, partly for the reason Martin gives.