37 replies to this topic

[Johninuk]

I'm planning this year to get a full aperture ERF, either a Lunt or Baader in conjunction with a Quark Combo Ha.
What concerns me most is the reliability of the Quark based on past issues reported by users.
John.

[spereira]

I'm planning this year to get a full aperture ERF, either a Lunt or Baader in conjunction with a Quark Combo Ha.
What concerns me most is the reliability of the Quark based on past issues reported by users.
John.

I have a Quark Chromosphere that I normally use with my TV-85.  Purchased a couple (few?) years ago just before NEAF.  It has worked perfectly fine, from right out of the box.  I let folks know this when they voice concern, as it seems that the user group is split 50-50.  It either works or it doesn't.  I don't know why, but my experience has been excellent.

 

I'd really like to find information on alternatives to Daystar for the Q3.5, just to see what the options and differences are.

 

smp

[Gregory Gross]

Does anyone else have a Questar Solar setup like this?  I am very interested in knowing what all the bits are that are needed to do Ha Solar observing with the Q3.5.  I know that Daystar has Ha equipment available, but this setup in post #20 does not look like that.  If anyone can offer any info or pointers on an Ha setup for Q3.5 like this, I would be very interested.

There are these pages on the web:

Questar Solar Observatory (Company 7).
A Telescope for Lovers of the Sun (Company 7).
Questar Solar Observatory PDF (Questar Corporation).
Questar solar observatory vs. Lunt solar telescope (CN thread): the last posting dated September 4, 2017, has some great insight.

While I don't have a Questar Solar Observatory and don't have 100% on what that setup involves for safe operation, it appears to me that the two critical components of the Questar Solar Observatory are the front-mounted etalon and the rear-mounted blocking filter. The etalon allows extraordinarily narrow bandpasses of light through at various points on the spectrum, and the blocking filter allows through the one that you're interested in seeing (H-alpha centered at 656nm).

I'm also hoping that others with experience with the Questar Solar Observatory add their thoughts. From my perspective, I have a few questions about how well suited a Questar is for H-alpha solar observing. I wonder about the effect that adding a 60mm etalon would have on stopping a 89mm scope with 1300mm FL at f/14.4 down to a 60mm scope at f/21.7 (I'm thinking about floaters among other problems). Also, while the aperture is reduced to 60mm, the size of the central obstruction remains the same, thus potentially degrading performance even more.

My curiosity about using a Questar for H-alpha solar observing is also colored by my experience with my double-stacked 60mm pressure-tuned Lunt solar scope. I admit a heavy bias towards using a dedicated solar scope with an unobstructed aperture and a double-stack module for H-alpha observing.

On their Questar pricing page, Company 7 lists the cost of a Questar Solar Observatory with Coronado filter to be $3200, but that price list is 12 years old. I'd be willing to bet that the current price is approaching that of a quality dedicated solar scope with double-stack module.

[spereira]

Thanks very much for posting this information.

 

As usual for me, I am only getting more confused.  The Questar Solar Observatory PDF seems to show a setup similar to what Rolo showed in his photos above.  However, the Questar pricing page says:

 

"Questar Solar Observatory for optional DayStar H-alpha Filter (select from 0.3 to 0.7 Å bandpass). Includes Pre Filter, Diapraghm, Diagonal, Swivel, Pole Align Set, Sun Shield, Instructions. Permits up to full 90mm aperture operation of Questar 3-1/2 telescope, or Questar 7 with optional DayStar Filter. Contact Company Seven, or refer to our DayStar Filter Section to select filter."

 

Clearly indicating the Solar Observatory is for use with an optional DayStar Ha Filter.  

 

Then the next item says:

 

"Questar Solar Observatory with Coronado 0.6Å ATM H-alpha Filter PN 19265C"

 

This seems to be a different configuration from the first one, and perhaps more like what Rolo shows in his photos.

 

I've sent an e-mail message to Questar, requesting technical information, price, and delivery time estimate.  We'll see what they respond with.

 

smp

[spereira]

Jim responded to me very quickly. 

He sent me the Questar price list and the setup instructions for the Solar Observatory with DayStar Filter.  

Here's what he said:

 

"Hello,

Here is a Questar price list. You would find it on page 3. The .7 works great with the 3.5” Questar. We do have the .7 in stock at this time.
                                                                                                 Thank you,
                                                                                                 Jim Reichert"

 

 

From that response, it looks like perhaps Questar is only promoting the Solar Observatory for use with DayStar filters?  It appears that the price would be $2195 for the Questar Solar Observatory without H-alpha filter, plus $3450 for the .7 A Quantum SE H-alpha filter in filter case, for a total of $5645.  

 

Since he said they had the filter in stock, but did not say anything about the Solar Observatory, I guess that I would call down to them to discuss the purchase if I were to proceed, if only to find out what the delivery time would be.

 

smp

Attached Files

•  questar daystar SOLARINS-min.pdf   200.77KB   55 downloads
•  consumer 3.5 prices April2019-min.pdf   267.5KB   110 downloads

[spereira]

...  It appears that the price would be $2195 for the Questar Solar Observatory without H-alpha filter, plus $3450 for the .7 A Quantum SE H-alpha filter in filter case, for a total of $5645.  ...

Thinking about this some more, I think another way to go might be to purchase the Questar Solar Observatory without H-alpha filter, for $2195, and then go over to DayStar and purchase the Questar Quark (chromosphere, in my case) for $1195.  That would total $3390.

 

I really would like to know what the setup that Rolo showed in his photos is.

 

smp 

[spereira]

Thinking about this some more, I think another way to go might be to purchase the Questar Solar Observatory without H-alpha filter, for $2195, and then go over to DayStar and purchase the Questar Quark (chromosphere, in my case) for $1195.  That would total $3390.

 

I really would like to know what the setup that Rolo showed in his photos is.

 

smp 

 

Thinking about this even more, I think another way to go might be to go over to DayStar and purchase the energy rejection filter from them, along with the Questar Quark.  By the looks of it, the ERF from DayStar for a Questar 3.5 would be over $500, but probably less than $1000.  That would bring the total to $500-$1000, plus $1195 for the Quark, or $1700-$2200.

 

Too bad that the only Ha option seems to be using a DayStar filter.  Does anyone else have an Ha setup for the Q3.5 using any other Ha filter?

 

smp

[Optics Patent]

Thanks for the price list.  Compared to the most recent I had from 2 years earlier, the Standard scope is 3% more.  Field models unchanged.

 

Leather case is $795 up from $525 (presumably scarce remaining stock).  Standard case is $625 up from $365.

 

Walnut eyepiece case now offered.

 

Shipping drum up 20%.

 

Most items unchanged. 

[cbwerner]

Too bad that the only Ha option seems to be using a DayStar filter.  Does anyone else have an Ha setup for the Q3.5 using any other Ha filter?

I used to use a Coronado SM60 Ha filter with an adapter on my Q. It performed pretty well, but the balance was problematic, even with a counterweight that I purchased from Questar.

 

The challenge I have had with this dilemma is this: Stephen - in your post #31 above you outline a setup for the Questar that gets you to $3390 cost-wise. I haven't used that setup obviously, but you can get an 80mm (less than 89 obviously, but clear aperture - no central obstruction) pressure tuned Lunt Ha Scope for $3695 from Astronomics (shameless but no shame felt plug for the guys that pay for our fun here).

 

At what point are we forcing a square peg in a round hole? That's what I decided with that Coronado filter. I've got to believe that the Questar Solar Observatory would be a better experience, perhaps much better, but as much as I love my Q, if it doesn't give me the best observing experience for solar, I'm looking elsewhere.

 

At the moment I have a 60mm tilt tuned Lunt that I bought from Astronomics when there was an amazing sale on a number of months back. Haven't really used it yet (solar minimum you know), but I'm using it to get back into the Ha game, figure out the aperture I want (honestly 80-100 mm if I can rationalize the cost), and figure out whether I prefer tilt or pressure tuned. I would definitely consider the Questar option if I hear a rave review, but at the moment I'm focused on the dedicated solar scope as my path.

[Gregory Gross]

I would definitely consider the Questar option if I hear a rave review, but at the moment I'm focused on the dedicated solar scope as my path.

I agree 100%. I'd be delighted to hear what others have to say about their actual experience using the Questar Solar Observatory, but I'm in the frame of mind that the dedicated solar refractor is the better option. Swaying me to this opinion is the fact that, for me, double stacking is such an important part of the solar observing experience. Having used a double-stack module for a few years now, I would never go back to single-stacked H-alpha observing.

To tie this discussion back to the question, "How do you use your Questar?," maybe it's sufficient for me to say that I wouldn't expect to be able to use a Questar (or any other catadioptric scope) for visual H-alpha observing. There are some pretty killer images of the Sun in H-alpha that other CN users have made with large-aperture SCTs (I can't recall who or when), but I imagine those setups are very complex and expensive.

[spereira]

Hi Chris and Greg - thanks very much for all your advice.

 

I'm searching for an easier to use solar setup than my current TV-85 and Quark.  Nothing I have is easier to use than the Q, so I was hoping that I could cobble together a solar setup for the Q, and then recoup a bit of that expense selling my existing Quark.

 

The big deal for me is the complexity of the setup, and I was hoping to find a no-wires-or-batteries-needed setup to use with the Q because of its quick setup and ease of use.  Looks like that may become a fool's errand.  An interesting way to spend the afternoon, though.

 

I have found on the web that both Coronado and Lunt offer their front end ERF/Etalon and the back end Blocking Filter, and I even found that there may be adapter plates available to fit the ERF/Etalon onto the front of the Q.  However, I also found that the 90mm ERF/Etalon (even the 60mm, too) require a counter-weight on the back end because they're heavy.  The total weight of all of that then harms the RA mechanism by overloading the Q.

All this to say that I really wish Rolo would return and tell us all what he purchased, so we can see if it's still available for sale anywhere.  Otherwise, it's back to DayStar, and really, I'm already there with my TV-85.

Thanks again for all the discussion!

smp

[spereira]

Just a bit of an update:

 

Looking on the DayStar web site this afternoon, I downloaded their PDF catalog, and saw that DayStar offers a front-mounting ERF specifically for the Questar 3.5:

 

E103Q90    90mm ERF Glass, Cell & 103mm ID Cap for QUESTAR    90mm clear aperture    103mm cap ID    $518.00

 

That means we now know the total price for the ERF plus Questar Quark is $518 plus $1195 for $1713 total, plus whatever shipping.

 

I may still consider getting this.  Perhaps I'll call DayStar next week to discuss.

 

smp

[Terra Nova]

There are these pages on the web:

Questar Solar Observatory (Company 7).
A Telescope for Lovers of the Sun (Company 7).
Questar Solar Observatory PDF (Questar Corporation).
Questar solar observatory vs. Lunt solar telescope (CN thread): the last posting dated September 4, 2017, has some great insight.

While I don't have a Questar Solar Observatory and don't have 100% on what that setup involves for safe operation, it appears to me that the two critical components of the Questar Solar Observatory are the front-mounted etalon and the rear-mounted blocking filter. The etalon allows extraordinarily narrow bandpasses of light through at various points on the spectrum, and the blocking filter allows through the one that you're interested in seeing (H-alpha centered at 656nm).
 

Actually, The Daystar H-alpha filter itself is the etalon and it is mounted in the rear. An Energy Rejection Filter or ERF (pre-filter) is mounted in front over the corrector plate.