21 replies to this topic

[MAURITS]

Hallo, 

Are here users who use a Quark Sodium.

 

I have a 60 mm scope and maybe it can give good results with that combination.

 

I thought also to use it together with my Baader wedge and maybe than with my other scope the 150 mm.

Any comments are is it waste of money?

 

Thanks for reading.

 

[MalVeauX]

Hey Maurits,

 

Personally I see it as a very, very niche item overall. It's just a classic pair of absorption lines at 589.0nm and 589.6nm. You can identify flare eruption kernals, if you study that sort of thing, but really won't be doing it unless you have some active sunspots to do it with often likely. You might see some bit of flare coming through there though (but less profound compared to HA), when one occurs, but you need a lot more activity than what's going on now. Otherwise, it's just going to appear like the photosphere (well, lower chromosphere technically, but it will look like the photosphere for features). No obvious non-subtle features that will be different than will not be noted in another wavelength that shows the features of the photosphere. Frankly, g-band is going to offer more contrast on convection cells and calcium k will show a lot more different features from the photosphere, especially faculae areas will be immediately different and obvious compared to sodium or even continuum. So it's a personal thing really. Personally I think CaK, HA and any short (395~430nm) or long wavelength (610~656nm) of your choice (seeing dependent) for the photosphere rounds out the kit with most non-subtle features able to be noted without requiring a huge aperture & excellent seeing to be able to experience.

 

I certainly would not bother with it for just a general "photosphere" or white light narrowband filter. I would only consider it again if you're specifically trying to see or capture things that are highlighted by the wavelength in high resolution (flare kernals).

 

It is certainly nice to have options though!

 

Very best,

[NC STARGAZER]

I don't think it is a waste of money. As Marty commented, it shows many features you can already see using a white light filter. 

I purchased mine at SOLARFEST 2018, after looking through one. The view in a Sodium D is really pretty. The Sun appears BRIGHT yellow, almost a neon looking yellow. That view, in combination with the ability to see flare footprints during Solar maximum was enough to convince me to pull the trigger.

I use mine frequently to image active regions on the sun, because the QUARK has a built in 4.3x Telecentric Barlow built in. 

I use it on my 80mm, 102mm, 127mm and 152mm refractors with a 2 inch DAYSTAR UV/IR cut filter mounted ahead of the QUARK, which acts as an inline ERF. 

Regards, John

John O'Neal, NC Stargazer
http://www.ncstargazer.com

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[MAURITS]

Thanks Marty and John for the explanation.

[highfnum]

hope to get one this year sometime

[George9]

Hallo,
Are here users who use a Quark Sodium.

I have a 60 mm scope and maybe it can give good results with that combination.

I thought also to use it together with my Baader wedge and maybe than with my other scope the 150 mm.
Any comments are is it waste of money?

Thanks for reading.

Maurits when you say use it together with your wedge you don’t mean at the same time in-line with each other right? At the same time would be dark, unless I am mistaken.

George

[MAURITS]

Maurits when you say use it together with your wedge you don’t mean at the same time in-line with each other right? At the same time would be dark, unless I am mistaken.

George

George, see this link:

 

http://www.astrosurf...quarksodium.htm

Edited by MAURITS, 27 January 2020 - 04:26 PM.

[NC STARGAZER]

Interesting that a Sodium QUARK is being used behind a Herschel Wedge. Seems to me the image would be pretty dark. I am going to try some tests to see how much darker the image would be. 

I will also try it with the H-Alpha and Calcium H QUARKS.

(If the weather ever clears up, lol....)

[slavicek]

I've bought mine 2 years ago for visual use and, so far, I've used it twice. It gave me impression of "enhanced" white light. In comparison to my Ha and CaK telescopes it's a disappointment. This opinion might change once the Sun gets active again.

Also, because of the barlow effect, you will need long focal length 1.25" eyepieces.

[RickV]

Unlike Slavicek, I have no first hand experience.  However, there was a local astronomer here who sold his Sodium Quark in Dec 2018  (about 13 months ago now) after 2 years... of little use.

 

Best,

Rick

[George9]

George, see this link:

 

http://www.astrosurf...quarksodium.htm

 

Thanks. They do mention in that Web site that they found it is so bright that an ND filter is needed for visual observation on a large scope. A Herschel wedge will reduce the brightness by a factor 20, or guess about ND 1.3 if I have that right. In the Web site, it is a 130mm scope.

 

I think for the CaK filter on a 6" refractor, Lunt used to use a Herschel wedge before the CaK, so that is similar.

 

It shouldn't work for H-alpha. They are so narrow that you need all the light you can get.

 

George

[NC STARGAZER]

I like my Sodium D QUARK during solar minimum because when the sun is at minimum there is very little to see on the surface of the sun except granulation, and the Sodium QUARK excels at showing granulation.

[highfnum]

once sun does some real action

ie flares 

this Quark will show its capability 

[marktownley]

Slow to find this topic.

 

I have one, I rarely ever use it.  It just gives a white light view, i've yet to see any images of flare kernels taken with a Sodium Quark.  To be brutal I don't think the tolerances on a Quark are fine enough to get the etalon tuned exactly on the individual lines in the doublet.  The blocking filter in it is 1nm so that is already wider than both doublet lines...  

 

I do plan to explore it's use a bit more this solar cycle.

 

Mark

[briansalomon1]

I don't know why, but all the images I've seen showing detailed granulation are really appealing to me. Honestly, they all look the same and still, I just like the way "enhanced granulation" looks.

 

I can see why some people like them but can't give a good explanation why.

[vincentv]

A few months back there was a discussion of the magnesium quark. Apparently you get many of the same solar features as calcium but in a much more eye-friendly wavelength. 

[highfnum]

correct

[highfnum]

Mg

[BinoGuy]

What about adding a sodium continuum filter* AFTER the WL Herschel wedge instead of the Quark?  The wedge is transmitting all light after all, just knocking out 95% of it.  One should be able to further filter out for any wavelength desired, and this type of filter is much less expensive than a Quark.  Could even throw a few of them in to a filter wheel inexpensively.  Would there not be enough detail?  Is the band pass on the continuum filters (~15-20nm) just too wide for good views?

 

<<Never ever view the sun with only a continuum filter, you must have a solar-safe etalon or wedge>>

*https://agenaastro.c...uum-filter.html

 

Clear skies  BG  °¿°

[highfnum]

i did this a while back with a 1nm sodium filter 

six inch reflector and baader photo film

 

 

Edited by highfnum, 12 April 2021 - 04:19 PM.

[BinoGuy]

Wow, that is impressive, highfnum.  Do you happen to have a similar photo without the sodium filter for comparison?

 

Clear skies  BG  °¿°

[highfnum]

ill look i doubt it