Daystar Filters Blocker Transmission Curves

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Re: Daystar Filters Blocker Transmission Curves

Post by marktownley »

Thanks Walter. This matches with what i've been finding. Did some 'experimenting' today using the Quark without it and 'other' ERF techniques, seems to work very well. Certainly a good project to work on in the new year with a higher sun...


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Re: Daystar Filters Blocker Transmission Curves

Post by Valery »

marktownley wrote:Thanks Walter. This matches with what i've been finding. Did some 'experimenting' today using the Quark without it and 'other' ERF techniques, seems to work very well. Certainly a good project to work on in the new year with a higher sun...
Can you be more specific, Mark? What have you tested as the substitution for the original Quark pre-filter? And what the results in each case?

Thanks,

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Re: Daystar Filters Blocker Transmission Curves

Post by Valery »

swisswalter wrote:

Hi Modders

here a measurement of only the prefilter of the Quark, it takes away almost 85% of the incoming light
Thanks a lot, Walter!

Definitely a food to think about. I am sure I already know what will I do. However, may be Mark will add some ideas?


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Re: Daystar Filters Blocker Transmission Curves

Post by marktownley »

Valery wrote: may be Mark will add some ideas?
My mind is full of ideas ;)

If I had something like a lunt 100, then I would be removing the andover from the quark and using it in the end of the blocking filter to double stack to get more light through and shorten the exposure time.

However I dont have a Lunt, so I am adopting a different approach: Using a 'naked' PST etalon in the eyepiece holder (and so in the telecentric output beam) it is possible to double stack the quark, the pst etalon cutting photospheric leakage in the Ha wings and and so increasing contrast.

Imagesingle-stack-double-stack-comparison by Mark Townley, on Flickr

This reduces light throughput, and increases exposure time which is never good. So, removing the andover and using a Baader DERF on the objective and Baader 7nm on the nose of the diagonal, and also the blocker only element from a coronado blocker brings the exposure time short again. Note, this is only used for imaging. This seems to keep the heat out of the daystar and doesn't appear to have any drift of the cwl. Just need winter to go so I can carry on with the experiments ;)


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Re: Daystar Filters Blocker Transmission Curves

Post by swisswalter »

marktownley wrote:
swisswalter wrote:Hi Mark

thank you very much for the information. Now I understand and see a way to do double stack on the LUNT 100 without the prefilter, which means a lot more light and shorter exposure times :hamster: :hamster: :hamster:
Exactly ;)

Hi Mark


here we go. My first double stack LUNT100/Quark without the pre filter, 0,5 reducer on the nose of the quark
DSLUNTQUARK_REDUCER_132355_ps_bw.jpg
DSLUNTQUARK_REDUCER_132355_ps-treated.jpg

We cartainly do not have a problem of too much light

Exposure 16ms, Gamma 598, gain 343, Histogram 594, 26 fps, 469 Frames, stacked 62


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Re: Daystar Filters Blocker Transmission Curves

Post by grimble_cornet »

WOW - now that is interesting to another guy with an LS100 and a Quark :seesaw

Just to be clear Walter.........

You are removing the screw-off pre-filter from the Quark (as Mark described) and adding the Quark to the blocking filter of the LS100?

I have had some success by removing the blocking filter from the LS 100 and adding the Quark via diagonal fitted with a UV/IR cut filter but, as you suggest, it does increase exposure times significantly.
The image below was taken with 42ms exposure at gamma=1200 using a x0.5 on the Grasshopper nose-piece in pretty poor conditions; but at least it proved that it works.
Quark and LS100.jpg
Lunt 100 Quark-4 Grasshopper3 2014 0312 1153 ut coloured 600px.jpg
Lunt 100 Quark-4 Grasshopper3 2014 0312 1153 ut coloured 600px.jpg (344 KiB) Viewed 3769 times


.

.



.


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Re: Daystar Filters Blocker Transmission Curves

Post by swisswalter »

Hi Mike

thank you very much. Yes I did as you described. On the nose of the Quark I added my 0,5 reducer


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Re: Daystar Filters Blocker Transmission Curves

Post by marktownley »

Good results chaps!

I would go with the 0.5 reducer on the nose of the camera rather than the quark, you will get the same fov on the camera chip (roughly) but should get a tighter bandpass.


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Re: Daystar Filters Blocker Transmission Curves

Post by swisswalter »

Hi Mark

thank you very much. Yes that is what I thought too and tried of course first. No presentable results. Then I noticed, that's the wrong way ;)


Only stardust in the wind, some fine and some less fine scopes, filters and adapters as well. Switzerland 47 N, 9 E, in the heart of EUROPE :)

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Re: Daystar Filters Blocker Transmission Curves

Post by marktownley »

Ahhhh, fair enough! I just need some clear skies on the weekends now to carry on the quark experiment, alas this is not happening just yet...


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Re: Daystar Filters Blocker Transmission Curves

Post by swisswalter »

Hi Mark

just take a plane. Sunshine over hear on thuesday (predicted though ? )


Only stardust in the wind, some fine and some less fine scopes, filters and adapters as well. Switzerland 47 N, 9 E, in the heart of EUROPE :)

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Re: Daystar Filters Blocker Transmission Curves

Post by Valery »

swisswalter wrote:Hi Mark

thank you very much. Yes that is what I thought too and tried of course first. No presentable results. Then I noticed, that's the wrong way ;)
Hi Walter!

VERY strange! When I use the Quark with very fast telescopes (f/5-6) the image contrast is POOR.
As slower the telescope I use the Quark with, as better the contrast. This includes also a DS mode.

So, I believe, Mark is correct. A 0.5x reducer should be used at the camera nose.

I use such a combination in my 150mm scope (LS50F + Quark + 0.5x) with very good results.

Valery.


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Re: Daystar Filters Blocker Transmission Curves

Post by swisswalter »

Hi Valery

thank you very much. It is just not my experience


Only stardust in the wind, some fine and some less fine scopes, filters and adapters as well. Switzerland 47 N, 9 E, in the heart of EUROPE :)

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Re: Daystar Filters Blocker Transmission Curves

Post by Brett »

Walter, not on the topic of the thread, but if I may quickly throw in a question here. What spectrometer are you using? Can you perhaps provide me with a link to the model?


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Re: Daystar Filters Blocker Transmission Curves

Post by swisswalter »

Hi Brett

it is a simple Varian Carry #1. Two beams, running from 800 nm to 250 nm. It can't resolve better then 5A, but it does a great job for me


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Re: Daystar Filters Blocker Transmission Curves

Post by Brett »

Thanks Walter (not that I doubted your results). Just curious. A pretty expensive unit!


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Re: Daystar Filters Blocker Transmission Curves

Post by swisswalter »

Hi Brett

thank you very much. I did get it used. So there was not much money involved


Only stardust in the wind, some fine and some less fine scopes, filters and adapters as well. Switzerland 47 N, 9 E, in the heart of EUROPE :)

from 7 am - 7 pm http://www.nanosys.ch

from 7.01 pm - 6.59 am http://www.wastronomiko.com some times vice versa ;)
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