Calibrating Daystar Quantum Filters

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Bob Yoesle
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Calibrating Daystar Quantum Filters

Post by Bob Yoesle »

I received a query from Frank (LTHB) regarding some of his recent posts in which he believed his DayStar Quantum SE filter was in need of calibration. His hi-res H alpha images indeed showed very good detail but appeared slightly off-band with some conspicuous dark mottles and and bright points.

I thought it would be helpful to share what I have used for calibration of my DayStar 0.6 Quantum PE, which was a bit off-band as well when the display was showing 6562.8 and a green indicator.

The procedure is pretty straightforward, and has been confirmed by Mark Wagner - who was formerly with DayStar before embarking out on his own with Solar Spectrum Filters.

1. Set the filter so the display indicates 6562.8.

2. Adjust the potentiometer set screw counter clock wise to increase the set point, and clock wise to decrease the set point temperature. It would probably be best to start at the lowest possible setting of the potentiometer. Make small incremental adjustment from the lowest temperature setting to the higher settings.

QPE 0.6 set screw.jpg
QPE 0.6 set screw.jpg (221.89 KiB) Viewed 1288 times

Use a hydrogen spectrum tube to see at what set point you are on band, or better yet use direct observation through the filter. You are on-band at the 6562.8 setting when the filaments are their darkest, and the plage is the brightest. Be sure to allow the filter temperature to stabilize for 15 -20 minutes for each incremental adjustment evaluation. When you go past being on-band the overall image will change back towards where you started.


P Zetner SHS H alpha crop SM.jpg
P Zetner SHS H alpha crop SM.jpg (71.18 KiB) Viewed 1288 times
Peter Zetner

You will also note the overall image becomes brighter the farther off-band you become - as the filter is admitting more out-of-band continuum from the photosphere.


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Re: Calibrating Daystar Quantum Filters

Post by marktownley »

Thanks Bob!


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Re: Calibrating Daystar Quantum Filters

Post by Geremia Forino »

Thank you for the tip Bob, I knew I had that potentiometer but I have never used it for a fine tuning since I have no way to see the full disk, in high resolution it is not easy to define the right band in a visual way



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Re: Calibrating Daystar Quantum Filters

Post by LTHB »

Thanks again for the useful information, Bob!

I should probably add that unfortunately my Quantum does not have the small set screw. Bob‘s Quantum is a little older than mine (which was purchased directly from Daystar in 2018 by its first owner), so Daystar may have removed the set screw.

Image

Image

However, somewhat puzzling to me a quick search for pictures of the Daystar Quantum SE on the web did not turn up a single one that looks like my copy, i.e. without the small set screw. All the vendors I checked, and also Daystar, show the set screw, e.g.:

https://www.apm-telescopes.net/de/dayst ... pha-filter

https://www.daystarfilters.com/MechanicalDrawings.shtml

But then, the Daystar website has a couple of dead links and is a little outdated in some places. Maybe the vendors just copy the outdated pictures?


Anyway, I‘ve opened the filter housing to see if there is a potentiometer hiding inside that can be used for calibration. Result: none, as far as I can see.

Image

Image

So maybe there are versions of the Daystar Quantum that can be calibrated via the small set screw and other versions that cannot.

Best regards,

Frank


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