DayStar Quark H-alpha 'Eyepiece'  Chromosphere / Prominence
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DayStar Quark H-alpha 'Eyepiece'  Chromosphere / ProminenceDayStar Quark H-alpha 'Eyepiece'  Chromosphere / ProminenceDayStar Quark H-alpha 'Eyepiece'  Chromosphere / ProminenceDayStar Quark H-alpha 'Eyepiece'  Chromosphere / Prominence

DayStar Quark H-alpha 'Eyepiece' Chromosphere / Prominence

£1,149.00
  (8 Reviews)
✓ 2 year warranty
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Out of stock due 90-120 working days

"Optimised to perfection

The small wait for each filter to get to temperature fills you with anticipation and your eventual opportunity to look through the eyepiece or via a camera certainly doesn’t disappoint.

Despite the diminutive (in hydrogen-alpha terms) price tag, both models perform impressively. The chromosphere-optimised version shows plenty of fine detail, from dark fibrils, filaments and plage to intricate magnetic maelstroms surrounding active regions. Despite its optimisation, this version can also show limb detail including prominences and the short-lived jets of gas known as spicules. The field of view has great contrast and is without gradients or noticeable sweet spots.

Switching from the chromosphere to the prominence model delivers a whole new experience. Seeing prominences via the chromosphere filter leads you into the false sense that the prominence filter view isn’t going to be that much better. However, it is. Prominences appear bright and detailed against a jet black background sky again with no sweet spot issues."  BBC Sky @ Night Magazine

About this product

Model:  ds_quark_ep_chrom
Part Number:  DSZ4C

DayStar Quark Hydrogen Alpha 'Eyepiece'

This new, all-in-one design marries high-quality components of a telecentric Barlow,  adapters, snouts and Daystar hydrogen alpha filter into one simple assembly. Through design efficiency and optimisation, users can now enjoy the known high-quality optics of DayStar* at an affordable price. 

For use on refractors of F/4 to F/8**.  The user needn't worry about configurations. Just insert in your diagonal, add an eyepiece and view. 

The patent pending QUARK* contains a custom Daystar Instruments 4.2X telecentric Barlow lens fully optimised in coatings and optical design specifically for the Hydrogen Alpha wavelength. This highly specialised telecentric lens offers superior field flatness.

The exact filter bandpass will vary based on the final telescope application, so QUARK* assemblies are qualified to show either prominence or surface (chromosphere). No specific FWHM bandpass is designated. Now observers can buy a filter based on their desired observing goals instead of their budget. Choose prominences or surface (Chromosphere) detail. Both are available for the same low price!

The fully optimised design eliminates the need for adapters. It is all combined in one lightweight eyepiece-sized device. The new, compact design configuration eliminates unnecessary components, weight and associated costs. We even reduced power consumption, so the Quark* can now operate all day off a small, palm-sized optional battery pack.

Baffles have been added to increase contrast, and AR coatings are optimised for the 656nm wavelength.

Important: Concentrated sunlight can create very high temperatures where it falls, so care must be taken to prevent melted components or fire.

For brief observing sessions with less than 80mm of aperture when not using a tracking mount, it can be OK to use no energy rejection at all. Be alert for any rise in temperature of your telescope, diagonal, or Quark.

For telescopes under approximately 120mm of aperture, a screw in UV/IR cut filter can be employed in front of the telescope diagonal. The UV/IR cut filter reflects UV and IR light back out the front of the telescope, reducing temperatures inside. Do not use a UV/IR cut filter with oil spaced objective telescopes, or any telescope with an integrated rear field flattener or Petzval lens. The UV/IR cut filter must be the first optical element to receive concentrated light.

For best performance, a red or yellow glass front mount Energy Rejection Filter should be used. This prevents almost all heat from entering the telescope, and is the safest option. Contact us if you are not sure.

Features

  • 1.25" or 2.0" combo eyepiece snouts with safety indent slot directly into your diagonal
  • Standard 1.25 eyepiece drawtube output with optional 2" and SCT accessories available.
  • Brass compression ring to protect eyepiece.
  • It uses USB power, 5v 1.5amp
  • Includes 90-240VAC wall adapter with international plug adapters.
  • Tuning knob allows wing shifting +/- 0.5Ã… with detents at every 0.1Ã…
  • LED indicator for power, warming, ready, fault
  • Five-year warranty,
  • Optional 8-hour battery pack available.
  • Integrated, fully baffled two-element telecentric 4.2X Barlow optimised for 656nm
  • Integrated 12mm blocking filter
  • 21mm clear filter aperture
  • Best performance with F/4 - F/8 refractors
  • Full disk viewing is possible on refractors up to ~450mm focal length refractors
  • No aperture limitations. May be used on larger refractors for higher magnification views
  • Ships in convenient Twist-Case for safe, dust-free storage.
  • Not suited for off-axis application

*The QUARK* assembly is a product of DayStar Instruments, using DayStar Filters' Fabry Perot etalon technology.
** QUARK Filters may be used at shorter and longer focal ratios than recommended. F-ratios of F/9 and higher will offer a dimmer visual view and may only be bright enough for photographic applications. F-ratios of less than F/4 will be brighter but also widen the effective FWHM bandpass performance of the QUARK filter.

What's in the box

  • Quark Eyepiece
  • 1.25" Eyepiece Drawtube
  • Wall Power Adapter
  • USB Power Cable
  • Twist-Case

Customer reviews

Average Rating (8 Reviews):  
Write a Review and share your opinions!

Rating (max 5):  
Love this little device
24 December 2022  | 

I wanted to take images of the sun but did not want to spend too much on buying a solar only scope. The results I was able to get using the Quark is way better than the results they are advertised with, So it exceeded my expectations and I am able to use most of my scopes with this. If you are looking to get started into solar this is the single best thing you can buy that shows you every detail on the sun.


Rating (max 5):  
Stunning views
19 December 2022  | 

First rate service as always from FLO. I've only had a couple of opportunities to use the Chromosphere version I purchased. Hooked up to my old Evostar 80ED the views it provided are incredible. It has been terrifically easy to use and create a full solar mosaic on only my second use with stunning detail. Verry happy so far.


Rating (max 5):  
Great product and customer service
12 December 2022  | 

The best thing about FLO is that they allowed me to order and pay for the item which was out of stock. The waiting time was up to 3 months, but I received my item only a month later. I have bought many items from FLO and every single time they delivered on time and I never had a problem with the product itself. The communication with FLO is also quick and efficient. I really recommend FLO!


Rating (max 5):  
Early days, but wow!
02 September 2022  | 

Many thanks to FLO for this good unit. My first light images are on the stargazers website, (Altocumulus), very roughly processed, but shows potential for the Quark. I need to check all the settings having only used the one as received. A first stab at powering from a pegasus ultimate v1 was unsuccessful, not too sure why, there ought to be enough juice available, but using the supplied charger I got the green light 9 minutes in.
I bought this as a less expensive option of doublestack for my Lunt ls60tha. Seems a good decision so far. Aye it takes a while to warm up, but I can browse through WL and CaK whilst that's going on.


Rating (max 5):  
Great piece!
24 December 2020  | 

I got this for my wife who loves solar and have to admit I was a bit sceptical at first after reading a lot of forums with mixed feelings about the Quark.

Bad weather’s been a pain this year but we managed to try the Quark one sunny morning and we are so impressed with it. The images it delivers are as good as those taken with way more expensive solar-only scopes, such as Lunt or Coronado. This is an unbelievable achievement fro Daystar at this price.

We have the chromosphere version but we’re so happy to see that prominences are well visible too.
If you are thinking to get one of this, just go for it!


Rating (max 5):  
Visual and Imaging with DayStar H-alpha Chromosphere
13 August 2020  | 

DayStar arrived on time and without dramas. Set up on Williams Optics Zenith Star 73. I had the DayStar 2" adaptor and used my Panaview 26 and 32mm and Aero 40mm eyepieces. Understanding these are not best suited to this application I was surprised that the views were not bad at all. The key variable was the seeing which ranged from reasonably stable to terrible. For optimum performance I set the tuning knob fully anti-clockwise. The setting seemed to work well for all features observed.
The sun's activity was relatively low throughout a number of viewing sessions. One sunspot and associated active areas were seen well. Spicules on the sun's edge were seen in excellent detail. The few filaments seen showed good levels of detail if somewhat lacking in contrast. Prominences were seen very well with good contrast and significant detail.
Side-to-side with Coranado PST the DayStar Q Chrom is clearly a step up in contrast and detail. The most obvious difference is the lack of "sweet spot" with the DayStar filter (compared to PST): the view being uniform across the entire FOV.
Using the DayStar + adaptor + ZWO ASI 174MM for a quick imaging session worked well. Interference patterns were evident - very fine patterns and wider light and dark bands. With the tuning knob fully anti-clockwise these patterns were minimised. A tilt-adaptor would probably be required for serious imaging.
Overall very happy with the DayStar Q Chrom!


Rating (max 5):  
Amazing
25 May 2020  | 

got to use the quark chromosphere today for first light.
It's riding on an ED80 and Solar Quest mount. Instead of the UV/IR cut filter I opted for the Baader 35nm filter as advised by members on SGL. The view was amazing. I spent some time changing the tuning. I found the 0 gave me the best surface detail and -3 the best contrast for proms. Overall I'm delighted. On the solar quest I bought it used and it holds the ED80 and the quark and the rest of the stuff easily. I put a prom in the center of the FOV and it stayed there for the whole 2:30 session whilst experimented with settings.


Rating (max 5):  
First Light - Prominence
14 May 2020  | 

First thanks again to all at FLO for a safe and fast delivery.
Well packaged and undamaged
The Quark itself comes in a plastic screw down case so will always be protected, the cable is very long so should easily reach the Quark in normal situations.
As usual as soon as it arrived the clouds jumped out of the box and into the sky, there is also very little activity on the sun.
Tried it for an hour today in between clouds and it is brilliant. Black sky and bright sun. The couple of minor prominences stood out easily, trying my friends chromosphere version the same proms were not visible (on very similar scope)
The product itself is well designed and sturdy with no noticeable flex or wobble in the star diagonal, the cable holds well and shows no sign of trying to come loose.
Using a 21.5 to 10mm solar eyepiece at 21.5mm the full disk is just visible on a WO71 (400mm) 30mm eyepiece would be better for full disk.
Closing down to 10mm reduces light significantly from very bright to quite dim but still gives excellent views.
If you are interested in general solar viewing then the Chromosphere version is the one to get, however first impressions are that this by far out performs it when it comes to Prominences..
The other thing to note is that there is no sweet spot with even illumination all round - fantastic
The 10 min wait between band shifts is an advantage, going from full left to full right is about 10 mins but if you keep viewing during this change you can see features come and go. So gives you a good idea on which bands to try next.
Just have to wait now for a clear day and pop a camera on it.
All in all for its price point 110%
Clear skies and stay safe

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