Still fighting the QUARK
- marktownley
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Re: Still fighting the QUARK
Using a 0.5x reducer on a shorter nosepiece will result is less of a magnification factor - so maybe it operates at say 0.6-0.7x instead. When using a reducer it will amplify any banding etc, and the lower the magnifcation factor - eg 0.4x-0.5x the more any optical defects / banding etc will be amplified. Try using the reducer on your camera with your sm40 and that banding will really jump out at you. Don't also forget any reducer will have an operating range (of magnification) it is designed to work in, at the extremes of this range any spherical aberration will be accentuated.
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- grimble_cornet
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Re: Still fighting the QUARK
All valid points Mark. With the Grasshopper the sensor is about 20mm inside the case compared to about half that for the DMK cameras. My short nose-piece probably just about compensates for the difference so I suspect it is working at close to x0.5. With the long/normal nose-piece I get a full disc with lots of space so I suspect it is down to x0.25 or less - well outside the design spec as you say and this probably explains the distortion.
Pity the forecast is rain and cloud for days
Lets hope for a few cracks in the clouds
Just been told my replacement is in the post and should arrive tomorrow Pity the forecast is rain and cloud for days
Lets hope for a few cracks in the clouds
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Mike Garbett
Selection of Solar and Deep Sky images on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikegarbett/
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Mike Garbett
Selection of Solar and Deep Sky images on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikegarbett/
- grimble_cornet
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Re: Still fighting the QUARK
Thanks John; I'm also nervous about how the replacement will perform
Just arrived with Mr Postman so once the rain goes away (not for a few days I fear) I will find out
Just arrived with Mr Postman so once the rain goes away (not for a few days I fear) I will find out
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Mike Garbett
Selection of Solar and Deep Sky images on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikegarbett/
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Mike Garbett
Selection of Solar and Deep Sky images on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikegarbett/
- grimble_cornet
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Re: Still fighting the QUARK
The replacement has arrived
Managed to grab a couple of quick captures through the front door from the porch - only place I could get a view of the low sun
Seeing was dire - very difficult to focus etc
Put 4 frames together as a mosaic - also tried inverting for fun.....
Difficult to evaluate from such a short session with poor seeing and no time to try adjusting Quark settings
Managed to grab a couple of quick captures through the front door from the porch - only place I could get a view of the low sun
Seeing was dire - very difficult to focus etc
Put 4 frames together as a mosaic - also tried inverting for fun.....
Difficult to evaluate from such a short session with poor seeing and no time to try adjusting Quark settings
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Mike Garbett
Selection of Solar and Deep Sky images on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikegarbett/
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Mike Garbett
Selection of Solar and Deep Sky images on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikegarbett/
- swisswalter
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Re: Still fighting the QUARK
Hi Mike
Looks good so far
Looks good so far
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
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from 7 am - 7 pm http://www.nanosys.ch
from 7.01 pm - 6.59 am http://www.wastronomiko.com some times vice versa
- Valery
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Re: Still fighting the QUARK
For the first test looks perfectly uniform over FOV.
And narrow enough band wide! I think you need prepare an expedition to the place where you can test it for several hours straight - with two telescopes and several scales - from FD to high resolution.
Valery.
And narrow enough band wide! I think you need prepare an expedition to the place where you can test it for several hours straight - with two telescopes and several scales - from FD to high resolution.
Valery.
"Solar H alpha activity is the most dynamic and compelling thing you can see in a telescope, so spend accordingly." (c) Bob Yoesle.
Largest full size 185 - 356mm Dielectric Energy Rejection Filters (D-ERF) by ARIES Instruments.
Largest full size 185 - 356mm Dielectric Energy Rejection Filters (D-ERF) by ARIES Instruments.
- grimble_cornet
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Re: Still fighting the QUARK
Thanks guys.
As I said, its very difficult to draw conclusions from one very short session under dire conditions.
I had to work quite hard to get a fairly uniform mosaic as some uneven illumination is present in each frame and, if processed hard, a hint of the on/off band pattern can be seen.
I have been working on ways of combining frames from my SM40 which also shows a quite obvious 'hot spot' that spoils the appearance of full discs and have found that producing the mosaic from 'raw' frames before any processing has been applied works best. I have also been experimenting with Lucy Richardson deconvolution in PixInsight and have found that this works better than the smart sharpening in PS which I normally use.
The difference can be seen here:
Valery: you are right, based on my experience with the first Quark unit, it will take several long sessions to try out different scopes and the 11 different tuning settings on the Quark. Unfortunately, having had the driest September for 100 years here in the UK, we are now paying for it with a long spell of clouds and rain. I was very lucky to grab a few shots yesterday in a narrow crack between between rain bands passing through.
Maybe I should 'prepare an expedition' to Pedro's part of Portugal where the sun seems to shine every day
As I said, its very difficult to draw conclusions from one very short session under dire conditions.
I had to work quite hard to get a fairly uniform mosaic as some uneven illumination is present in each frame and, if processed hard, a hint of the on/off band pattern can be seen.
I have been working on ways of combining frames from my SM40 which also shows a quite obvious 'hot spot' that spoils the appearance of full discs and have found that producing the mosaic from 'raw' frames before any processing has been applied works best. I have also been experimenting with Lucy Richardson deconvolution in PixInsight and have found that this works better than the smart sharpening in PS which I normally use.
The difference can be seen here:
Valery: you are right, based on my experience with the first Quark unit, it will take several long sessions to try out different scopes and the 11 different tuning settings on the Quark. Unfortunately, having had the driest September for 100 years here in the UK, we are now paying for it with a long spell of clouds and rain. I was very lucky to grab a few shots yesterday in a narrow crack between between rain bands passing through.
Maybe I should 'prepare an expedition' to Pedro's part of Portugal where the sun seems to shine every day
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Mike Garbett
Selection of Solar and Deep Sky images on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikegarbett/
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Mike Garbett
Selection of Solar and Deep Sky images on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikegarbett/
- Valery
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Re: Still fighting the QUARK
Mike,
Do the basic things prior to long tests.
1. Place the wave length indicator to the position one click right from the middle. This will be close enough to unit's CWL, but may be help if you have some inclination in the train (focuser slop etc).
2. Use a small refractor <450mm FL - to see FD
3. Use at least 100mm F/8 refractor with 32 and 40mm eyepieces and "scan" the sun surface.
You will immediately see the non-uniformity in the FOV if this sample has the non-uniformity.
The next basic test is all the same, but with camera + Focal reducer.
Hope this help and you will be able to test even within an hour or two of clear sky.
Valery
Do the basic things prior to long tests.
1. Place the wave length indicator to the position one click right from the middle. This will be close enough to unit's CWL, but may be help if you have some inclination in the train (focuser slop etc).
2. Use a small refractor <450mm FL - to see FD
3. Use at least 100mm F/8 refractor with 32 and 40mm eyepieces and "scan" the sun surface.
You will immediately see the non-uniformity in the FOV if this sample has the non-uniformity.
The next basic test is all the same, but with camera + Focal reducer.
Hope this help and you will be able to test even within an hour or two of clear sky.
Valery
"Solar H alpha activity is the most dynamic and compelling thing you can see in a telescope, so spend accordingly." (c) Bob Yoesle.
Largest full size 185 - 356mm Dielectric Energy Rejection Filters (D-ERF) by ARIES Instruments.
Largest full size 185 - 356mm Dielectric Energy Rejection Filters (D-ERF) by ARIES Instruments.
- marktownley
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Re: Still fighting the QUARK
Mike, the comparison image above, try photomerge on the raw frames then do all the smart sharpen etc on the mosaic image as a whole, be interesting to see if there is a difference...
Apart from that looks good!
Apart from that looks good!
http://brierleyhillsolar.blogspot.co.uk/
Solar images, a collection of all the most up to date live solar data on the web, imaging & processing tutorials - please take a look!
- grimble_cornet
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Re: Still fighting the QUARK
Valery: thanks for the advice. I will try out your tests as soon as I can see the sun.
Mark: that is exactly what I did with the second mosaic. I fed the raw frames, straight out of AutoStakkert, into photomerge and then did all sharpening and other adjustments on the mosaic. I did try a version with smart sharpen but am finding that Lucy Richardson deconvolution in PixInsight does a better job on some images. Give me a few hours in the sun and I might have some conclusions.
One thing I have just discovered is that the replacement has one of the 'out of spec' 1.25" mounts. The original was a tight fit in most of my 1.25" diagonals but this one won't fit at all! Not a major issue as I use it in 2" diagonals/drawtubes on most of my scopes but it does stop me trying it as a DS on the SM40.
Mark: that is exactly what I did with the second mosaic. I fed the raw frames, straight out of AutoStakkert, into photomerge and then did all sharpening and other adjustments on the mosaic. I did try a version with smart sharpen but am finding that Lucy Richardson deconvolution in PixInsight does a better job on some images. Give me a few hours in the sun and I might have some conclusions.
One thing I have just discovered is that the replacement has one of the 'out of spec' 1.25" mounts. The original was a tight fit in most of my 1.25" diagonals but this one won't fit at all! Not a major issue as I use it in 2" diagonals/drawtubes on most of my scopes but it does stop me trying it as a DS on the SM40.
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Mike Garbett
Selection of Solar and Deep Sky images on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikegarbett/
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Mike Garbett
Selection of Solar and Deep Sky images on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikegarbett/
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- grimble_cornet
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Re: Still fighting the QUARK
Thanks Luke - don't need to cross mine for you having just seen your first light
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Mike Garbett
Selection of Solar and Deep Sky images on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikegarbett/
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Mike Garbett
Selection of Solar and Deep Sky images on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikegarbett/