How do I power the Daystar Camera Quark in the field?
The Daystar Camera Quark is powered via a standard USB port. You can use a portable USB battery pack rated for more than 1.5A (2 amp rated supplies and cables are recommended), making it easy to power during a full day of solar observing away from AC outlets. Do not power it from a computer or cell phone charger.
Can I use an eyepiece with the Daystar Camera Quark instead of a DSLR?
Yes. The Camera Quark includes an adapter that allows you to insert a standard 1.25" eyepiece. This lets you use your SLR lens and Quark combination as a visual Hydrogen-alpha telescope, not just an imaging system.
What's the difference between the Camera Quark Prominence and Chromosphere models?
The two models are tuned for different features. The Prominence model (this one) has a slightly wider bandpass, which makes faint prominences on the solar limb appear brighter and with higher contrast. The Chromosphere model has a narrower bandpass, which is better for revealing fine surface details like filaments and plages against the bright solar disk.
Do I need an additional filter for my lens when using the Camera Quark?
For lenses of 80mm aperture or more, or when tracking the Sun for long periods, fit a full aperture red or yellow glass ERF or a screw-on colored glass filter (red, orange or yellow) on the front of your lens. This acts as an Energy Rejection Filter (ERF), reflecting excess heat and light before it enters the lens, which protects the internal Quark components and improves thermal stability.
How would I use the Camera Quark with a 300mm telephoto lens to frame a total solar eclipse?
A 300mm lens with the Camera Quark provides an excellent field of view for capturing the full solar disk with room to spare. During the partial phases, you would image as normal. During totality, you would remove the entire lens/Quark assembly to capture the corona, as H-alpha filters block coronal light. The Quark is for observing the chromosphere and prominences, which are visible right up to the second and third contacts.
Will the Camera Quark work with my fast f/2.8 zoom lens for capturing solar flares?
Yes, but you must stop the lens down. H-alpha etalons require a slow, near-parallel light cone to function correctly. Light reaching the filter at an angle shifts its wavelength, which sets a lower limit of F/4, so set your f/2.8 lens to f/4 or slower using its aperture ring.
