Daystar QUARK photographic Calcium H-Line Solar Filter, incl. test by TS

Daystar Instruments Quark Calcium H-Line Solar Filter

This filter allows for photographing the sun in the light of calcium (H-Line). Here you get, similar the the H-alpha light, a deep insight into the sun´s chromosphere. In opposite to H-alpha, the calcium line is located at 397 nanometres, hence in deep blue light. In chromosphere science, calcium and H-alpha are similarly important. Here you can observe faculae regions and structures around the sunspots.

This filter is designed for the CaH line.

The Quark Calcium Filter is suitable for the following telescopes:

We recommend the filter for refractors up to 80 mm aperture. The focal ratio should be between f/8 and f/15. For apertures up to 80 mm, no IR blocking filter is needed. For apertures above 80 mm, we recommend using a UV/IR blocking filter which has to transmit the CaH light. For example, the Astronomik IR blocking filter is suitable, but also the Astronomik 2" interference blue filter which transmits even less "useless" light.

Unsuitable for these filters are telescopes with deflecting mirrors (Newtonians, Schmidt-Cassegrains, RCs, etc.) and refractors with downstream corrector element (flattener). The temperatures which occour close to the focus are too high, they can damage these optical elements.

Note: This filter is usable only photographically, not visually!

A few results of our customer Jozef Cukas:

An overview image using a Vixen ED 115s

Visible are the active regions AR 2577 und AR 2574, photographed at 12:26 CEST.

Clicking leads to the original image as it was sent to TS by the photographer.



A detail image using his self-built refractor 8"f6

Visible is the active region AR 2585, photographed at 15:51 CEST.

Clicking leads to the original image as it was sent to TS by the photographer.



A photograph of the entire visible sun

The colour not only depends on the filter, but also on the camera, so the colours are not reproducible.

Clicking leads to the original image as it was sent to TS by the photographer.


Mr. Cukas writes about the DayStar Quark Ca-H itself (translated):

"The Quark is easily to operate, insert heat ready. It accomplishes unbelievable things.... I am very pleased with this DayStar product sold by TS. Jozef Cukas"

Safety informations: PDF Download