Rotation of $\mathbb{R}^3$ by using quaternion

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Express the rotation of $\mathbb{R}^3$ by $\frac{\pi}{3}$ about the $x=y=z$ axis by using quaternions and identifying $\mathbb{R}^3$ with $(i,j,k)$-space.


Thoughts:

From my point of view, every point in $(i,j,k)$-space is a vector. Put the vector in $\mathbb{H}$ will get the real part of quaternion $=0$

Let $\theta$ be the angle of rotation in $(i,j,k)$-space about the axis $li+mj+nk$ coresponds to a quaternion part $\pm{q}$

$q=\cos{\frac{\theta}{2}} + (li+mj +nk) \sin{\frac{\theta}{2}}$

$\cos{\frac{\theta}{2}} = \cos{\frac{\frac{\pi}{3}}{2}} =\cos{\frac{\pi}{6}}=\frac{\sqrt3}{2}$

$\sin{\frac{\theta}{2}} = \sin{\frac{\frac{\pi}{3}}{2}} =\sin{\frac{\pi}{6}}=\frac{1}{2}$

$q=\frac{\sqrt3}{2} + \frac{1}{2} \hat{n}$

let $q\in\mathbb{H}$, we get pure quaternion $w=qvq^*$..

$|w|= |qvq^*|=|q||v||q^*|=|v|$....how should I continue???

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In your calculation, $\hat n$ is the normalized and correctly oriented vector spanning the axis pf rotation. So in your case you have

\begin{align*} n &= \begin{pmatrix}1\\1\\1\end{pmatrix} & \hat n=\frac n{\lVert n\rVert}&=\frac1{\sqrt3}\begin{pmatrix}1\\1\\1\end{pmatrix} \end{align*}

and from that you get

$$q = \frac{\sqrt3}2 + \frac1{2\sqrt3}(i+j+k)$$.

You can verify that this is a rotation by checking

$$qq^* = \frac34 + \frac3{12} = \frac44 = 1$$

Then $v\mapsto w=qvq^*$ is the rotation described by $q$.