What does "sketch" mean

[Less212]

Hello all, I am a newbie and I was wondering what the word sketch means I was looking at the "getting started observing" forum and came across Qualia's post "what can I expect so see" (great post btw) and on some of the examples the word sketch was used. I don't know what this means is it a type of telescope or imaging process? Thank you all for any help provided!

[Langy]

Hi and welcome to SGL.

Sketch as in sketching a drawing with pencil / pen on paper. The idea is that people often create a drawing as in sketch on paper what they see so that they have a record. I've seen some posts in here where people have shown some of their sketches from a year or two ago when a certain topic was talked about.

[Charic]

Someone will "Sketch" what they see through their telescope, instead of photographing it?

............www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDC3R39AcSA ............shows sketching.

[Less212]

Thank you for clearing that up for me I feel kind of silly even asking now but thank you very much!!!

[Langy]

I shouldn't worry, it's a bit like a quiz the answer is only easy when you know the answer.

We all have off days. 

[dweller25]

This.......

[Ptarmigan]

I feel kind of silly even asking now but thank you very much!!!

No, dont worry about it, perfectly good question.

There is also a "Sketch" used in the Arduino microcomputer world, meaning a program (for want of a better word!)

Not even [Monty] the spanish inquisition [/python] would expect that !

So, dont worry, the old adage "the only daft question is the one that never gets asked" applies.

Welcome aboard, by the way

[AndyWB]

It's also worth noting that usually sketches are much more like what one can see in the eyepiece than photographs (or at least, that's what I find)

[Gomtuu]

There's some crackers here :

http://www.deepskywatch.com/deepsky-sketches.html

[Wetsparks]

There's some crackers here :

http://www.deepskywatch.com/deepsky-sketches.html

This may be me in stupid mode (it's the meds you know), but how do they 'do' those sketches, white crayon on black paper or what?

BTW, all of them are absolutely brilliant

[Toymaster]

This may be me in stupid mode (it's the meds you know), but how do they 'do' those sketches, white crayon on black paper or what?

BTW, all of them are absolutely brilliant

Thanks so much for posting that link.

It really demonstrates what you can actually see on a good night with a good DSO scope.

Wow, they are so good.

Adrian

[Langy]

This may be me in stupid mode (it's the meds you know), but how do they 'do' those sketches, white crayon on black paper or what?

BTW, all of them are absolutely brilliant

Not sure how exactly they were done, but one way would be to do a normal drawing on white paper using black pen / pencil. Then scan that into the computer and reverse / negative the image to make the background black and the content you had drawn white. Simple procedure using everyday writing implements.

[AndyWB]

This may be me in stupid mode (it's the meds you know), but how do they 'do' those sketches, white crayon on black paper or what?

It varies, but I think using black on white then scanning and reversing is common. That's how it's always shown in Sky at Night magazine. That said, I've also seen ones that were clearly done as white on black, like these ones: http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/210943-a-couple-lunar-sketches/ 

(Mike73 does some lovely sketches - http://darkskysketches.blogspot.co.uk/) 

[Mike73]

This may be me in stupid mode (it's the meds you know), but how do they 'do' those sketches, white crayon on black paper or what?

Theres lots of different methods used for sketching, like Langy says you can sketch using normal pencils on white paper then invert the scan or you can use white pastels on black paper then simply take a pic of the completed sketch, theres no right or wrong way just whatever you feel most comfortable with.

Deep Sky Sketches is a great resource if you want to know what an object looks like through an EP and when you add some basic written notes you have alot of info to look back on. Some amazing sketches there but probably the best sketching collection is Belts of Venus.

[ronin]

Sketch is generally a drawing done with a pencil or pen.

Detail put in depends on the person doing the drawing.

I am more interested in the fact that it sounds as if the term is not commonly used at least in NM if not more areas of the US. Starts to make you realise that the 2 languages are pulling apart more then I think many would have thought.

Is there a more commonly used term in your area (or US) Less?

[Stevp]

I don't know what this means is it a type of telescope or imaging process?

Low-tech imaging

The silly questions are the ones we don't ask.

And welcome to the forum of course!

[Mike73]

Low-tech imaging

Sketching is about observing....Its about what you see rather than what you dont see. 

[Langy]

Low-tech imaging

The silly questions are the ones we don't ask.

And welcome to the forum of course!

In fact what may seem to have been a silly question has turned to an interesting topic showing us some great links and may well get a few of us doing some sketching when at the EP or with some bins.

Bring on some more questions like that as almost all of us wouldn't think of asking.

[Toymaster]

In fact what may seem to have been a silly question has turned to an interesting topic showing us some great links and may well get a few of us doing some sketching when at the EP or with some bins.

Bring on some more questions like that as almost all of us wouldn't think of asking.

Here hear...

Ade

[Stevp]

...and may well get a few of us doing some sketching when at the EP or with some bins.

I was thinking along the same lines, I've never tried sketching when at the EP so might just give it a go!

[Moonshane]

I have recently started sketching the sun mainly and some dsos. I use the black pen/pencil/pencil smudge on white/cream paper and then reverse the colours for night stuff. all very simple as I am no artist!

a solar sketch like the ones linked to would take maybe 5-10 mins and dso ones depend how many stars I can detect!

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/211159-moonshanes-sketches/

[bingevader]

Last week I tried my first ever sketch of Jupiter, the hilarity it caused in our house was well worth the effort! 

(Cracking GRS! BTW, used a bog standard HB pencil straight into my notebook   )

Cheers 

[Mike73]

Last week I tried my first ever sketch of Jupiter, the hilarity it caused in our house was well worth the effort! 

(Cracking GRS! BTW, used a bog standard HB pencil straight into my notebook   )

Cheers 

Well done for trying Ben

Nothing like going in at the deep end, I'd say Jupiter is probably one of the hardest things to sketch!!

[Paul M]

After recently discovering my old observing log that I made as a boy I was pleasantly surprised by the sketches I did of the sun.

I wasn't particularly proud of them over 38 years ago when I did them  but now I see them differently.

Mostly they were done using eyepiece projection through my old 60mm refractor. So I drew a circle with my compasses and projected the sun's image onto the paper so as to fill the circle then roughly mark the size and positions of the sunspots.

Then I used to use a focal plane solar filter to view the sun directly and fill in some of the finer detail. I'd colour them in with crayons or felt pens.

That old log book got buried again. If I can find it again tomorrow I'll post a couple of scans....perhaps

Now for the statutory warning about observing the Sun:

Eyepiece projection may be safe for our eyes but isn't the best way to treat your eyepieces or other optics. The intense heat can damage or destroy them.

Focal plane solar filters (very dark glass filters that screw into the back of the eyepiece) are mostly a thing of the past and carry a very real risk of permanently damaging the observers eye.

There are much better and safer ways to observe the Sun! My excuse was that I was a child and that is the equipment I had.

[Langy]

I wasn't particularly proud of them over 38 years ago when I did them  but now I see them differently.

Mostly they were done using eyepiece projection through my old 60mm refractor. So I drew a circle with my compasses and projected the sun's image onto the paper so as to fill the circle then roughly mark the size and positions of the sunspots.

Then I used to use a focal plane solar filter to view the sun directly and fill in some of the finer detail. I'd colour them in with crayons or felt pens.

That old log book got buried again. If I can find it again tomorrow I'll post a couple of scans....perhaps

That must be so exciting, far better than any photograph. A real history piece from all those years ago.

I really hope you find the log for us all to see.