How big are yours?

[Moonshane]

No it's not that sort of thread, just wondering how big people's sketches are? I draw a circle using a template about 80mm across and then depending what I am drawing use a smaller (25mm approx. circle) to add the planet e.g.

or use the whole thing to draw the solar disk

sometimes I feel that e.g. Mars being so small is best drawn small in the field so that the scale is easier to transfer across. any views?

[todd8137]

Usually a up scaled ep view unless stated as a high power ep would not fit a full moon or sun so I would draw the circle but only draw what's in the ep,so size does not matter .as for the sun I would draw the sunspots individual the size with a given ep, and do a full sun to show there positions

The reason people use a circle is to give the ep view only and what you could expect to see ,so back to the sun at low power the detail would be minimal with most scopes ,most people would think that's the ep view but three or four eps may have been used to get the drawing it's all in the notes that follow the drawing a circle could be 10cm or 30 cm it's in the scale of the ep ,hope that makes sense generally I draw then to the size of the page in the book

Pat

[Qualia]

When out in the field at a dark site I have to limit what I can actually carry out with me. It's not just a case of weight, but also keeping things simple. Typically, under such circumstances, when sketching at the eyepiece, I have the paper resting on my knee as I balance on an ironing chair. I use a black pen to draw in the stars which require less light to see and a blending stub to smoke in the given faint fuzzy. For the template I use a CD which has a radius of about 6cm.

Back in the city, drawing is a lot easier and a lot more relaxed. Not only because I'm predominantly plotting open clusters, little doubles or sketching planets but also because everything is more at 'home'. If I need something and I've forgotten it, all I have to do is climb from the roof top and head back down into the empty apartment to pick it up. There's also less risk of losing something when dropped. I can carry more sketching gear, a board to rest on, a little camping table to put the chalks and cloth and brushes on. I can have them all set out to my side on the roof top and I can see what I'm doing - more or less - due to the light pollution. If there's wind about, so long as it isn't really blowing it doesn't affect me, for I have built a kind of wind shield. In this case I'll draw bigger circles, often around 8cm in radius and perhaps pushing to 10cm on occasions, filling out the page and will approach the sketch in a much more leisurely and orderly fashion.

[RikM]

My DSO sketch circles are drawn with a Rombouts coffee filter lid, so about 90mm diameter. I use the same size circle for Jupiter and white light solar. I use a 50mm circle for Mars. I haven't sketched Saturn yet but I would use an in between size, maybe 60-70mm for the disc and then extend the rings out to ? 100mm maybe?

Lunar surface sketches I don't draw a circle. I generally use an A6 pad and just draw to fit 2/3 of the page. I just got a new pad and went for an A4 and will do two or three sketches per page with room for notes. I scan everything anyway so I don't need to keep them separated.

[Tiny Small]

I usually draw a circle of dia 150mm. This makes it big enough to accurately reflect the view through the 2" EPs whilst being small enough to make field notes on the same page.

[Moonshane]

cheers guys. interesting to read differing approaches from different people - I suppose this is what I expected and also why I asked the question.

[Qualia]

sometimes I feel that e.g. Mars being so small is best drawn small in the field so that the scale is easier to transfer across. any views?

I find that regardless of the template's size it's the field stop and area there within which drives the proportions. So long as the features and distances between them are recorded as accurately as possible, I can't see it makes a lot of difference whether the sketch filled out a page or took up only a corner. However, although it's not often seen, I do like the idea of noting the size of the object as seen in the eyepiece and I'm sure that such an approach would help new comers not become to disheartened.

[Mike73]

I just use a saucer from the kitchen for my DSO sketches and a blank template from Belts of Venus for my Jupiter sketches.

If I were staring from scratch then for DSO sketches I wouldnt even draw a circle for the field stop the sketch would just be on a blank black page. The problem that I have found is that trying to draw perfectly to the scale as what you are seeing in the EP is really hard. You may start drawing a galaxy and the galaxy size is just slightly larger than what it actually is in the EP but because of that it changes the entire star field proportions behind it and you end up making a less accurate sketch than one without boundaries.

The problem for the viewer is that they dont actually see the TFoV but what you do gain is a more accurate sketch.

Hope I explained it well enough? Any thoughts in sketches without borders anyone?

[todd8137]

cheers guys. interesting to read differing approaches from different people - I suppose this is what I expected and also why I asked the question.

This is why I love to draw every one as a different aproach to pencil work not to,knock the imagers who's,images are brill but there's not one drawing that looks the same unlike say a ccd image of M31 they all mainly use the same scope and camera and the images look the same

Pat

[Qualia]

Any thoughts in sketches without borders anyone?

In principle I can't seeing anything wrong with this method and with lunar sketching seems to be the general approach. But I wonder, if there were no field stop to one's DSO sketches, if we were plotting a good number of stars it might end up being a bit of a nightmare. We'd have one here and one over there but the distances and angles between them might not be that accurate. As we build complexity, I wonder if we could maintain star position sufficiently well to render an accurate eyepiece view of what is being seen? Of course, if we're plotting just a few position stars to frame the galaxy or nebula, then the worry remains mute.

That's my take on it

[Mike73]

Yep I think there are two sides of the coin on this one Rob. 'The ring of death' was something I read about on CN some time ago but like I say I dont think I will change my habits now!

[Moonshane]

e.g. http://jaysastronomyobservingblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/sketches-and-sketching-mask-ngc-1365.html

I think that sometimes people worry too much. do what you prefer and enjoy it

I fall into the category of wanting to make my notes look nicer but also hoping to later confirm what I have seen is what I thought it was.

[todd8137]

e.g. http://jaysastronomyobservingblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/sketches-and-sketching-mask-ngc-1365.html

I think that sometimes people worry too much. do what you prefer and enjoy it

I fall into the category of wanting to make my notes look nicer but also hoping to later confirm what I have seen is what I thought it was.

It all goes down hill if you draw to please others and not ya self ,I keep my notes in a separate book time date barometer reading temp seeing ect

Pat

[RikM]

Interesting article that. I strive for accuracy in my sketches, and I find the fieldstop circle essential in maintaining that. A circular mask would do the job just as well but I think I prefer the look of sketches with the circle drawn in anyway. Quite a few times though, if there is a bright star or pair just outside the field, I will plot those in as well, outside the fieldstop circle and with as much care over placement as the stars inside the circle.

[Mr Flibble]

Well I've only done one sketch so far and I used the bottom of a vase for the field stop circle, its 90mm.

The few sketches I've seen scattered about on the net without the field stop circle drawn have looked very nice and I originally intended to do the same but I think I would find it too difficult to keep the sketch accurate in terms of placement. Maybe in a while when I go down the avant-garde route I'll definately have to leave it out

[acr_astro]

Hi,

since I mostly do lunar sketches, I don't draw a circe around it. For the solar disc I usually have about 60 to 70mm diameter.

Achim