What do you log?

[Joel Shepherd]

A couple of weeks ago, I decided it might be a good idea to keep a log or journal with a few details about the things I observed (or, failed to observe). I'm not expecting to break any new ground from a scientific perspective  :-)  , so my main goals are to learn (this is what worked well last time, this is what didn't) and remember. I'm not sure what details are most important to record.

Do you keep a log? What do you record? What do you log in: a plain old notebook or something more specialized? Do you organize each entry in some particular way? Are there things you wish you'd written down in the past that you make sure to now?

Thanks for any insights.

[Tums]

Joel, I will also be interested the answers you get, I've had a similar thought. As I was looking at the Moon on Monday night, I thought ,I could do with jotting down Which crater/features I had seen .

Hope you/ we get a good response. . lol

[Charic]

Joel Shepherd......Hi.

Technology, we all have it, but I'm sure my neighbours would think I'm mad, if they woke and heard me talking to my voice recorder on my mobile, or similar device, about the planets and nebulas.  Mind you, If they did question, I've got some  pretty embarrassing replies for them! its amazing what folk say in the heat of the moment    plus all that snoring and gassing! just shows how quiet my patch is. Lol

But taking notes would be awkward for me, because If I can write to paper, then my conditions are not dark enough for observations, so my choice of record keeping would be recording to a device then transcribing or up-loaded to the pc.

[AndyWB]

I write one a 'dark' notepad (in the dark), and then transcribe my scribblings into something legible later.

My notes themselves are pretty much what I saw, in what order, with what kit, and what it looked like.

I do also keep a spreadsheet of what I observed, 'cos I can filter/ report with that more easily.

And I do stick charts, sketches, etc.. into the 'neat' notebook later too.

[Joel Shepherd]

Oooh. Charts. I like that. :-)  Can you translate some of the abbreviations?

Thanks for the notebook scan: that's helpful as well. Are the underlined numbers the eyepiece you used or something else?

To Charic's point, I can't see talking into a voice recorder, not over concern about the neighbors but it'd drive me nuts and leave a nasty transcription task which I'd probably never do. Writing in the dark is more feasible, in part because it's not very dark here.

[AndyWB]

Yup. Double underline is my shorthand for 'mm'. The @ symbol is my shorthand for what I was looking at.

The abbreviations - Open Cluster, Double Star, Galaxy, Globular cluster - they're mostly pretty obvious. I suppose Emission Nebula (EN), Reflection nebula (RN) and Dark Nebula (DN) require description. Oh, and PN - Planetary Nebula.

[leelee970]

Usually I note conditions, temperature at start and end of session, what I saw and with what.

 

I also add notes to remind me in the morning - "must replace torch batteries" or "repair power cable". Saves having to do it on the night.

 

Last night I added the note "Thank you neighbour for having a bonfire @ 10pm for the second time in three nights". - This of course means nothing but helps clear my anger (a little).

 

 

Lee

[webboid]

I started off just writing in an A5 note book when I got in from observing. I always note the date & time to & from. Telescope used & location. Sky conditions good poor etc nothing scientific. Temp & humidity if at home. Moon up or not. I then just listed what I saw & a few comments.

Now I use a field note book to record what I just looked at & a better description, while I am at the scope. Other wise I tend to forget what I have seen. When I have a particular observing list I make notes on the list at the scope. I then write it up proper later.

I too have a data base of all my observations with separate book pages for each constellation. This way I can check back to see if I have already observed the object. For example a galaxy I was looking at a few nights ago in my 12" dob was recorded as observed last year with my friends 18". 

Record keeping is very worthwhile, particularly when you look back & see how you have progressed. Also after a few years of observing I think it would be hard to remember all that you have seen.

[Ouroboros]

I use an A4 hard back note book. I use it as a record of anything I think is relevant. That might be a record of what I've observed on an evening. I also make notes of collimation, mirror cleaning, software I've downloaded, passwords etc - general house keeping stuff. I also note down image sessions, camera settings, file numbers, equipment settings, cable connections etc. Afterwards I often make a more detailed write up of the image session and stick a small photo or two into the book with some notes on how the image was processed, files names and where they are saved. I sometimes add some details from the web or a book on a particular object that I've observed or photographed: distance, magnitude, characteristics that sort of thing.

I find it is very useful to look back through such a notebook. I often write notes to myself as reminders of what needs doing next time, or indeed what mistakes not to repeat.

[Mike73]

Theres lots of different ways to log what you see and there really isn't a right or wrong way to do it, I think its pretty important to make it fairly detailed though even if that means just making abbreviated notes while at the EP and writing them up the next day so they make more sense.

If I were starting from fresh I'd probably just pick one of these templates print them off and put them in binders. http://www.perezmedia.net/beltofvenus/templates.html

This article explains it all pretty well.

http://www.nightskyhunter.com/The%20Astronomical%20Log%20Book.html

[Lowjiber]

I keep a log of every observing session.  I just use common spiral-bound notebooks... one usually lasts about a year before starting a new one. 

On the right side, I have the date, location, scope used, seeing conditions, and start-stop time.  On the left side, I make sketches as needed.

[bobmoss]

What do you all use to write in your notebooks? Biro, pencil etc.?

I don't have an observatory so my notebook is open to the elements and gets a bit damp with dew and so sometimes I find a biro stops working!

[Mike73]

What do you all use to write in your notebooks? Biro, pencil etc.?

I don't have an observatory so my notebook is open to the elements and gets a bit damp with dew and so sometimes I find a biro stops working!

Just a good old fashioned pencil has never let me down, its good to keep things as simple as possible at times I think.

[cotterless45]

A5 spiral bound notebook. I note down weather, time out and sightings.

In addition , I make an A4 list to go on a clipboard of targets I'd like to observe. This includes coordinates of comets , if about. I keep this in a plastic leaf file as a reference. I also ensure that there's some blank sheets there for sketching.

Sounds mad, but any notes are of great use, either for catching up on the unseen or looking back ,

Nick.

[kerrylewis]

I do a target list for the night with space alongside for quick notes. I then do a more narrative type write up, usually the next day, based on the notes. I'm not very methodical with notes of weather conditions etc, my log is much more subjective. But I love reading back thorough it on cloudy days to remind me if the good bits - and the occasional frustrations!

[scarp15]

Kerry's approach pretty much sums up my own. Placing emphasis on creating a target list, grouping object type / page references (located by colour coordinated index arrows), with spacing for notes to scribble in the field, so to speak. I will write an account the following day, usually in diary format and may cut and paste some of the notes etc. More often than not I find that there are encounters from the session that I may wish to research  / investigate further which tends to preoccupy me thereafter.

[Ouroboros]

I keep thinking these days I should use an app or something to record observations. But there's something really tangible about a notebook.

[AndyWB]

I like a notebook 'cos I can stick things in it, scribble in it, etc.. As I said, I also keep a spreadsheet too, which only records date, object id (e.g. NGC 6543) and name ("Cat's Eye Nebula"), the scope used, the type of object, and whether it was successfully found. That way I can ask the question "Did I ever see X, with scope Y", and find out without having to trawl through the notebook. That's just about as complicated as I think it'll get for queries for me.

[Joel Shepherd]

Thanks: these are really helpful suggestions!