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Orange Grove Views


Qualia

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I've been checking out the new area where I'm living now for decent observing sites, the roof top, orange and lemon fields and for a darker night, a little out towards the mountains. It's not bad where I'm living now, but the clouds are a real pain. Clear all day and then at night we suddenly get swamped by clouds. However, this week has been exceptionally good, so without further a do, here is a little selection of some of the sights I've witnessed this week:

15 Sagittae - Double

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NGC 6712 - Globular

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NGC 6804 - Planetary Nebula

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NGC 6818 - Planetary Nebula

post-21324-0-19180100-1411143568.jpg

NGC 6905 - Planetary Nebula

post-21324-0-16056700-1411143576.jpg

NGC 7027 - Planetary Nebula

post-21324-0-93597000-1411143584.jpg

NGC 7332 & 7339 - Galaxies

post-21324-0-32508900-1411143595.jpg

NGC 7448 - Galaxy

post-21324-0-98379000-1411143605.jpg

NGC 7479 - Galaxy

post-21324-0-86868900-1411143614.jpg

NGC 7814 - Galaxy

post-21324-0-78535600-1411143623.jpg

Epsilon Sagittae - Double

post-21324-0-21801100-1411143636.jpg

M 15 - Globular Cluster

post-21324-0-21588300-1411143646.jpg

M 71 - Globular Cluster

post-21324-0-47599000-1411143655.jpg

S 715 - Double Star

post-21324-0-00584900-1411143663.jpg

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Thank you all for your kind and supporting comments. I would have liked to include more, but sketching takes a bit of time and is kind of tiring.

Jules, I can't draw 3D, so the Moon is just impossible for me. I don't know how folk get that 3D affect in what is a 2D drawing. Do you know what I mean? As if you really are seeing a sketch of a crater rather than a circle with black and grey shading over the top of it :smiley:. I guess practice would help, but I don't have the drive to learn the new hobby of art at the moment :grin: The other problem with the Moon is that I'm kind of slow. What with the Moon drifting pass the eyepiece every few moments, the quick nudge back only to realise the look has changed a little due to lighting and shadow, by the end of the evening I think my head would be well done in :p.

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Hopefully the star positions are good, Gerry. I rest the notepad on my lap and quickly place a pencil dot, then nudge back the dob and repeat the process. I'm sure mistakes are made and angles between the stars are not always spot on :smiley: . NGC 6905's two framing stars should perhaps be a little brighter in comparison with their companions to the upper left and right, but for the sake of being faithful to the sketch, I left them at the same magnitude. 

Anyway, thanks for the kind words and thoughts, Gerry and it's great to hear you're having clear skies :grin:

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That's really, really impressive work. I'm not surprised its tiring, given that amount of concentration! M15 is super compact and saw this first time last night. I'm exhausted but might need to drag the frac out to the balcony to have another look!

These kind of sketches are the closest thing to showing someone what it really looks like to see through a telescope. Lovely stuff.

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Thanks, Kevin. I really appreciate your kind response and hope that you got a session in this evening. I have seen M 15 on a number of occasions - even in an extremely dark spot in France a year ago - but never really got round to sketching her. I cannot explain why but for some reason, that night of the 17th, early 18th, the globular was clearer and brighter than I had ever seen her. It was one of those wow moments where straight out of the pool of darkness flared this glittering cluster. I knew that if I didn't record her then and there, I would perhaps not get another opportunity like this for many years to come.

As I began sketching M 15, it took on a shape similar to M11, like a bird unfolding it wings ready for flight and as more detail was added it gradually changed into a wonderful firework display, a gorgeous cascade of ten thousand suns. Stargazing is probably made up of about 50% vision and 50% imagination but I hope the sketch does do M 15 some justice and also allows others to see what they are likely to witness with a similar aperture and magnification.

Thanks again. Kevin :smiley:

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Admittedly, I was inspired, and tired as I was I managed to lift the scope out to the balcony and have a wee little look at M15 again!  (Also managed to have a first look at M2 just South of M15 in Aquarius by a quick turn of the DEC handle :) )  I love those wow moments and its good to see them captured on paper to look at later.  It's funny how certain targets jump out on certain occasions and like you say, you've got to take advantage when that happens.  Those Orange Groves clearly have magical views!

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I also plucked off NGC 7332 and NGC 7339 - very nice sight, not quite as good as the sketch but close, the sky trans was below avg. Your sketches match very closely what I see :smiley:  which is great, Almach looked fantastic as well- very good choice Rob, still looking for the other color doubles you listed.

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Thanks, Gerry. I am truly touched by your generosity, spirit, and kind words. I love this willingness of yours to get out there and observe whenever possible. Pegasus is certainly an interesting constellation if you're into your galaxies and doubles, so hopefully tonight will play came and I'll have the energy after work to do a little viewing myself. Cheers again, Gerry :grin:

Rob

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They will also provide me with a good visual reference as many of these objects are on my current list and I am just hoping that this weekend shapes up - if not well your sketches have given me a good account. I had overlooked 7332 and 7339 to and so as with Gerry will include for the session. You clearly have great patience executing these fine drawings, the M15 sketch in particular is akin to looking through the eyepiece. 

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