MZack

Thanks @josefk I’ve tried the double cluster in the past but it’s always proven challenging. But it was a clear and steady night yesterday so I gave it a go. Clearly one of the favourites in the sky to go for and will take quite a bit of power. observatory has a slide on/off roof and currently has the large APMs and the 8inch Cassegrain set up but I do swap around other scopes from time to time.

Yes - have to agree these are great results and a nice record of your observations. Great that you can get to a low light site.

Thank you. Yes the 120s are quite an instrument even in light polluted skies. I use them on driven goto and undriven push to mounts. Here’s a pic from last night showing set up in my observatory. I also have the smaller 82mm versions which are very nice indeed as a grab and go alternative.

Nice night after heavy rain which cleared the sky. Took the opportunity to view some old favourites as well as Saturn and Jupiter. My sketches tonight of Melotte 20 in Perseus, M39 in Cygnus, M15 in Pegasus and an attempt at the Double Cluster also in Perseus. All with my APM 120 ED binoculars, varying powers from 27 to 51

Very nice sketches!

Lovely. Quite dramatic capture.

Using that size would be quite a challenge! Maybe a super wide field from Hyades up to Pleiades?!

Hmmm. That’s an idea!

Thank you @josefk It’s the first time I had a go at a reasonable power just on the cluster itself. I usually sweep across the whole object with x7 or x10 bins but a higher powered approach is rewarding.

Yes it was very enjoyable. I also used the bins on other clusters in Cassiopeia, NGC 225 (sailboat cluster) , NGC 129, 663, M103, plus a nice grouping of NGC 133,146 with King 14, (small but discernible. )

Quick sketch of NGC 1502, the cluster at the bottom of Kembles. APM 120s x66. The cluster was quite distinct in fair but moonlit conditions. The triangle of stars to the top right lead away out of shot to the line of stars that forms the rest of the asterism.

One of my favourites whatever instrument I’m using. This was last night using my APM 120 binoculars and 10mm UFF at x66. Stars that form the body were quite clear with a hint of background stars much further away. White on black paper usin a mix of gel pens, pastel and water colour.

Very nice idea. If you had a set of them you could make up a book for publication - bit like Turn left at Orion!

I know it well! Plus the zebra crossing is still there!

As summer draws its final breaths, a fine day here on the edge of north east London. Some high cloud but clear enough for some observing. Here’s my sketch of two arching prominences and nearby sunspot 3811 through my 60mm Lunt and 12.5mm Orthoscopic x40 Malcolm

Fabulous. Love the colour attempts too!

Thank you. It’s a nice object and at low powers that and nearby clusters like 663 form a nice view. This was a much higher power and it brought out the background a bit more. I’m sure in darker skies than mine there is more definition.

A few clear hours tonight. Two sketches using an 8 inch cassegrain of the clusters NGC 663 and M103 x 101 and x135 respectively. Third sketch is view my 82mm APM binoculars of Cr 399 or the “Coathanger” at x25.

Superb detail. What equipment are you using to view the sun and which tools for the main sketch?

Thanks everyone for your kind comments. It’s certainly a challenging time to be sketching the sun as it approaches maximum! Malcolm

Had some time today to catch up with a very busy sun. Lots of spots! First up is a full disk view through my 70mm F12.8 achromat at x45. Followed by a sketch of sketches of a large prominence observed later in the day through my 60mm Lunt solar scope. red pastel on black.

Hi No, but that’s an interesting idea. I made a round smudge in the corner of the page with white pastel pencil. I took a thinly pointed blending stump and covered the tip in the pastel. Then I lightly marked the sketch using the tip of the stump, fairly randomly but following the generally outline of the background haze to create the effect you can see visually. Repeated loading the stump and adding to the sketch as needed. First time I’ve tried it and it seemed to work quite well. Malcolm

An opportunity arose between the clouds a couple of nights ago. Here’s the open cluster M52 which is on the borders of Cassiopeia and Cepheus. Skies were fair and not dark plus local light pollution. 8 inch Classical Cassegrain x135. About 20 or so stars picked out with the rest a background haze. Done at the eyepiece, white on black which was a challenge using a red torch.

Thank you. It’s 900mm. A 1979 UK Irving Refractor. Achromatic lens is actually from the 1940’s

A few hours of sunshine in the UK near London this morning. Sketch of the large central group 3738. 70mm Achromatic x90 plus a full sketch of the disk x50