Mike JW

Wonderful area to observe - there is much going on. Mike

Arp 330 in Draco is classified under Dr Arp's galaxy chains. Decent images pick up quite a few other galaxies in the area. The chain is made up of mag 16/17 galaxies, in the region of 360 to 410 millions lyrs away. I got 6 galaxies, some folk say there are 7 or maybe 8. This shot was taken when the galaxies were low down so I might pick up more at a higher elevation. Mike

All to often I get carried away with the wow of lunar craters near the terminator and forget to chase down other lunar features. It is always a nice moment when I see a feature and think, what's that, its not a crater and then the light bulb moment hits - a volcanic dome. They are easily missed and disappear once the lunar sun gets any distance above the horizon. Mike Arago Two main domes and two smaller ones observed in a line (actually photos show more, I have observed 3 since I did this sketch). Superb wrinkle ridges in the area. Cauchy Area One very prominent volcanic dome and a second one which is more difficult to spot. Very obvious wrinkle ridge and a few scattered ones Arago from a few years ago - a very early sketch. I gave it the title of a very scary crater because of its shadow at the time

Thanks for that , very helpful. Mike

Alan, wonderful work. I am enjoying the fact that you are exploring the area of interest, teasing out details, checking against images, comparing scopes - what I call observation astronomy. It really enables one to learn, see more.......I have just been doing the same with my interest in lunar sketching. Am I right in thinking that NV is particularly suited to nebulae observing rather than small faint galaxies which I do with my C11/ultrastar set up? A great read, capturing the excitement of observing such fascinating objects. Mike

Hi Ruud, the moon is a wonderful playground. Never heard of this crater before. Such a good technique for capturing the start of the day for this crater. Hoping to submit a sketch from last night's lunar outing. Mike

Thanks Elpajare. Wish I lived further south to get a good look at these DSOs. Mike

I have been poking about in Cetus of late. Not an easy constellation for us GB but some very worthwhile targets. Most of the time I am having to look through light pollution and the inevitable humid GB skies. However here a few offerings. C11 at f6.3 with an Ultrastar. All cropped images and cleaned up in photoshop. Getting a reasonable shot has been tough. Generally I use 10 sec subs and stack until I get something that is OK but not normally more than 20 in the stack. Mike Hickson 16 A collection of brighter galaxies. HCG 16a 16b 16c 16d "Name" NGC 835 NGC 833 NGC 838 NGC 839 Type SAB pec Sa pec SA0a pec S pec Mag. 13.1 13.5 13.5 14.2 Hickson 14 An almost straight line of faint galaxies HCG 14a 14b 14c 14d "Name" PGC 7557 PGC 7553 PGC 7550 PGC 7546 Type SAb pec SA0 pec Sbc Sd Mag. 14.9 15.3 17.7 17.0 Hickson 15 Six galaxies in this group. HCG 15a 15b 15c 15d 15e 15f "Name" PGC 8128 PGC 8110 PGC 8117 PGC 8114 PGC 8096 PGC 8116 Type S0 E/S0 E/S0 E/S0 S0 Sbc Mag. 14.7 15.8 14.6 15.3 15.8 16.7

Hi Martin, Brave to attempt M42 - over the years I have attempted it and thrown them away but your drawing does capture the broad details. I think I have kept one attempt, so I will try and find it. To get a less scratchy appearance. Use photocopy paper (its smooth) and then use a blending stumps to smooth the pencil out (that's the technique I use for my lunar work). As to the Trapezium. Need a steady sky and a good transparency. E is relatively easy, F is harder. Some times they just stand out once you know where they are. Keep magnification at a point where you are still getting as sharp as possible stars. Have fun. Mike

Mark, always good to remind ourselves to take a look at the objects visually. Thanks for that. Mike

Hi Bill, I have been using it for months and I have not noticed any differences for me as mono user. I still find that if I attempt to do dark frames the system collapses and I get very odd looking, totally useless and unusable shots. (it could be me doing something wrong). Mike

Well done elpajare. I have yet to visit Arp 80. Hoping I can pick up the bright companion with my set up. Mike

Thanks for the positive feedback. Compass to draw a faint circle. Then faint pencil marks to outline the seas. Then mark in the obvious craters in pencil. Once happy with the positions I did the seas first - S,T,N,F,C. After that I started at the top and worked my way down. Mike

You did well to pick it up and I agree with "littleguy80" that it is a good representation. Most comets do not stand out until they get much brighter. Thanks for posting. Mike

Thanks Elpajare for posting this. It was on my list for the other night but cloud came in before I got to it. Great to see you got the arms coming off the end of the bar. Mike

A two hour clear spell gave me a chance to scan the lunar surface just 24 hrs after full moon. There were so many wondrous sights. I chose Petavius. Its Rille was a bright white line, the terraced walls were just awesome, the valley to the south was half in shadow - so black and jagged. I spent an hour doing rough sketches, checking an online image, making notes. This morning it has been raining hard so below is the result of my efforts, sketching and reading up. Along with Vendelinus and Langrenus these three large craters are easy to see but need good seeing and correct illumination to pick up detail otherwise Rima Petavius is hard to spot. Petavius belongs to the small group of craters that have been modified post formation. In this case what caused the fractures? (Rima P. is the biggest but there are other much smaller ones.) Volcanism is the likely cause but there is very little dark pyroclastic material in the crater. However the central floor is domed shaped suggesting basalt lava rose up but not much escaped to smooth out the floor. The floor is 300 metres higher in the middle compared to the sides. The rising floor split the central peak (1.7km high). The walls are terraced (two major terraces and I suspect several smaller ones) and at its highest are 3400m above the crater floor. The crater walls are unusually wide in proportion to its diameter. The crater is circular but as it sits near the lunar limb foreshortening gives it the oval appearance. Crater Wrottesley has clobbered the crater rim on the NE side and judging by the shadow the wall furthest from P. is the steeper wall. Last night reminded me why lunar observing with sketching, followed by spending the time writing up/reading is so worthwhile. Mike

Comets - not the easiest of objects to capture. I must take a look at these with the Dob but I doubt I will see anymore than you did. Mike

Hi Ruud, I get so annoyed with myself at making craters round especially when they are near the edge of the moon. My Gassendi sketch shows that classic mistake as you rightly indicate. I like both sketches but they are wildly different. The earlier one has atmosphere but your latest has the detail. I too get bogged down with detail. I love artwork that is like a photo and I am less keen on impressionist work but enjoy both. Last night I finished a sketch of Theophilus etc and went for impression - came out rather well. I have called it a "study in shadows". May be I will post it. Currently working on Schiller/Zucchius area - nightmare to record details/perspective so close to the lunar edge. My quality 180 Mak is superb. I use to own an OMC 200 - truly apo like and with 8" of aperture - wonderful views of lunar, planetary detail. Mike

Just found the sketch I did on the cracking night I mentioned. Mike

I like that Achim. No way could I do that at the eyepiece. It has set me thinking how I could try this at the eyepiece. Many thanks for posting. Mike

Hi Ruud, beautifully drawn and as you say, with patience fine details can be teased out in average conditions. I still remember investigating this crater on a cracking night at x400 - amazing detail. Mike

Thanks everyone for your kind comments. Mike

Well expressed Achim. Totally agree. Mike

Hi Alan, Fascinating and well written to capture the thrill/adventure/awe of your observations. Inspired and as usual totally envious of what can be achieved using NV. Mike

Clavius is always irresistible to draw. Don't forget to spend time staring intently and count up how many craters you can see within it. Thanks for posting. Mike