YogSothoth

Really good sketches there. I must have a go at the moon myself.

Great sketches. Sketching really makes you observe an object, rather than just looking at it.

Thanks for that. I’m quite interested in double stars, so I’ll have a look next time. I was using a 24mm eyepiece, giving me a mag of x31, so I didn’t notice that the stars you pointed out were doubles. I’ll have a look using a higher magnification next time

Thanks. I’m quite pleased with it, although some of the fainter stars seem have increased in magnitude a bit in my sketch 😂

Great sketches

A clear night last night, although a bit chilly, so I thought I’d have a go at M44 (Beehive cluster). I wonderful sight in the eyepiece.

Thanks 🙂

It’s the first time I’ve seen M53, but I’ll be revisiting it I think. There was a very thin veil of hazy cloud about by the time I’d got to it, so I’m sure I could get a better view. I didn’t see NGC 5053, but something else to look out for in the future.

I have replied to your post but forgot to quote 🤣

Thanks, yes it white paper and pencil reversed. I use Derwent blending stumps to soften the edges. I’m in a small village in West Sussex and the skies a reasonably dark, although Gatwick is to the North, about 12 miles away. I would guess at around B4 maybe. Also, none of my neighbours have external lights and all the street lights go off at 12pm, which is nice.

Last night I had an almost clear sky, although there was some hazy cloud about. M3 looked great, and although I couldn’t make out individual stars, it did have a distinctly grainy structure. M53 was much fainter, but I could easily see the brighter central core.

Probably means we’ve upset some sort of astronomical deity 🤣

I’ve only managed four sessions this year and observed the sun three times. Oddly, I seem to have clearest skies during a full moon.

Very nice sketch indeed.

Great sketches, especially like the use of colour.