Christmas Holiday Sketches

[gliderpilot]

It's been a while since I've posted here so here are my latest sketches as I plod my way through the Herschell 400 and other useful deep sky guides.

First up NGC891 through the C8. I can remember really struggling to find this when I first looked for it a few years ago but can now pull it in almost on demand - well subject to moon, light pollution and transparency! A very faint elongated edge on galaxy but no sign of the dustlane though.

I stumbled across the fact that I can fit four bright open clusters in Cassiopeia into my 30x100 binoscope's field of view: M103, NGC654, 659 and 663. This made for a cracking sketch but it took two sessions to complete as there was so much detail. A wonderful find.

Another first for me was the Flame Nebula NGC2024 which I observed twice over the Christmas break through the binoscope. What was interesting was that the two dustlanes caught my eye rather than the nebulosity. I guess that's a contrast effect? It is surprisingly hard to sketch as the bright star Alnitak drowns out the nebulosity which is so faint that any red light causes it to vanish. I also saw IC424 and the associated Horsehead nebula through fellow observer's 10 and 12 inch dobs - fitted with an H-Beta filter. I never thought to try the H-B filter on one of the binoscope eyepieces so this will have to wait for the next clear observing session.

Finally, M76 - a small bright planetary nebula which responds well to using a UHC filter through the C8. Appears peanut-shaped with one lobe brighter than the other. I was interested to read that this is one of the hardest Messier objects but I find it relatively easy (galaxies M77 and M74 are far harder for example).

All were made with pencil and paper, scanned in and inverted.

Clear skies,

Mark

[Beulah]

Great Sketches!!

I love the Flame Nebula - such a fantastic discovery.

Haven't quite got into sketching yet as it is not often clear enough (many years on ) to even get bored with just observing. Do you use a red light torch to see what you are doing?

Can't wait to get out there again, won't be long.....

[gliderpilot]

Glad you like the sketches. Yes a dim red torch is pretty much essential for retaining one's night vision when making or reading notes.

We're forecast clear skies in Wiltshire although its turning cold (like last year then!) so hope to be out again too.

Mark

Mark

[DarkerSky]

Nice one Mark. I like your Cassiopeia clusters. That's pretty awesome to get that lovely lot in the same FOV. 30x100s must be an awesome bit of kit.

Well done on the Flame too. It's a hard one. I saw it once with my 8" scope from a very dark sky in Wales. Recently tried it with my 12" from my 5.5 sky, but could not see it at all

[David Smith]

Some really nice sketches Mark, just wish mine looked as professional!

[petek314]

Nice to see a sketch of the elusive NGC891 which is especially elusive for me because of light pollution.

[Kedvenc]

Great sketches. I've not really tried my hand with my new scope (a few years ago I did a half decent sketch of m45 through a 4inch reflector). Do you sit at the scope for your sketches? For me there is no way that I'd be able to sit and reach the eyepiece (not with a normal chair at least).

[Zul]

Amazing sketches!