Record keeping advice

[Jedite83]

I am looking for a way to keep long term records of my stargazing.

I have been handwriting my logs, using a template from www.homebuiltastronomy.com, however I would prefer a electronic system.

Any advice?

Jedite83

[Capricorn]

If you want to keep them long term then stick with a handwritten log, preferably a hard back book of some form.

You will still have the book in 20 years, digital media changes so quick and can be lost so easily that it is best considered as temporary. Do you have much on your PC from 10 years ago ?

[Bizibilder]

I keep a log in A4 hardback books. As said above they will outlast any electronic system. The stuff I do keep on the 'puter such as images are well backed up both online and on disc(s).

[Beulah]

A4 ringbound Sketchbooks are great. The paper is thicker so can withstand the damp a little better. Good also for a bit of DSO/Planetary sketching too.

[Paulus17]

What i'm planning on doing is making notes on site,if i ever get out to see anything that is,and type em up on the puter and print off straight away,and keep in a folder.

My handwriting is terrible.Makes our docs look good

[JamesF]

I think there are a lot of benefits to keeping electronic copies, particularly if you want to search for information from previous years. No reason not to keep a paper copy as well though, just in case.

FWIW, I probably have everything available on a computer that I had ten years ago. Whenever I replace disks I just get larger ones and copy everything off my previous ones onto the new ones. Occasionally I'll go through and purge stuff I know there's no chance that I'm never going to want again, but I've certainly got fifteen years worth of stuff, perhaps getting close to twenty by now. I agree though that digital media can be far more transient than paper. You only have to look a the electronic storage media that we've given up using over the last thirty years to see that.

James

[umadog]

Check out AstroPlanner.

[glowjet]

If you have watched the S@N program you will have seen Sir Patrick's study, often comments are made with regard to his records, which run into many volumes and cover all his life's work, does that help to answer your question ?

John.

[NGC 1502]

Whatever way you choose to keep records, the important thing is to do it.

I've had a scope since 1979, and it is a source of regret that I kept very few records.

For instance, I found Comet Halley in 1986, but have no idea on which part of its path through the sky I spotted it.

Regards, Ed.

[r3i]

Check out AstroPlanner.

I've played with AstroPlanner in the past and yes it looks to be a very powerfult planning and logging application.

I use a blog (based on Drupal) on my home Intranet to keep a track of my observing and imaging efforts. I find it easy to update whilst I'm imaging and the search facilities are handy.

However I can fully imagine that having a tangible hand written log in a hardback book is going to be a far more satisfying experience.

[cotterless45]

I use ringbound lined notebooks. The spines of hardbacks usually give way. Any drawings are done on plain paper and stuck in. I hate the thought of putting all my info down on electricals.

It's important to keep records, otherwise you just come away with nothing. I was quite surprised at star parties that most folk don't.

Nick.

[JamesF]

If you have watched the S@N program you will have seen Sir Patrick's study, often comments are made with regard to his records, which run into many volumes and cover all his life's work, does that help to answer your question ?

Realistically though, for most of his life, what have his options been? Even by the time of the earliest home computers he was pretty close to retirement age and already had a huge body of work built up.

James

[JamesF]

I've had a scope since 1979, and it is a source of regret that I kept very few records.

For instance, I found Comet Halley in 1986, but have no idea on which part of its path through the sky I spotted it.

I think there's a good point underlying this. It's not just about recording, but also about knowing what to record.

James

[JamesF]

I use a blog (based on Drupal) on my home Intranet to keep a track of my observing and imaging efforts. I find it easy to update whilst I'm imaging and the search facilities are handy.

I like the blog idea. It presents all sorts of opportunities to do things in new ways and depending how you want to do it can be read or updated anywhere.

James

[dav1d]

I keep records by photographing anything interesting & then printing out the best of them. That's not what you meant, is it?

[glowjet]

Realistically though, for most of his life, what have his options been? Even by the time of the earliest home computers he was pretty close to retirement age and already had a huge body of work built up.

James

I don`t think the electronic era was new to great man in his later years, wasn`t he a TV games Master for some electronic gaming program, it is an interesting thought though James, if computers were available to him in his earlier years, would he have recorded his work and sketches in the same way, perhaps some of the forum members who are close to him might like to ask him, as it is an interesting question, and the answer would, no doubt, be of interest to those just starting out in the hobby wishing to record what they see

John.

[JamesF]

I believe by his own admission he had no idea what the games master thing was all about.

James

[cantab]

It's important to keep records, otherwise you just come away with nothing.

Personally I'd say it's more important to enjoy observing. If you find taking notes detracts from observing, don't take notes. I've had a number of sessions that I've not written down anything on, preferring to keep my eye to the eyepiece, although now I'm taking notes mainly to keep track of which Messiers I've seen.

[glowjet]

I believe by his own admission he had no idea what the games master thing was all about.

James

I was not aware of that James but the question still remains

John.

[JamesF]

It must be true. I'm sure I read it on SGL

James

[pvaz]

If you want to keep them long term then stick with a handwritten log, preferably a hard back book of some form.

You will still have the book in 20 years, digital media changes so quick and can be lost so easily that it is best considered as temporary. Do you have much on your PC from 10 years ago ?

Try google drive or drop box. Basically it creates a folder, everything in it is synced to their servers and all the devices you have, including smart phones.

What you said only happens to people who don't care about backups, I still have a folder with all my school work, from when I was 12 and the now available cloud services make it easy even for lazy people.

[pvaz]

Back on topic: I keep a datasheet on google drive/docs I made for this. With the filter by column functions it's pretty easy to find any object to read previous observation logs or to add another. It's just a basic file with 4 columns one for the catalog number, 1 for the common name (when applicable), then another for the date and the last one is for the observation details.

Creating it on google docs makes it available on all my devices (both pcs, tablet and phone) and I can access it via browser even if I'm in a public computer while on vacations.

[cantab]

Honestly? I think I can keep physical items, like a CD with files burnt onto it, for a decade. I think that if I opt to always copy all my files across to a new drive or computer I can keep computer files on my own systems for a decade. I'm not so confident Dropbox, or even Google, will still be around in 2022. They're very useful services for backup, and for syncing multiple PCs, but I'd be deeply wary of using them for long-term archiving.

[Jedite83]

Thanks for the replys.

Looks like I'll keep with the logging system I have been using: hand written notes in the field (I have been using a 3 ring notebook) and transferring them to PC (I have been using http://sourceforge.net/projects/observation/?source=directory) to make sorting and sharing data easier. I'll have to work out some way to store them in my small apartment.

Thanks!

[glowjet]

Very sensible, I think if you worked at the subject for as long as Sir PM has, keeping your records in long hand, perhaps you would have to start looking for a larger apartment Lol

John.