How do you keep your fingers warm...

[TonyD]

while sketching in sub-zero temperatures?

Any tips would be welcome!

And how strong is the light you sketch with (I presume it is a red light!). Would a small LED from the back of a bicycle be suitable?

Cheers

Tony

[Bizibilder]

I use fingerless gloves - the ones with the flappy pocket that folds over your bare fingers to keep them warm when not actually doing anything. A small red torch / bicycle light will do - it might be advantageous to make some sort of holder for it (or grow an extra hand!!)

[midnight_sky_watcher]

I use a handwarmer that runs on lighter fuel thats made by that well known american lighter company....when filled it lasts for 10 hours, only £20,

[gary1968]

Charcoal pocket warmers, available in ebay.

Gary

Sent from my HUAWEI U8815 using Tapatalk 2

[TonyD]

How about a modified headtorch that shines red?

[earth titan]

Charcoal pocket warmers, available in ebay.

Gary

Sent from my HUAWEI U8815 using Tapatalk 2

Have to say I have one of these (Gelert) and can't keep the sticks alight. I've just bought a Zippo petrol one (£13 delivered) as a replacement as these are renowned for being more reliable.

Typed by me on my fone, using fumms... Excuse eny speling errurs.

[gary1968]

Have to say I have one of these (Gelert) and can't keep the sticks alight. I've just bought a Zippo petrol one (£13 delivered) as a replacement as these are renowned for being more reliable.

Typed by me on my fone, using fumms... Excuse eny speling errurs.

Light the stock at both ends, let it burn for 10mins or so before you close the l id.

I had the lighter fuel kind, got to the point where I didn't fancy putting lit petrol in my pocket, lol.

Sent from my HUAWEI U8815 using Tapatalk 2

[rory]

if your sketching faint dso's you want the light to be as faint as you can handle to be honest.

[RikM]

I use fingerless gloves and a charcoal handwarmer. I light both ends and let it burn a while before closing, same as Gary. As a sketching light, I use a clip-on LED book light that I have covered with dark red acetate.

A bit like this one, only red.

[Mike73]

I've got a couple Kindle reading lights like this which are covered in red acetate film. I use one for home and a different one for my dark site which has got three bits of acetate covering the light so its really very dim and only just gives out enough light so I can see the sketch pad.

I'm really fussy about how bright my light is, maybe overly so but I figure the most important piece of astronomy equipment I have is my eyes so I figure its best to look after them.

Lunar sketching is the complete opposite. I use normal white light which makes sketching easier but it also stops my eyes getting dark adapted and helps with the glare you get of the bright moon.

Gloves? I use just cheap Thinsulate fingerless gloves, only used them once this winter as it hasnt got cold yet.

Hope this helps Tony.

[earth titan]

Just arrived.

50p piece for scale.

Typed by me on my fone, using fumms... Excuse eny speling errurs.

[cplee42]

For my part I use gloves that have the thumb and forefinger with a split tip (fishing gloves - get them from Aldi) or else just fleece fingerless gloves. I use a "mightybrite" music stand light (double heads with long flexible stalks) from amazon and have both heads covered in red balloon sheathing. I like the dual head as one can be positioned "over the sketch and the second can illuminate from the side. Both have on-off switch that allows me to play with dark adaption needs. I do not use a headtorch for sketching as I find they either get in the way at the optics or are generally too far from the paper. The pad is a clip board with a template attached and a "nurses clip" that retains my pencils. I use handwarmers to occassionally add heat to my fingers!