Sketching

[Okeydokey]

I am increasingly 'popping' out for a few minutes with the binoculars for a quick peak.  I have heard of sketching on other forums, is there a method or prescribed way of recording what you see on paper before going back in doors?

I am thinking... pick a key point say Orions belt then guestimate the distance between one object and another then place dot on paper, go indoors and work out what it was that you thought you might have seen or something similar?

Is there any theory to this, special technique or practice, I would guess a compass would help, my normal 'popping out' spot is about 5 minutes walk away and I generally go for about 20 minutes at a time.  I don't really want to take my laptop Stellarium solution or indeed mobile google app.  If that were the case I might as well get a 'go to' and mount it on the roof of my house, car or caravan taking the fun and learning right out of the hobby.

[Qualia]

I have heard of sketching on other forums, is there a method or prescribed way of recording what you see on paper before going back in doors?

I don't think there is any hard and prescribed way of going about recording what you have seen. Some like to jot a few notes, others a quick pencil sketch, some will carry out chalk and brushes and the such. I feel what ever is convenient to you will be the best.

I am thinking... pick a key point say Orions belt then guestimate the distance between one object and another then place dot on paper, go indoors and work out what it was that you thought you might have seen or something similar?

In my opinion, unless you are merely jotting down easily identifiable objects like major stars of the constellations, some obvious DSOs like M 31 or M 42, the Moon or planets etc, to lessen the possibility of erring and to identify with almost certainty what you are looking at - especially in barren or complex star fields - carry out a small pocket star atlas.

I would guess a compass would help. 

Unless you're strolling at one of the poles there's really no need for a compass. Polaris is to your north, at your back is the south, to your right is the east, to your left is the west.

I don't really want to take my laptop Stellarium solution or indeed mobile google app.  If that were the case I might as well get a 'go to' and mount it on the roof of my house, car or caravan taking the fun and learning right out of the hobby.

If that is the case, if not done already, little by little, learn some of the major constellations and with the aid of a star atlas practice the art of star hopping to get where you feel you want to be going in the night sky.

[Okeydokey]

Well here was my first effort, turned out very succesful, my 9 year old daughter, 13 year old son and better half all found M31 first light on their first go... (should help fund future projects).

The sketch was on the back of an envelope, as is evident, may try and progress to graph paper next, then try to produce some kind of equatorial template.

Their observations were taken using my 8x42's and they loved it