Recording Sessions

[MattJenko]

Do many people record their viewing sessions and what kind of information do you record?

I am going to start logging what I have done now I am kind of past the initial lets-just-get-scope-outside-and-play phase (although I seriously doubt I will ever truly get over this). I would like to start working towards some longer term goals and to be a bit more organised to get the most out of the small viewing window offered by UK skies.

I have also seen some lovely sketches done by some members and wondered how you record those for posterity and easy access?

Thanks

Matt

[cotterless45]

A5 spiral bound notebook

[Moonshane]

Pretty similar to Nick really (in fact he's one of the people that inspired me). e.g.

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/219359-being-galileo/

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/218063-great-night-of-doubles-31514/

[webboid]

I have recorded every session since I started observing 2 years ago. In an A5 book it has followed the same format of session number for the year date start & end time location telescope/s used. Weather seeing & transparency but only approximately. Moon age & if visible. I usually note at the telescope what I view roughly or mark on my map then write up the log in doors. I also use a spreadsheet to catalogue all I have observed along with details like size mag surface brightness taken from ref books. This is useful when planning to help with observing new stuff & revisiting old friends. The log has evolved & it is interesting to look back & see how my observing has developed. It is worth the effort once you have got 100's of objects observed unless you have a good memory. 

[Mukv]

Greetings

I have purchased a spiral a5 book just to keep in my obsy and an a4 hardbacked book for in the house/study but sofar all thats in them are notes about polar alignment, in the future it will bring back the little smiles I had along the way while I get the obsy running smoothly. The evenings viewing and imaging will be recorded in a similar way to cotterless and also in a database program when I can make up my mind!

Andy

[cotterless45]

The other thing that you can do is to make preview notes of what you are aiming to see that night. These I put on A4, then keep in a file, so that a year later I can fill in the gaps and visit old friends,

This forms a useful resource which can be divided up into months and added to by the useful recordings of others on observing reports ,

Nick.

Or as my daughter asks, "what use is it all ?" !!

[MattJenko]

Thanks. I will get myself a nice spiral bound A5 book. I am certainly no mentalist, so if it isn't written down, it will disappear. I have found in other activities that notes at the time help being more prepared or be better the next time. A good learning aide methinks.

I do like the idea of noting what the plan was and then being able to compare against the reality of the session!

How do you gauge seeing conditions? Does this simply come with experience and number of sessions under one's belt?

What use is it all indeed