First sketch of 2015: Crater Pythagoras

[Roel]

So far this winter is terrible for astronomy. Nothing but clouds and rain in the Netherlands... But yesterday evening the skies finally cleared and my 3" Polarex Unitron was quickly set up in the backyard. Crater Pythagoras on the northeastern limb of the Moon looked particularly nice - like a deep rocky bowl in the lunar surface. Seeing conditions were fair, so I pumped up the magnifcation to a crazy (for a 3") 200x. It still gave a pleasant and sharp view and sketching was quite comfortable with the crater looking big in the eyepiece.

Pythagoras is a 130km wide impact crater with staggering 5km high terraced walls. The central peaks (I could see two of them) are also pretty huge: 3,5km high! Imagine the panoramic view from the top op one of those mountains....

Sketch made with a pastel pencil on black paper, through a 3" Polarex Unitron at 200x (Baader 6mm BGO). The image is mirror reversed.

[ghostdance]

A beautiful sketch with superb detail! Very evocative. You have the gift Roel, congratulations!

[Scooot]

Lovely sketch. You could be looking out of a plane window.

[Steve789]

Wow, I'm gobsmacked! This is the first time I've looked in the sketches section of SGL and I certainly wasn't expecting to see anything like this. I'm glad you included the photo of the clip board else I would have thought it was done with a camera.

[happy-kat]

That is just gorgeous

[Qualia]

Wow! Amazing sketch, Roel. It's really quite frightening to see how much talent you have I'm sorry to hear the winter hasn't been very conducive for getting out but hopefully January will be a steadier month. Thanks for posting up this incredible sketch and I look forward to seeing more

[spaceboy]

OMG

[Astro Imp]

A truly remarkable sketch, well done Roel.

Good luck in 2015.

[jkwhinfrey]

Fantastic sketch Roel! I've seen a few lunar sketches recently and your's is very impressive (I loved the clipboard shot too) :-))

James

[mariosi]

Amazing drawing, great details.

Congratulations Roel and clear skies always

Marios

[jkwhinfrey]

And congratulations on being chosen for Astronomy Sketch of the Day :-)

James

[Pete Presland]

fabulous work! oh to be able to "sketch" like that!

[Charic]

I've got my Derwent Stumps and Graphites, and I might as well  just take the whole lot back to the shop. I can't compete with images like that. Well done!

[mister_wavey]

Just beautiful.

[MAN or ASTROMAN]

Superb draughtmanship.

[Frenchgow]

This image blew me away ,fantastic,so much detail,great effort ,

Keep them coming,

Gow

Inspires me to get my drawing pad out