My first set of three sketches...

[Ccolvin968]

So I set my sights on Saturn, the Mizar binary and Alcor, and I accidentally found the Rocking Horse Cluster (NGC 6910)while looking through Cygnus. I didn't even know what it was until I posted in the observing reports section. I need to work on scale a bit. But it comes with practice.

Not sure if in my Saturn drawing I was seeing all of those moons or if they were dim stars. I'll try to find out tonight as long as it stays clear. My scanner wasn't working, so I just took a cell phone snap then uploaded. Let me know what you think in all honesty. Thanks everyone! Clear skies!

[Stu]

Nice ones, a great start and it's not easy!

As you've put, I too am not sure about the moons of Saturn you spotted. I suspect you didn't get Hyperion because at mag 15.3 it's a tough ask. I think Titan and Iapetus are correct, and depending upon how accurate your scale is, possibly Rhea. Enceladus is pretty faint though (mag 12.7) and would be tricky that close in to the planet's glare. Not impossible though.

Might also be useful to put the actual field of view on your notes to give you some scale.

[Stu]

I've just checked the field of view on SkySafari and actually am not sure about the scale and moons you were seeing. I think I'm right in saying that the 14mm 82 degree afov eyepieces in your scope gives x89 and a 0.92 degree field. This is what that looks like. The two stars to the east are just that, background stars.

Have a check and let me know if my diagram matches your field of view. I think I've got the time and location correct but might not have done!

Cheers

Stu

[Ccolvin968]

You nailed it Stu. That's exactly what I was seeing. The only one I was confident about was Titan. I could barely see the one close to Saturn. It would pop in and out of view using averted vision. Even then, I wonder if I was tricking myself. Thanks Goethe help. Practice makes proficient right? Clear skies!

[Qualia]

Lovely sketches and thank you for sharing them with us. A useful link to identify what moons of Saturn may be possible for a give night can be found here. Look forward to seeing more sketches, CC

[laudropb]

Nice sketches. The Moons of Saturn are difficult to identify, except for Titan. I am not convinced I have ever got it quite right myself. It is easier if there are some identifiable stars in the background. I try to plot these to I've reference points, but it is not always easy. Nevertheless, a very good start to your sketching career.

[Ccolvin968]

It was pretty washed out by the moon. My favorite sketch is probably my favorite is the Mizar and Alcor sketch. I feel like i got the correct scale on that one, and it's cool. I'll practice on Jupiter before I go back to Saturn. Those moons are easy,and I just love Jupiter. Thanks for the support!

[Stu]

If you try a variety of powers you may pick up the moons more easily. Seeing faint stuff like this close to the glare of the planet is a bit of a balancing act of getting a good sky background, keeping the glare minimized and sharp focusing. I picked up 5 moons in a refractor at only around x60, but to be fair its probably easier than in the 10" because of the extra brightness you would be contending with, plus diffraction spikes etc.

Cooling, collimation and seeing conditions are all important too

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Ccolvin968]

I never skip collimation, even if it hasn't moved since last use. I let it cool for at least 30 mins. The scope stays in my basement, so the temperature difference between the two is only a few degrees. If it was a larger temp difference id let it cool 45 mins through an hour. Clear skies forecast for this Thursday!

[mariosi]

Lovely done!

Thank you for sharing

Marios

[Dave In Vermont]

This online software will show you where Saturn's moons are at your current time:

http://www.wwu.edu/skywise/saturn.html

I can't (yet) find one that can be downloaded free.

Hope this helps,

Dave

[todd8137]

Hi there and well done ,it takes a lot to post some thing on a forum with all your peers looking and commenting .uour on your way it's hard to put down on paper what you see I started with doubles ,then open clusters but the moon is where it's at for me looking forward to more sketches .i am waiting for the dark evenings to draw in so,I can get started its a great way of keeping a record

Pat

[Ccolvin968]

Thanks Todd! I'm looking forward to drawing the moon, but I think I'll take my time. Dave, I just bought the Sky Safari app for my ipad and love it!

[Moonshane]

I always tend to invert the colours of my sketches in 'Paint' as it makes then a little more aesthetically pleasing. Like so:

[Ccolvin968]

That's really cool! I posted a question in the same topic area asking if people invert their photos or use black paper and white charcoal. Turns out that inverting looks too, I'll have to do that from now on. Thanks moonshane!

[todd8137]

Thanks Todd! I'm looking forward to drawing the moon, but I think I'll take my time. Dave, I just bought the Sky Safari app for my ipad and love it!

It's a good plan to build up to detail also the longer you spend let's say at a cluster the more you look and drawing does make you look harder ,the more you see I prefer black paper and contes white pencils

Here's to moon sketches on black and white a will stick another image of a cluster I think they look better but every one is diferent and each to there own as long as your sketching hope it helps there's loads of decent cheap black and white pads to choose from

Pat

[Ccolvin968]

M104 looks great! I saw you're using a 16 inch dob. I've got upgraded from. A cheap 5 inch Celestron to a Zhumell z10 dob. It's amazing!! I'll have to wait a few more years until I can upgrade to a 16" or else I might end up living in the shed. :-) I think this dob will keep me busy for a while though. Clear skies!

[todd8137]

M104 looks great! I saw you're using a 16 inch dob. I've got upgraded from. A cheap 5 inch Celestron to a Zhumell z10 dob. It's amazing!! I'll have to wait a few more years until I can upgrade to a 16" or else I might end up living in the shed. :-) I think this dob will keep me busy for a while though. Clear skies!

Hi there after years of imaging and luna work i missed visual sold the image rig and brought the 16" best thing i ever did

Pat