Best way to log my observations?

[pipnina]

My dad had suggested keeping a log of some sort as to what I've seen. I was thinking I could use google sheets (web version of excel) but it might be a bit clunky?

I'm no artist... So skething may not be the route for me (esp since I have to share a scope with dad when observing, he'll want a turn, too!) What other methods do you guys use to log your sessions?

    ~pip

[gooseholla]

Notepad and pen. When you get in type it up if you so desire. Simple, quick, cheap.

John

[pipnina]

Notepad and pen. When you get in type it up if you so desire. Simple, quick, cheap.

John

Actually, I might do that. Thanks!

such a simple solution I didn;t even think of, trust me to miss the obvious! 

    ~pip

[laudropb]

+1 for note book ( hard covered ), pen or pencil and dim red torch.

[michaelmorris]

Another one who uses a notepad an pen.  W H Smiths sell some neat little spiral bound notepads that have hard plastic covers that are very durable out in the field.  I start a new page for each observing session. 

[gooseholla]

I make my observations in a hardbacked notebook. No lines, plain so I can do simple sketching as well. Some of the pages are quite messy, bordering on incomprehensible. I then come in and type them up into intelligible reports and post them on here. Posting on here provides opportunities for people to say yeah you saw that correctly or give advice if you missed the blindly obvious!

 I find it helps my observing to do this as not only do I have to pay attention at the eyepiece but I have to reflect and decide afterwards whether I actually saw what I thought I did and also makes me really digest the descriptions of each object so what each object looks like, particularly under certain conditions, becomes concrete in my mind.

John

[pipnina]

Thank you! I will get a hard back notebook ASAP and work out a way to make my red torch dimmer. (it's kinda bright atm despite being advertised as astro).

[gooseholla]

Nail polish. Or some red plastic.

[AdeKing]

Another +1 for a spiral bound notebook.  The one I use is lined, which makes my sketches a bit messy, but keeps my notes neat and tidy.

[BritAngler]

Another +1 for the notebook, but if you can, try some sketching too. You don't need to be a Michelangelo, but a rough sketch of what you've seen will help you out.

[Beulah]

If you log your observations by writing, I wonder if a Dictaphone would be useful for on the fly observations... Later to be written...I find that the last thing I want to do in the wee hours of the morning is to be writing in a notebook or bathed in the glow of an led screen before shut eye....

[gazaddy]

Notepad for me aswell

[bejay1957]

If you log your observations by writing, I wonder if a Dictaphone would be useful for on the fly observations... Later to be written...I find that the last thing I want to do in the wee hours of the morning is to be writing in a notebook or bathed in the glow of an led screen before shut eye....

Back in the days of sitting out watching meteor showers I used a small dictaphone for logging my sightings; I guess these days it should be easier to convert this to text on a puter?

[mikeDnight]

You say you're no artist and you don't have to be. Rough eyepiece sketches help you to focus more intently on the object being observed. Very few observers make works of art while sketching in low light and at the same time controlling a telescope. The important thing is that the rough sketch contains valuable information that can be translated into a cleaned up drawing later or into notes, or both. I used to record everything in written form but for the last ten years I've used mainly sketching to record my observations. The reason being that it's easier for me to look a my drawings to refresh my memory than to read copious notes. A picture speaks a thousand words!

Please don't be put off by your artistic skills, they will certainly improve over time. The most important thing is that they should be as truthful as possible. Everyone appreciates a truthful observational sketch but art for the sake of it will have little value.

Mike

[pipnina]

You say you're no artist and you don't have to be. Rough eyepiece sketches help you to focus more intently on the object being observed. Very few observers make works of art while sketching in low light and at the same time controlling a telescope. The important thing is that the rough sketch contains valuable information that can be translated into a cleaned up drawing later or into notes, or both. I used to record everything in written form but for the last ten years I've used mainly sketching to record my observations. The reason being that it's easier for me to look a my drawings to refresh my memory than to read copious notes. A picture speaks a thousand words!

Please don't be put off by your artistic skills, they will certainly improve over time. The most important thing is that they should be as truthful as possible. Everyone appreciates a truthful observational sketch but art for the sake of it will have little value.

MikeIMG_20150531_145522.jpg

Oh, I'll try it one day! It is, after all, the best way of recording a session if you can sketch what you saw relatively accurately. But I'll stick to writing up what I've seen just for now