How do you manage your list of targets and observations?

[Size9Hex]

Hi everyone,

I've just bought a scope to compliment the binoculars I've used for the last few months and the list of things I will be able to see has increased a hundred fold. How do fellow SGLers keep track of long lists of targets when you're constantly adding new targets, and ticking things off with observational notes? Have you found a method that works well, and isn't too time consuming?

Thanks for any and all replies! :-)

[D4N]

Sky safari pro allows you to add observations to things, you just tap them then tap observe, add observation and it gives you options for date, time, equipment, comments, seeing, transparency and location. You can then go back and review these.

It also lets you keep an observing list, I use this to help me remember which targets I want to visit, it can highlight them for you making it easier to see which will be best to goto.

I don't know if the other versions of sky safari have these features or not as I only have the pro version.

/Dan

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Gazabone]

I prepare a list each month, my November one is here;

http://www.cornwallas.org.uk/2015-11.pdf

Now that I'm 12 months into doing these I only have revise the solar system objects (moon, planets, comets etc) each month. I find it really useful.

[Gazabone]

Ps Cornwall Astronomy Society publish them on their website each month. I'm more than happy for anyone to download it that wants to.

http://www.cornwallas.org.uk

[mdstuart]

I now use sky tools 3. I have a long list of galaxies which I am working through!

[Size9Hex]

Thanks for the replies folks. I'll have a look through the things you mentioned. Much appreciated.

[Roy Challen]

Well, being a mainly Planetary, Lunar and Solar obsever, the list of targets isn't long, but mainly depends on their location at the time I do my observing. If nothing's about at night, I generally just wander about - the night sky that is

I always make notes when viewing planets, even if it's on consecutive nights - Jupiter is always changing especially the moons. Seeing conditions can also dramatically affect how much can be seen on any given night. Typing them up later doesn't take too much time, although I like to add things such as how I felt during the obsevations, or whether I saw any meteors or bright satellites etc

[mikeDnight]

Hi everyone,

I've just bought a scope to compliment the binoculars I've used for the last few months and the list of things I will be able to see has increased a hundred fold. How do fellow SGLers keep track of long lists of targets when you're constantly adding new targets, and ticking things off with observational notes? Have you found a method that works well, and isn't too time consuming?

Thanks for any and all replies! :-)

Hi Paul.

There are so many things to look at even in a small scope that, if you're not careful, you can end up like a kid in a sweet shop, not knowing what to look at. Personally I choose no more than three targets on any one night. That way when I find an object I spend time observing it rather than just looking at it. And if I only end up observing one of the objects on my short list, there's nothing lost, I've had a great time really studying the object for every ounce of detail the night and scope will allow. Not rushing through a target list will allow you to become truly familiar with the object. I never observe simply so i can cross off a target as seen, as in the Messier marathon, it really doesn't allow time to really get to grips with the object and see all it has to offer.

Richard Baum, a great British planetary observer stated in his book The Haunted Observatory, "many look, few observe!" To really observe anything well its worth spending time on the subject, so its best to limit the targets on your list.

Mike

[Matt Scunthorpe]

It depends what you want to look at it too, i have a spreadsheet to track the Messier & Caldwell objects. It doesnt state when to look at them but is good for a checklist if your wanting to complete them.

Matt.

Messier Log.xls

[YKSE]

So far I've been using a single excel file for my observations, both preparation and log. Some simple notes about conditions, site, scopes etc as comments in dates' cell, then observation in objects' cell as comments. There're links in that file too about Messiers and Caldwells.

It's the second file here.

And it's easy to see the total DSO observed too.

[Size9Hex]

I've had a great time really studying the object for every ounce of detail the night and scope will allow. Not rushing through a target list will allow you to become truly familiar with the object.

Thank you Mike. That's a great point that has really struck a chord with me. The first couple of months with binos had me ticking off various things in rapid succession with great excitement. In the last three or four weeks, largely thanks to some of the really good reports on this forum, I've started to realise how much more other folks were seeing on the same objects compared to what I was seeing. Since then, the best moments have been when I slowed down to take it all in. Despite my post, I'm really excited that the new scope will actually help with this, with less looking around, and more looking at.

[Size9Hex]

I hope you find this useful.

Definitely! I'll need some more time to read through it all, but wanted to say thanks for such a comprehensive reply. Thanks!

[Ray02]

I have taken the Messier Objects by constellation and put it on my phone.

I sit at the scope, click on the item and it brings up a description and a picture of what I am looking for. Some of the photos are hubble type photos which is not what I am really going to see but it still gives me a feeling. I have found that I have been on the target but did not know it because I didn't know what it was supposed to look like.

Hi, but dont you need internet for it? Cause mostly atleast I, go somewhere without any connection?

Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

[ejp1684]

Sky safari pro allows you to add observations to things, you just tap them then tap observe, add observation and it gives you options for date, time, equipment, comments, seeing, transparency and location. You can then go back and review these.

It also lets you keep an observing list, I use this to help me remember which targets I want to visit, it can highlight them for you making it easier to see which will be best to goto.

I don't know if the other versions of sky safari have these features or not as I only have the pro version.

/Dan

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

SkySafari 4 Plus also has observing lists.

Hi, but dont you need internet for it? Cause mostly atleast I, go somewhere without any connection?

SkySafari has the info and images for objects included in the app, so you don't need an internet connection. I find this a great way to learn about what I'm observing.

Eric.

[triton1]

I normally wait for Nick(Cotterless) to post his observing notes on here then I,m sorted haha!

[Piero]

I don't go out with a list but with a tablet and choose the targets depending on what I fancy or clouds.

Once back home I go through the targets I saw and write them down including notes on a spreadsheet which is then loaded by a little software I wrote. The resulting logs can be found in my signature.

It works for me as I like to keep track of my sessions as well as listing the objects I saw and compare my notes automatically.

I reckon a small portable recorder would help during the session to keep track of specific details.

I believe keeping a log is very helpful for not forgetting but also for improving one's observations.

[Size9Hex]

Thanks again for the latest replies everyone. Useful stuff, and I've taken a look at all the links/suggestions you've given. I think Sky Safari is brilliant in general, and the target lists are excellent, but I've not found a way of easily browsing back over previous notes. I'm going to try it for tracking things I want to see (or return to), while using a spreadsheet for taking notes. I like the idea of being able to search/sort by date or by object and browse back over what I've previously noted.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I have moved the spreadsheets I use to Google docs. I am going through the Herschel 400 (and 2500) lists, still have a few Caldwells to go (12, mostly far southern, although I do hope to get some more in France next year), the Brightest 100 Planetary Nebulae is a list I keep track of, and then there is athe Revised Shapley-Ames Catalogue of Bright Galaxies. I need a bigger scope for quite a few of the ones I would like to see

[rockystar]

I have taken the Messier Objects by constellation and put it on my phone.    

I sit at the scope, click on the item and it brings up a description and a picture of what I am looking for.   Some of the photos are hubble type photos which is not what I am really going to see but it still gives me a feeling.   I have found that I have been on the target but did not know it because I didn't know what it was supposed to look like.

I've found this site really helps to give a better impression of what you will see at the eyepiece: http://www.pbase.com/mike73/messier_sketches

[rockystar]

No worries, it is a great site. I always pop back there to check on what I'm looking at. Usually a few less stars for the clusters and not quite as detailed for the galaxies and nebula, but it's so much nearer than those (fantastic) Hubble images 

[Mike73]

Thanks again for the latest replies everyone. Useful stuff, and I've taken a look at all the links/suggestions you've given. I think Sky Safari is brilliant in general, and the target lists are excellent, but I've not found a way of easily browsing back over previous notes. I'm going to try it for tracking things I want to see (or return to), while using a spreadsheet for taking notes. I like the idea of being able to search/sort by date or by object and browse back over what I've previously noted.

MDStuart mentioned that he uses Skytools 3 which really is an excellent program, not only can use it to log everything you see but you can import/export lists to SkySafari and much more! Skytools isn't compatible with OSX so I use a program called Astroplaner which is near enough identical.

[Mike73]

I've found this site really helps to give a better impression of what you will see at the eyepiece: http://www.pbase.com/mike73/messier_sketches

Nice to know that you find it useful.

I don't update pbase anymore so your best off going to my blog then click on Observation list and find the object you want there, you'll also have a report from the observation there aswell.

[rockystar]

They are great sketches Mike, thanks for sharing them.

I'll bookmark your blog too.