A small unregarded yellow sun - in H alpha

[acr_astro]

Hi all,

as written in Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, we're moving around a small unregarded yellow sun. In fact today at first glance there was really nothing extraordinary visible on our home star: It was fully blank in white light and even in H alpha there was no spectacular eye-catcher. Nevertheless I did a pastel sketch - I had prepared the solar disc already before anyway .

So here we go:

Telescope: Lunt LS50THaB600PT
Eyepiece: Celestron X-cel 10mm
Date & Time: March 16th, 2017 / 1100-1145 CET
Location: Home terrace, Dusseldorf region, Germany
Technique: reddish pastels and pastel pens on black sketching paper
Diameter: 8"

Clear skies!

Achim

[Peter Drew]

Excellent sketch, surprisingly difficult to do so well.  

[Davey-T]

Super sketch Achim, more detail than my CCD image 

Dave

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Very nice. I actually don't mind living at the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm

 

[Moonshane]

Beautiful effort. I sketch in monochrome myself 

[Richard Hather]

Wow gorgeous pastel sketch Achim, solar observation is something I will probably try one day and your sketches really do inspire me to try sooner then later ?

Clear skies

Richard

[mikeDnight]

Truly Stunning!!! 

Mike

[John]

Really, really good piece of artwork there I think

Put it in a frame and I'm sure lots of folks would like it on their wall.

[laudropb]

Very nice sketch once again Achim.

[acr_astro]

Hi all,

thank you for the wonderful feedback!

Clear skies to all of you!

Achim

[Moonshane]

When you use pastels, do they smudge or do you protect them / fix them with something? I'm interested to know 

[acr_astro]

Hello Moonshane,

indeed the sketches are very fragile and I fix the pastels carefully with fixing spray. But even then one should still handle them with care.

Clear skies

Achim

[Moonshane]

Cheers Achim

Sounds like they would be too delicate for my rough handling! I'll stick with pencil I reckon. I really like the look of your artwork though - lovely.

[acr_astro]

Hi Moonshane,

luckily there is a so broad variety of techniques and materials available. Every sketcher can do his/her way for best results. I'm not that good with pencil.

You're right, the pastels are really tricky -I'm just using then in daylight. Wouldn't manage in darkness either. The chalk and charcoal which I'm using for my lunar sketches are a bit easier to use - and not that fragile! That I can do with just a small lamp under moonlight. 

Clear skies

Achim

[barkis]

The best I can say is, this is as close to a telescopic/camera capture of our star I have ever seen.                                       
I'm more than Impressed, I'm flabbergasted by the very realistic look of your sketch. 

[mariosi]

Wonderful sketch! Well done 

 

Marios

[N3ptune]

Very good drawing, realistic, I like it.

[johnfosteruk]

I love your Ha solar sketches Achim, so much fine detail. Very impressive.

[acr_astro]

Hello,

you too many thanks for your wonderful feedback!

 

@barkis:

Ah, that's another reason why I like posting and reading here: "flabbergasted" - what a wonderful word! Had to look it up - English can be such a nice, poetic language.

Clear skies

Achim

[Alan White]

Achim, 

That is a wonderful piece of artwork.

I wish I was that artistically  skilled, quite something to aspire to.

Moonshane has already asked the same questions I would have asked.

Best Wishes 

Alan

 

[Richard Hather]

Beautiful sketch the detail you achieve is wonderful good job I look forward to seeing more of your work ☺

Richard

[timwetherell]

That's the best sketch of the sun I've ever seen! well done