SATURN!!!

[Paul G. Abel]

I decided to get up early on Sunday since we had a clear sky for once! Here's a sketch of Saturn I made with my 8 inch Skywatcher reflector. It was a stunningly clear dark night, but seeing was only average. Titan is visible just under the rings- a truly wonderful sight!!!

0411 UT, 400x, Seeing=III/IV.

[CELESCOPE]

Wonderful work Paul ,truely amazing the amount of detail you have put into that .

Rog

[stefski]

Wow Paul, that's awesome!!!! :wav:

Love the detail on the planet itself!

Stef

[russ]

Great drawing Paul, looks great.

You picked out more detail than i did on Sunday morning. But you observed it the right way, get up early and catch Saturn high in the sky. Rather than stay up late and catch Saturn low down.

[Talitha]

Fantastic study, Paul.. your accuracy is incredible!

[Trevor]

Hi Paul

Another stunning sketch, you should put it on the BAA site it needs updating “cough cough”

[Paul G. Abel]

Cheers everyone!!! Why don't some of you guys (and gals!) try putting pencil to paper and see what happens? You'll suprise yourselves.

Trev: I know the website needs updating, but I'm not the one that can update it! I will have a word though!

[supernova]

:D :salute: :salute: :salute:

Wot more can I say.

Great work Paul, it reminds me of some of the sketches that Sir Patrick showed me of his earlier days, very well done.

[Talitha]

Cheers everyone!!! Why don't some of you guys (and gals!) try putting pencil to paper and see what happens? You'll suprise yourselves.

Been there done that, but I can't sketch what I can't see.

Planetary details are a real struggle for me.. no idea if it's the kit, the seeing, or my eyes. But that's ok, I'm more than happy to admire your work instead of struggling again to make yet another dismal rendering of my own.

Keep 'em coming, please.

[dweller25]

Wow,

I was observing the same time as you and got a very clear image in my C9.25.

I'm afraid my eyes cannot see the same detail that you managed to put into your drawing

Well done.

[russ]

I keep saying i'll do some drawing but it never happens. Must try harder!

As with Carol and Dweller, my eyes certainly didn't see that level of detail. Either my eyes aren't trained to see it, or the scope needed a further tweak on the collimation, or the seeing wasn't quite there. I think it's mainly down to me and my eyes.

Paul, how long do you spend studying Saturn to produce a drawing like that? Or how long does it take for your eye to tune in and see the detail?

Regards

Russ

[Paul G. Abel]

Hi Russ,

I have been studying Saturn for years, but it didn't take that long to see the details; I trained by eyes to do it in a couple of months. When I first started, i coudl only see vague features, but as I trained by eyes, I saw more and more details.

The first thing to do is start with the features you can see (like the SEB for Saturn), draw this in and ask yourself some questions like, is the band even? Is it dark and uniform. Then move on to another obvious feature like the dusky Polar regions and ask yourself the same questions. You can then look at the regions between the SEB and SPR- gradually you'll build up the big picture of what's there. When you've done the rough drawing, you will see Saturn in all it's glory.

It's rather like one of those magic eye pictures- you have to ask your eyes to look and see. With practice you'll find it takes less and less time. I started with black and white sketches and then moved into colour later.

Remember though, you shouldn't take any more than 15 mins to do a Saturn sketch since after that time, Saturn will have rotated a significant amount and the details you drew at the start will have moved.

Have a go the next time the sky is clear and let me know how you get on!

-Paul.

[russ]

Will do indeed. Many thanks for the tips. I'll raid the kids drawing bag.

I take it your Skywatcher 8 isn't a dob? A dob could make things a little trickier.

[AstroTiger]

i can only view that image with complete envy. As for sketching, i am completely useless!

IMHO Saturn should be one of the wonders of the skies.

I hope to catch it over xmas, maybe even image it!

[Paul G. Abel]

I take it your Skywatcher 8 isn't a dob? A dob could make things a little trickier.

No, it's on a driven EQ5 mount, however, I have produced as equally useful sketches using Patrick Moore's 12.5 inch reflector which is on an azimuth mount! That takes three pairs of hands to adjust and sketch at the same time, but for a view of Saturn at 530x, who's complaining? I love that `scope!

[ChrisEdu]

I know it might be a daft question but, is that drawn on black paper, or white?

[Paul G. Abel]

Hi Chris,

It's a Saturn outline at the correct tilt, so on the paper you have a white outline of Saturn, and the rest is blacked out so when you print it off you get the white Saturn blank on the black background. For the Shadow of the Rings on Globe I use Indian ink- but you can use a black jel pen if you wish.

If anyone here wants some outlines let me know, I can email you a sheet of outlines (with three to a sheet) which you can print out and use.

Regards,

-Paul.

[russ]

Paul, i'd be interested in the outlines.

So i need a black gel pen for the shadow. What would i use for the banding? Is that crayon or pencil?

Regards

Russ

[Paul G. Abel]

No problem, if you give me your email address I'll send you some.

Now the rest of the features depend on whether you're going to be working in colour or black and white.

At the telescope I make a rough draft sketch in pencil and note in all the features I can see. Afterwards, I copy them up into my observing books.

If you work in B/W then a 3B pencil is best of the belts (I work in B/W at the telescope!). Just gently shad in the correct belt thickness and smudge the edges of the belt (since the belts are continuous objects and fade into the zones). You might want to try some light shading to get the dusky N/STZ and N/STropZ.

If you're going to use colour, then the belts should be a dark brownish colour. I use a pack of water pastel crayons. I stick the outline into my notebook, them colour it in the various yellows and paint a little water on, this gives it the correct hue and tone. After its dried I add on the belts in both brown pencil and 3B pencil and shade and smudge when necessary. As you continue your sketch you will start to see Saturn reappear before your eyes.

-Paul.