Hello from Shropshire

[globular]

Hi All,

New to astronomy and new to the forum.  I can't wait for some clear skies and for all your help when I draw a blank.

Hints on how best to document observations would be appreciated - I'd love to do some sketching but don't know how to go about it in the dark.

Phil.

[Floater]

Welcome. Hope you have lots of fun. 🙂

Someone will be along to advise on sketching, I’m sure.

[Mr Spock]

Hi Phil, welcome to SGL

[rwilkey]

Hi Phil and a warm welcome to SGL.  My wife sketches the Moon a lot and she just sits at the telescope with a small (white) torch and then keeps a diary.  The following is also a good resource where you can print out sketch observation sheets:

http://www.perezmedia.net/beltofvenus/templates.html

Good luck and clear skies!

[Starwatcher2001]

Welcome to the board, and welcome to astronomy Phil.

[banjaxed]

Hi Phil, welcome to SGL. Hope you have a lot of patience as you will need it with this hobby. It has been very lean for me for the past few months as the clouds have been very abundant and when we get a rare clear night something else usually prevents me from observing 🙁

[laudropb]

Hello and a warm welcome to the SGL. Have a look at the sketching section and that will give some ideas to work on.

[Tenor Viol]

Hi - welcome to another Salopian.

[Dave Lloyd]

Hi Phil, welcome. 

[globular]

19 minutes ago, Tenor Viol said:

Hi - welcome to another Salopian.

Thanks Tenor. I'm guessing from your profile pic that you venture onto the Shropshire Hills? I'm right up in north Shropshire, can you recommend any good safe spots?  I've only done back garden viewings so far and trees block a lot of the sky here.

[sloz1664]

Hi Phil and a very warm welcome to the Lounge

Steve

[globular]

3 hours ago, rwilkey said:

Hi Phil and a warm welcome to SGL.  My wife sketches the Moon a lot and she just sits at the telescope with a small (white) torch and then keeps a diary.  The following is also a good resource where you can print out sketch observation sheets:

http://www.perezmedia.net/beltofvenus/templates.html

Good luck and clear skies!

Thanks Robin - very helpful.  I've printout out some templates and I'll give it a go - still not sure how, but won't know until I try.

[Tenor Viol]

28 minutes ago, globular said:

Thanks Tenor. I'm guessing from your profile pic that you venture onto the Shropshire Hills? I'm right up in north Shropshire, can you recommend any good safe spots?  I've only done back garden viewings so far and trees block a lot of the sky here.

I'm north Shropshire as well. There is a darkish site around Church Stretton area but to be honest it's still Bortle class 4 there and that's the same as here, albeit problably fewer local lights

And yes, pic was on Clee Hill

Edited August 13, 2020 by Tenor Viol

[Pete Presland]

Hi welcome to SGL from Peter in Bedfordshire 🙂

[PeterCPC]

Hello Phil and welcome.

Peter

[SteveWolves]

Hi Phil welcome to the forum. I have used car parks on the top of the Long Mynd

[globular]

1 hour ago, SteveWolves said:

Hi Phil welcome to the forum. I have used car parks on the top of the Long Mynd

Thanks Steve.  It's well over an hour away to the hills from where I am. I'll head that way if all else fails, but I'm hoping to find somewhere closer to north Shropshire/south Cheshire/west Staffs border - around Whitchurch / Audlem / Market Drayton area.  It's mostly bortle 4 but seems to be a bit of a 'dead' area for public car parks in open spaces.

[Ally8446]

Hi Phil

Another suggestion, if you're willing to travel a little, Is The Bog visitors centre car park on the west side of the Stiperstones. Not sure where you are when you say North Shropshire but I would imagine it's no more than 30 minutes drive. 

Al

[globular]

3 minutes ago, Ally8446 said:

Hi Phil

Another suggestion, if you're willing to travel a little, Is The Bog visitors centre car park on the west side of the Stiperstones. Not sure where you are when you say North Shropshire but I would imagine it's no more than 30 minutes drive. 

Al

Thanks Al.  Shropshire is so large that it's about a 70min drive to there from me.  Thanks for the tip though, I will venture out there if I can't find anywhere nearer.

[tomato]

I live in a supposedly Bortle 4 location South of Shrewsbury, so the Long Mynd is my local elevated and dark site. The sky is definitely better there than my own backyard, but it may just be the absence of local lights as  @Tenor Viol posted.

[Gfamily]

One of the speakers at this weekend's virtual Solarsphere Festival is Mary McIntyre, who will be talking at 5pm tomorrow afternoon about Astronomy Sketching & Artwork.

Her talk will be on Zoom and YouTube.

Zoom - https://zoom.us/j/99755193755
Meeting ID: 997 5519 3755

YouTube  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfj5H8zpWX1N8e6x-I3ss6A

I'm not sure if it'll cover what you're looking for, but it may give you extra ideas on top.

Full details of the Solarsphere timetable can be found here. https://www.solarsphere.events/

We'd be there if it wasn't for this blooming Virus!

 

[globular]

6 minutes ago, Gfamily said:

---I'm not sure if it'll cover what you're looking for, but it may give you extra ideas on top.---

Fantastic - thank you for the tip-off.

[Tenor Viol]

5 hours ago, SteveWolves said:

Hi Phil welcome to the forum. I have used car parks on the top of the Long Mynd

Is that the National Trust car park at Carding Mill Valley?

[globular]

1 hour ago, Tenor Viol said:

Is that the National Trust car park at Carding Mill Valley?

I should let Steve reply... but as I google it earlier I can tell you that it's further west....  here....

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/The+Bog+Mine/@52.5747041,-2.949946,17.94z

 

Edited August 14, 2020 by globular
fix link

[tomato]

I drive up the Bur Way road and if possible trundle up one of the side tracks a little way to get away from passing headlights, but you need a suitable vehicle for this. There is surprisingly regular traffic on this road right into the early hours. 

The Carding Mill Valley car park  is, as the name suggests, down in the valley, so your horizons aren't great from that location.