First astro-sketches

[SwiMatt]

I was on the balcony for a quick session and realized I could make use of the table to do my first sketches. I've been wanting to try for the longest time! Here are my first results of M57 and M13: one needs to start somewhere, but I'm happy with what I did in 20 minutes or so!

M57 was not as sharp as I drew it, but I saw my mistake and tried to not replicate it with M13. The Hercules cluster came out quite faithful, even though because of light pollution very little can be seen beyond the cluster. The field of stars in M57 was much richer and it took quite a lot of looks in the eyepiece to make sure that I put all the main stars (those that couldn't be mistaken for dust specks at least).

Comments welcome, it will not be my last sketches! I'm also thinking of trying some color inversion on my computer tomorrow, will post depending on how it looks...

 

[RobertI]

That’s a great start! Sketching is a good way to make you really study and learn an object. Did you manage to make out the central hole of the Ring nebula? On a good night you can see that it is also faintly glowing and slightly brighter than the surrounding dark sky. Just a suggestion - it’s useful to also indicate on the diagram which is West - easily determined as its the direction of drift. Keep up the sketching! 

[SwiMatt]

1 minute ago, RobertI said:

That’s a great start! Sketching is a good way to make you really study and learn an object. Did you manage to make out the central hole of the Ring nebula? On a good night you can see that it is also faintly glowing and slightly brighter than the surrounding dark sky. Just a suggestion - it’s useful to also indicate on the diagram which is West - easily determined as its the direction of drift. Keep up the sketching! 

I did make out the central hole (or better, I did perceive that the outer part is less faint), but it was quite "ethereal" and my brain refused to find a way to really put it on the paper. 

I will remember to mark West in the future, thanks!

[SwiMatt]

Sketches with reverse colors!

[josefk]

Nice one @SwiMatt - i love sketching to deepen my observing and appreciation of what i'm looking at.

If you're a "lister" and a "ticker"  like i am then a sketch can also be super useful the next day to confirm a) you did or didn't see what you thought you were looking at b) you did see all that could be seen (or more likely not!!!) c) what to look for more closely next time.

M57 will definitely reward you going back - the ring has variation you should see with 127mm and at x100 and it will reward you going higher than x100 - it takes mag really well.

Sketching get's addictive - it's a pleasure at the time and its a nicer record later (IMHO) than notes only 🙂

[SwiMatt]

2 hours ago, josefk said:

Nice one @SwiMatt - i love sketching to deepen my observing and appreciation of what i'm looking at.

If you're a "lister" and a "ticker"  like i am then a sketch can also be super useful the next day to confirm a) you did or didn't see what you thought you were looking at b) you did see all that could be seen (or more likely not!!!) c) what to look for more closely next time.

M57 will definitely reward you going back - the ring has variation you should see with 127mm and at x100 and it will reward you going higher than x100 - it takes mag really well.

Sketching get's addictive - it's a pleasure at the time and its a nicer record later (IMHO) than notes only 🙂

Addictive indeed! I found myself looking up how to bring my sketching on the field, since I observe based on a highly portable set-up. I already need to add a chair, it becomes tough if I need to add a table to it

I'm so looking forward to do some more objects!