Watercolour Mars

[Towa]

Something a bit different, two watercolour paintings made of last nights

Mars observations. I decided to get the big guns out and used the 102mm APO

and 120 mm Achromat scopes. Funnily I ended up using an 80mm aperture mask on the 27th,

due to seeing conditions that were going downhill. Acidalium was big, with Chryse appearing bright.

A brightening on the limb might have been the remains of Eden? In the south, Sinus Merridianl

and Erythraeum were seen well.

On the 28th, the last of Acidlium and erythraeum were seen. Tharsis was on the CM, appearing

as faint brown markings. On the limb was a large very bright region, I think this may have been the remains

of the bright Chryse?

[DarkerSky]

Wow...that's quality work there Towa. Very impressive. In large format I think I would be tempted to hang those on my wall..!! I wouldn't even know where to begin with watercolour

[Towa]

Thanks DarkerSky, just noticed I've put the wrong year date on,

I will see if I can edit the image, with not then just take the

year as being 2010.

[NickH]

Submit that to the Sky at Night. Paul Abel was looking for images like this (if you hadn't seen the thread)

Great work!

[barkis]

Excellent work being done on Mars sketching this last few days.

Such experts we have, and we salute you all.

Ron.

[Jupiter Martin]

Thats quality Towa Just love the detail in your painting

[NickH]

Gonna have to give this a go, as I am sans camera at the mo for planetary work anyway.. (new one on the way)

[dweller25]

Very nice drawings, I was out at the same time.

From your write ups I guess your a refractor guy

[Towa]

Hi D25

Over the years I have had a few reflectors, 90mm f/7, 150mm f/4,

150mm f/8, 155mm f/8 (still got the mirrors ) , 355mm f/5.

Refractors, well I've lost count of the scopes I've had over the years, most were bought cheap.

Now I have 4, I guess you can never have enough refractors.

[Astro_Baby]

They are REALLY beautiful - do you color while observing or make notes and add the color afterwards ?

[Towa]

Thank you for all the comments.

AB, I tend to find it extremely difficult (and almost impossible ) to use any sort of colour on the drawing at the eyepiece while using a red light.

Instead I do a pencil Sketch, on which I write my own version of shorthand.

I make a note of the colours that are the closest match to my standard colour palette, and then add the shorthand notes relating to the colour intensity,

brightness, faintness etc.

The finished sketch looks like a pin cushion with arrows and notes all over the place. This is then taken inside were the drawing is made straight away.

while everything is fresh in the mind.