Double Cluster and E.T. Cluster from the backyard

[Roel]

After a cloudy day the sky suddenly cleared during dawn. On the weather satellite pictures I saw I didn't have much time before the next clouds would roll in. So I grabbed the little 4" f/5 refractor and tried to view some clusters. Astronomical twilight would end around 9 and the Moon would rise around 9... Not a very good viewing window for deepsky, but in the one hour before moonrise during astronmical dawn I quickly made some sketches before indeed thick clouds covered everything.

Clear skies are rare in the Netherlands, so you've got to grab every clear hour you can a hold on. I assume it isn't much different in the UK...

[bish]

Really good skecthes. I've tried sketching both several times and not managed anything as good as yours.

[chrisrnuttall]

lovely drawings, and yes you are right about the lack of clear skies in the UK, astronomy really ins't a sensible hobby for us to have living here!

[barkis]

These are very fine sketches of these beautiful star clusters Roel.

It's a great medium with which to record these objects, and I wish I had the skill and patience to do so.

Ron.

[DarkerSky]

Superb results in your short viewing window. The Owl is one of my favouries. I havn't looked at it in a while. Nice to get the double cluster. I'm thinking I might give it a shot at sketching it one of these evenings

[pbyrne]

NIce one Roel. I love observing the ET cluster and it's always popular at outreach programmes, especially when you get someone to pick out the stick figure.

[LukeSkywatcher]

NIce one Roel. I love observing the ET cluster and it's always popular at outreach programmes, especially when you get someone to pick out the stick figure.

I'm just posting this as an overlay of the ET cluster.

[matt c]

Great sketches I love star clusters, they almost look like photos