Using Log Books

[Buzz Lightyear]

Hi,

How many of you use a log book to record your sessions?

I came across this site which I found interesting, is there a standardised method of recording?

The Astronomical Log Book

Paul.

[Ouroboros]

That's an interesting link.

I've been keeping a log book since I came back seriously to Astronomy almost a year ago. I'm used to keeping a log book as I had a career in science before I retired and had kept a book for notes, results etc for many years.

What I record is somewhat more adhoc than the advice on that site you link. I do find it useful to keep a note of the images I've taken, file names, where they are stored etc. I print and stick in some images too.

I sometimes wonder whether electronic note book might be better. Something more like a blog.

[jgs001]

I use a note book to scribble a record of what I've seen and any impressions at the time, and transcribe them to my blog. I've not done much recently, just some grabbing of single frame images that I haven't added as yet.

[Buzz Lightyear]

interesting point which is a general one, who records data with old fashion pen and paper and who records data on a pc?

i like having an entity which I can just pick up anytime and flick through pages looking at my recordings compared to booting my computer and doing a search.

its more personal and memorable as the writings bring back memories, maybe i should have scratch and sniff memory recall on my log book too for the summer air.

[r3i]

I like having an entity which I can just pick up anytime and flick through pages looking at my recordings compared to booting my computer and doing a search.

I can certainly understand the appeal of having something tangible to record one's astronomical adventures.

Quite a few astronomy packages have built in logging facilities. One I've tried before was AstroPlanner , which I thought was very good.

In the end I've gone down the blog route also, but this was mainly because I wanted the experience of setting up a whole website, and the blog was just one part of it.

[Talitha]

I use Mead Composition notebooks. Notes are originally taken on a digital recorder and transcribed to the log later.

[Buzz Lightyear]

Talitha,

sounds cool, but how do you handle drawing what you see? what if you compare later what you saw and there was something else there, like a mcDonalds?

p.

[Talitha]

Talitha,

sounds cool, but how do you handle drawing what you see? what if you compare later what you saw and there was something else there, like a mcDonalds?

p.

Sketches are done separately on computer paper.

(McDonalds? )

[TheThing]

You might not have clocked that Talitha is our resident drawing expert. she writes the montly Sky at Night column on sketching the night sky (and it is one of the best articles in the mag every month).

[Buzz Lightyear]

Thing,

I am new here so I dont really know anyone yet, sorry, i am just trying to find the best method of logging my recordings, could you tell me which magazine this is so i can have a look and see how the sketching is done.

many thanks,

Paul.

cheers.

p.

p.

[F64]

Thanks Paul useful link

[TheThing]

Paul,

No worries. Talitha is SGL's very onw 'celebrity' and her sketching it just fantastic!

Her column is in the Sky at Night Magazine.

[li'l john]

Hi Buzz, I'm very new to this, just one session with my first ever scope so far due to clouds, rain and snow but I used a notebook without thinking about it, just a cheap thing at the time which I "wrote up properly" the next day. I like the feel of books and I think that looking back over prevoius nights may be helpful. My memory isn't great and questions that occur at the time could be lost if I didn't write them down.

Clear skies,

[Hypernova]

I think that I really should be noting down observations for future reference. It just seems like an obvious thing to do but I just haven't got round to doing it. All it requires is an a5 notepad and some thinking through to get the referencing system right. I will aim to start a log book within the next week, weather permitting of course

BTW the site linked to in the first post is an excellent read, all sorts of astronomical and meteorological reports and articles and one for the bookmarks

[Talitha]

TBH, if i had to start all over again i'd write my general observations in the logbook and then write up a separate observing sheet with details on individual objects and store them in a ring binder for easy access. It's quite frustrating to know i've made observations of a specific object but i'm unable to access the info because everything in the logbooks is in chronological order.

[acey]

I keep a master list where I note the date(s) on which I've observed objects. From these I can then go back to the logbook and find my notes. A printed target list would do for starters; these days I use a copy of NGC2000.0, noting the date of observation beside each object, and I also keep an Excel version of NGC which gives room to note multiple observation dates. I keep a separate date list (so far pretty small) of non-NGC/IC objects.

[michaelmorris]

I've kept a log book for about 5 years. It has some standard entries (day, date, location, time, seeing and transparency, Moon age) then it's pretty free form after that.

I have Astroplanner as well. Version 2 is brilliant and very comprehensive, but it's still a bit too 'stilted' for me. I want soemthing a bit more free form and flexible but haven't found anything that exactly fits the bill of what I'm after.

[lunator]

I use an A4 sketch book and note the conditions 1st and then draw and describe the object.

I also put the observations into an excel spreadsheet so I have a simple way of tracking what I have observed.

Cheers

Ian

[nigelg]

I know I should keep a log but I too busy observing, then forget to do it later. I did find this site for log sheets. Free Astronomy Software

Nigel

[Hypernova]

I have finally gotten round to starting off my logbook for tonight's observing session which ended about an hour ago.

[badgerchap]

I've just started printing out my own observations form, which I test ran tonight. Found it really useful, and it was even worth all the fiddling around in the dark with a pen (which was rubbish in the cold - I think the ink must have started to freeze!). What I really like is the idea that I'll be able to keep them all in a folder and look back on them for advice / memories in the future.

I also drew up a meteor log sheet, which I also trialled. Really good, but quite annoying seeing as there were so many tonight! Every couple of minutes I had to get away from the EP and scribble down another meteor. I suppose I should be grateful to have seen so many in such a short time! Really looking forward to the geminids this year, never seen them so far.

[Hypernova]

I am experimenting in making a print off log sheet instead of writing in notepad. Here it is, see what you think, is there anything I have missed out that I should include?

Log.doc

[badgerchap]

I am experimenting in making a print off log sheet instead of writing in notepad. Here it is, see what you think, is there anything I have missed out that I should include?

Well that's pretty similar to mine really. I must say, it really helped. Hope it works well for you!

[Nick P]

Due to the limited observing opportunities I get, keeping a log is essential for me so I can remember what I was looking at last time out, its position, and viewing conditions.

I find computer based logs too proscriptive my preference being an A5 book of plain pages where I can record the data I need to know such as observing time, weather, temperature, objects sky position etc etc, then add any notes as appropriate, I also draw a large viewfinder circle on each page to sketch what I have been observing.

Being able to keep the narrative and sketches on one page is something I find very convenient.

Best

Nick

[Sunwatcher]

After experimenting with notebooks I have ended up using a digital recorder when at the eyepiece and then transcribing my notes into a database I have created for the purpose using AskSam software. Doing this I can partially automate the data entry and either embed and/or link to any photos or drawings I make.

Frank