Astronomical Sketching

8/13/2019 Astronomical Sketching

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Astronomical Sketching

by Erika Rix

Erika Rix


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Contemplating Sketching?

Benefits of sketching at the eyepieceImproving visual observing skills, really studying and then remembering objectVisual record of observationConnection, Peacefulness, Relaxation

Interested?What’s holding you back?

What’s important to you?


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Targets

Sketching MediaDSOs, Comets,

AsteroidsThe MoonPlanetary

The Sun

PCW Memorial Observatory


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Sketch Media they’re not all the same

Various paper Pencils, chalks, charcoal, pens .Erasers

Stumps, tortillons, and smudgersSharpenersDigital pads and photo-editing softwareLightingTemplatesSupply stores


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Various Media


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Make use of Templates

Saves Time Accuracy

Tidiness


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Star Fields and Smudges

AnchorsStudy objectLay target foundation

Finish star fieldStudy again

Add finishing detailsTake notes

Erika Rix


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Prepare template

Open fieldsverses

templates

Template by Jeremy PerezPerez Media


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Anchor starsTriangulate

White copy paper Fine point black felt pen# 2 pencil

Remember to think inthe negative.

Collinder-39920070929


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Main pattern

.5 mm mechanical pencil# 2 pencil



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Work inwedges

.5 mm mechanical pencil




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Work inwedges





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Work inwedges





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Scan andclean up



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Invert

Collinder-39920070929 0100-0146 UT

Orion ED80, LXD 75,40mm Pro Opticeyepiece, moonlightended session.


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Faint Fuzzies

You can easily add softcelestial bodies with a

loaded blended stump.


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4 Vesta trackingby Michael Rosolina


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NGC1404 & S 634/ADS 8444by Eric Graff


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The Moon

Choose your targetEasier to sketchaway fromterminator

Lay anchor Add shadowsLay backgroundfoundationWork in layersRetouchesTake notes

Erika Rix


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ComplexCrater near Terminator

Anchor White Rite in the Rain paper

8x11.5”Charcoal stick with holder

Copernicus20061002


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Add shadowsStick of charcoal

The terminator moves quickly, so add theshadows near the beginning stages ofyour observations.

Copernicus20061002


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Blend shadowsSmall blending stump

Most shadows have a smooth appearance.

Copernicus20061002


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Additional shadowsadded and blended

All with a blending stump.

Loaded blending stumps are very useful inadding softer features such as nebulaeand features on Mars and crater floors.

Copernicus20061002


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Lay backgroundfoundation

Loaded finger

Loaded fingers add soft backgrounds inlayers. With the correct paper, this canalso be useful for rendering grainytextures. Blending stumps produce asmoother texture.

Copernicus20061002


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Additional detail layersStick of charcoal

Copernicus20061002


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Additional detail layersStick of charcoal

Copernicus20061002


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Soften detail layersBlending stump and fingertips

Copernicus20061002


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Add finishing touches

Copernicus20061002 0045-0200 UT

LX200, 12mm Burgess,

WO Binoviewers


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Copernicus, Reinhold andthe Montes Carpatus at lunarsunset.

Date: 8-28-05Start- 4:15 am End: 5:40am

PDTScope: 12" Meade SCTEyepiece: 40mm PlosslBarlow: 2X TelevueMagnification: 152XSeeing: 7-9 of 10Transparency: 9 of 10Medium: White Conte'Crayon on black texturedStrathmore paper.Size: 17.5" x 23.5"

Copernicusby Rich Handy


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Copernicus byThomas McCague

Black Strathmore 400 Artagainpaper, 9”x 12”, white and blackConte’pastel pencils and ablending stump. Brightnesswas slightly decreased andcontrast increased afterscanning using Microsoft OfficePicture Manager.

Telescope: 10 inch f/5.7Dobsonian and 6mm eyepiece241xDate: 2-16-2008 8:45 - 10:50UT (actual sketching time was60min.)Temperature: -10°C (14°F)clear, calmSeeing: Antoniadi IIICo longitude: 24°Lunation: 9 daysIllumination: 71.9 %Phase: 64°


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Lunar Impact Crater Parks Astrolight EQ6 •6" f/6 NewtonianReflector 7.5mm Parks Gold

Series Plössl + 2xBarlow • 240xField of View Not toScale21 September 2007 •

03:05-04:15 UT

Copernicusby Eric Graff


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Belgium

2007 04 26

8" dob-tube on aMeade 10" Starfindermount

Copernicusby Kris Smet


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Full phaseby Erika Rix

2007 01 030215-0420UTOrion ED80, LXD7520mm Kellner w/diagonalLunar Filter

Lunation 1039Lunar day 13.51Lumination 99.7

AZ +94deg3’ Alt +52deg28’T: 3/6, S: A IIITemp: 30f/-1CHumidity: 75%W: 4mph SSE

Black Strathmore ArtagainWhite Conte’


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Moon & Venus

18 June 2007by Sally Russell

White pastel, whitewatercolour pencil &white acrylic on blue'Daler-Rowney'Ingres paper

Sketch size 8" x 11"


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Naked eye eclipseby Carlos Hernandez

2008-02-21 Computer generated sketch based on observation


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Moon – Saturnby Sally Russell

England

Pastel, pastel pencil andwatercolour pencilon black Canfordpaper, sketch size6" x 11"


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Purbach, Regiomontanus, Blanchinus, Werner & Aliacensisby Sally Russell

England

12 Dec 2006

White Conte pencil pluswhite pastel onblack 'Canford'

paper, sketch size11" x 8"


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Schiller composite


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Eclipse Animation

Sketchsequence by

Rich Handy

Animation by

Erika Rix


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Planets

Templates helpfulStudy firstSketch quickly

LayersTake notes

Sol Robbins


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Choose a template orcreate your ellipticalplanet outline

Rite in the Rain paper

Jupiter 20060528


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Bandsadded asanchors

Eraser shield#2 pencil

Jupiter 20060528


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Add slowermoving polarregions

#2 pencil

Jupiter 20060528


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Blend withfingertip

Jupiter 20060528


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Add equatorialbelt details

#2 pencil

Sketch quickly, theseareas move fast.You could start withpreceding limbbefore it disappears

if pressed for time.

Jupiter 20060528


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Europa’sshadowadded

#2 pencil

Jupiter 20060528


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Europa transitadded

White vinyl eraser Eraser shield

The satellitesthemselves can bedifficult to see. Ifspotted, you can

erase them into thesketch.

Jupiter 20060528


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HighlightsWhite vinyl eraser

Clean up any straymarkings.

Jupiter 20060528


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LX200, 8mm TVPlossl, 18mm

Meade W, bluefilter

Jupiter 20060528 0145-0230 UT


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Jupiter by Sol Robbins (left) and Eric Graff (right)

5:57 UT until 6:35 UT Date: 7-12-07 Seeing: Antoniadi II Weather: clear


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Jupiterby Rich Handy

Telescope: Meade 12 SCT, f/10, Binoviewer: W.O. Bino-P with 1.6X nosepiece,W.O.45 degree Erector Diagonal

Eyepieces 18 mm W.O. Plossl, Magnificaton: 271X

Medium: Colored Conte' pencils and colored chalks on 9" x 12" Strathmore Artagainblack paper, Sketch size: 9" x12" Jupiter's disk is about 5" in diameter


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30 September 2007

12:30-13:00 UT

Parks Astrolight EQ6

6" f/6 Newtonian Reflector 7.5mm Parks Gold SeriesPlössl + 2x Barlow • 240xField of View Not to Scale

San Diego, CA

Mars by Eric Graff

• filter


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Mars by Sol Robbins

• seeing conditions

• aperture

• magnification

• date


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Mars by Erika Rix

• aperture

• dates

• charcoal

• paper • lack of template

• lack of experience


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Mars sketch by Sol Robbins, labeled by Carlos Hernandez

Date (U.T.): January 27, 2008Time (U.T.): 02:30 (left image and 03:00 (right image)


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Mars by Carlos Hernandez

CM: 322.8 (left image) and 330.2 (right image)Ls: 023.0* (Early Northern Spring/Southern Autumn)

De: -2.5*, Diameter 12.6". phase 96%Instrument: 9-inch (23-cm) F/13.5 Maksutov-CassegrainMagnification: 248x and 359xFilters (Wratten): 30 (magenta) and 38A (blue)Seeing (1-10): 5, Antoniadi (I-V): IIITransparency (1-6): 5


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Mars map 07082by Kris Smet A4 printer paper


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Saturn by Sol Robbins


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Saturnby Carlos Hernandez

Florida

March 3, 2008 (03:45 U.T.)9-inch F/13.5 Maksutov-

Cassegrain (163x)

Digital rendering produced in

Photoshop CS3 based onobservation


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Saturnby Michael Rosolina


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The Sun

Study firstQuick Schematic

Close up targetsWork quicklyKeep in perspective!

Concentrate on shapes and sizesTake notes

Erika Rix

Close up Proms


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White Conte’ crayonBlack Strathmore Artagain paper

The Sun20080123 Create limb arc

Close up Proms


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FingertipThe Sun20080123

Blend roughly

Close up Proms


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White Conte’ pencilThe Sun20080123

Brightest areasfirst

Close up Proms


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White Prang pencilThe Sun20080123

Add fainterdetails

Close up Proms


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ThumbThe Sun20080123

Smudge gently

Close up Promsh


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White Conte’ pencilThe Sun20080123

Touch up

Close up PromsTh S


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Charcoal pencilThe Sun20080123

Add surfacedetail

Internally double-stacked Maxscope60 0 5A LXD75 21 7Th S


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60mm,


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Sun by Erika Rix


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Tracking Active Region by Michael Rosolina

AR 940 03 Feb 2007 1344 1415 UT AR 940 03 Feb 2007 1547 UT


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AR 940 03 Feb 2007, 1344-1415 UT

by Sally Russell AR 940 03 Feb 2007, 1547 UT

by Erika Rix

AR960 03 June 2007 10 50-11 28 UT

Graphite pencil on white cartridge paper.Sketch size 4" x 3"


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AR960 03 June 2007, 10.50 11.28 UTby Sally Russell

CaK full disc 7 July 2007


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CaK full disc 7 July 2007by Sally Russell

Watercolor pencil & chalk pastel

on black paper

Sketch size 4" x 4"


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13 Day

Animationof Sun by Erika Rix


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ResourcesOther visual observers/sketchers“Astronomical Sketching, a Step by StepIntroduction”Cloudy Nights’ sketching and observationforums www.cloudynights.com

Astronomical League

Get feedback so you can improve!


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Summary

Basics – Explore further Practice makes perfect

And most importantly ..


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Have fun and strive for accuracy!

Astronomical Sketching

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