Astro Sketching WorkshopGreen Bank Star Quest 6Presented byMichael Rosolina

To improve your observing skillsTo create a visual recordTo exercise your creativityWhy Sketch?

Historical BackgroundThese are just a few of the many past astronomers who were keen observersand who sketched their observations:GalileoHuygensMaraldiW.C. Bond & G.P. BondAntoniadiDawesBarnard

GalileoGalileo was one of the first telescopic observers to draw (and publish) what he saw.Source: Galileo Project/Al Van Helden

GalileoGalileo published his observations of Jupiter and its moons in SideriusNuncius, The Starry Messenger (1610). This is an excerpt from his journal.Source: Galileo Project/Al Van Helden

GalileoGalileo and his protégéCastelli developed solar projection to accuratelyobserve and record sunspots . Through asequence of solarobservations, Galileodemonstrated therotation of the Sun.Source: Galileo Project/Al Van Helden

HuygensAnother pioneer in the mid-17th centurywas Christiaan Huygens , who made theseobservations of MarsSource: The Exploration of MarsBy Werner von Braun & ChesleyBonestell

MaraldiFrom 1672 to 1719, Maraldi mademany observations of Mars andmade careful measurements of thepolar ice cap.Source: The Exploration of MarsBy Werner von Braun & ChesleyBonestell

AntoniadiBy the 19th and early 20th century, improved telescopes were allowing skilled observers to make even more detailed sketches of celestial objects. Source: The Planet Mars by William Sheehan

From Galileo’s early drawings…Courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech

Through the legendary observers of the past,to present day amateur astronomers…Phases of VenusCourtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech

Astro sketching continues to thrive…Courtesy Sol Robbins

Sinus Iridum25July 200712” SCT @ 271xCourtesy Rich Handy

The Sun inHydrogen Alpha Courtesy Erika Rix

Double StarsCourtesy Eric Graff

Star ClustersM44The Beehive102mm RefractorMag: 12.5x & 30xCourtesy Rony De Laet

Globular ClustersCourtesy Frank McCabe

GalaxiesCourtesy Jeff Young

What makes a good astro sketch?Record what you see—not what you would like to seeInclude information such as instrument used, magnification, and field of view (FOV) Include time and date (UT), cardinal directions, seeing, transparency, altitude of object, and any other relevant information Add any other notes you feel are pertinent to your observation

Record what you see—not what you would like to see

Include information such as instrument used, magnification, and field of view (FOV)

Include time and date (UT), cardinal directions, seeing, transparency, altitude of object, and any other relevant information

Add any other notes you feel are pertinent to your observation

Where do I begin? What should I draw?Draw what you like to observe—what interests you.There are as many different astro sketches as there are visible objects in the sky.

Planets

MarsCourtesy Sol Robbins

Mars19 Dec. 20070430-0500 UT10” Reflector Mag: 360xS: Antoniadi IICourtesy Frank McCabe

JupiterCourtesy Sol Robbins

Courtesy Jeff Young

VenusCourtesy Sol Robbins

The Sun

Courtesy Erika Rix

Courtesy Jeff Young

Courtesy Ralph Marantino

The Moon

Gassendi3 Sept. 200612” SCT @ 244xCourtesy Rich Handy

Waning Gibbous Moon 28 DEC. 2008 200mm Reflector @ 48xCourtesy Deirdre Kelleghan

Petavius 29 May 200910” Reflector @ 241x & 362xCourtesy Frank McCabe

Lunar Eclipse 21 Feb.2008108mm ReflectorMag: 21xCourtesy Frank McCabe

Deep Sky Objects

Courtesy Eric Graff

Courtesy Jeff Young

M3128 Sept. 200815x70 BinocularsFOV: 4.4 deg.Courtesy Rony De Laet

Courtesy Eric Graff

IC4665Summer Beehive15 Sept. 2007102mm RefractorMag: 16x FOV: 150’Courtesy Rony De Laet

Asteroids and Comets

C/17P Holmes03 Nov. 2007102mm RefractorMag: 16x & 20xFOV: 150’Courtesy Rony De Laet

Courtesy Jeff Young

OccultationsAndTransits

Occultation of Venus01 Dec. 2008 LX 90 @ 57xCourtesy Deirdre Kelleghan

Sketch by M Rosolina

What do I use to make my sketch?

Basic Tools for Sketchingdrawing pencils, pens, color pencils, Conte’ crayon, charcoal, pastels, chalksketching paper, copy paper, black paper, color paper, textured paper, waterproof papertemplates, blending stumps, erasers, eraser shield, sharpenerclipboard, red light, white light, table, chair

drawing pencils, pens, color pencils, Conte’ crayon, charcoal, pastels, chalk

sketching paper, copy paper, black paper, color paper, textured paper, waterproof paper

templates, blending stumps, erasers, eraser shield, sharpener

clipboard, red light, white light, table, chair

What effects can be achieved by the use of different media?

Graphite pencilon smooth white copy paperCourtesy Sol Robbins

Graphite pencil on white sketchpaperLast Quarter Moon18 March 200915x70 BinocularsCourtesy Deirdre Kelleghan

Graphite pencilon white paperinverted digitallyCourtesy Jeff Young

Graphite pencil andcolor pencil on whitesketch paper

Color Chalk ontextured white paper The Sun in Ha 10 DEC. 200540mm PST @ 33xCourtesy Erika Rix

Color pen onwhite paperCourtesy Ralph Marantino

Remember…record whatyou see!Courtesy Ralph Marantino

White Conte’ crayon,Conte’ pencil, andwatercolor pencil onblack paperCourtesy Erika Rix

White Conte’ crayonon textured color paper

Computer processing is a relatively new tool that can be used very effectively to enhance and even create astro sketches.Digitizing your work allows you to present and share it with the global community of amateur astronomers.

You can add text…Courtesy Eric Graff

You can add color…

You can invert…Comet C/17P Holmes04 Nov. 2007Courtesy Sol Robbins

You can add text to field sketches and make a collage of sequences…Courtesy Erika Rix

You can even make an animation…Solar ProminenceCourtesy Erika Rix

Courtesy Erika Rix

… or draw the sketch with the computer…Alpha Persei Assoc. (Mel 20)ETX 70 @ 9x FOV: 4.8 deg.Digital drawing based on a raw pencil field sketchCourtesy Rony De Laet

What does making a sketch look like?Here are two step-by-step tutorials.Let’s start with a lunar target.

First, anchor the sketch by outliningdistinguishing features…Courtesy Erika Rix

Then add shadows…Courtesy Erika Rix

Blend to smooth…Courtesy Erika Rix

Add more shadows.Try to make lightand dark areasinstead of drawingobjects…Courtesy Erika Rix

Add and blend more shadows.Use your finger and a stump toblend…Courtesy Erika Rix

Apply backgroundin layers—use a loaded finger or a loaded stump…Courtesy Erika Rix

Add material in layers… Courtesy Erika Rix

Keep adding those layers… Courtesy Erika Rix

Soften by blending…Courtesy Erika Rix

Add finishing touches and you’re done…CopernicusCourtesy Erika Rix

Now let’s take a look at sketching the Sun in white light.REMEMBER:Never look directly at the Sun unless you have an approved solar filter covering the objective or a dedicated solar telescope.Keep the cap on your finderscope.Never leave an instrument pointed at the Sun unattended.

Here’s what you need to start…

The scope I use for projection is a 4.25” (108mm)Reflector with a 15mm RKE eyepiece yielding 30x.

Before you can project the Sun, you must find it. I use the shortest shadow method. Projection was developed by Galileo’s protégé, BenedettoCastelli.

Move the clipboard until the solar image fills the template. Hold the template square to the eyepiece or you’ll get an oval.

After finding the right distance and angle, fine tune the focus to make the limb sharp. You’ll need to support the clipboard, too.

Now you are ready to trace the location and shape of any sunspot groups. Watch how the Sun drifts through the field to determine west.

Here is what the template looks like after I trace the sunspots.

To get better detail, I combine projection with eyepiece observation at higher magnification using a homemade BaaderAstro Solar Filter.

With the filter in place, you are ready to add detail. I use different pencils for different tones, as well as the stump.

Add the limb darkening usually evident in white light. Use a loaded stump to apply graphite and blend with your finger.

To finish up, I add the time/date in UT, cardinal directions, details on scope and conditions, and any relevant notes.Sketch by M Rosolina

We’ve looked at some of the long, rich history of astro sketching.We’ve seen some prime examples of sketching at its best.We’ve discussed sketching tools and techniques.And we’ve learned that sketching not only leaves you with a visual record of your observation…But most importantly, it trains your eye and improves your observing skills.Now it’s time for a little hands-on practice.

Remember, everyone starts somewhere…Observing log M Rosolina

Keep Looking Up!OrionSketch Courtesy Frank McCabe

Choose one of the following objects to practice your sketching technique…

M6Courtesy Rony De Laet

Courtesy Jeff Young

M17Courtesy Rony De Laet

Courtesy Sol Robbins

Courtesy Eric Graff