Author: Jeremy Perez

Bi-Polar Reflection Nebula in Orion

NGC 2163
NGC 2163

At last a chance has come over these holidays to do some observing. Top of my list is Wolfgang’s Webb Society object of the season , Bi-polar reflection nebula in Orion, NGC 2163, not even listed in the Keppler & Sanner bible!

In the last hour I picked the nebula up readily enough by star hoping to the target but had to keep the exposure time of the video camera shorter than usual due to the residual breeze. That said I’m pleased with the result, it is an interesting object and a first observation for me. Appearing as a bow tie N-S in position there are a couple of dark notches visible and a short dust lane in the lower lobe in my sketch. I hope other member get sketches and images too.

NGC 2163 - Observing form
NGC 2163 – Observing form

Happy New Year, Dale

Do you want to know more about my interest in astronomy? If so take a look at my Website: www.chippingdaleobservatory.com
Keep up to date with observations from Chippingdale Observatory by reading the Blog http://chippingdaleobservatory.com/blog/

Eta Carina – The Goliath through a 4″ Refractor

NGC 3372 / Eta Carina
NGC 3372 / Eta Carina

Hello all,

I finally got to go bush with my latest scope acquisition, and my smallest scope, a 4” achro refractor. I was spoilt for choice for potential targets, but I settled on one target I’ve sketched four times previously, Eta Carina. The previous sketches of Eta Carina were done with an 8” (once) and my 17.5” (twice) and once with my binos from my home. But this time, I had the opportunity to chase the full extent of the visible nebulosity of this celestial giant. With the single eyepiece I took on this outing, this little refractor gives me a whopping TFOV of 5°! This would be the perfect weapon and dark sky combination to tackle this target.

Oh my goodness! How much detail is visible! At first glance the nebulosity is nice and compact. As the sketch developed, and I slowly examined the scene, the nebulosity kept on reaching further and further out. Add to this the mottling of the background Milky Way star field that surrounds Eta Carina. I also spotted a couple of faint open clusters in the field of view.

The sketch doesn’t show the full extent of the TFOV – the sheet of paper wasn’t big enough! I was spent after this too.

I hope you find this sketch to your liking.

Alex.

Object: Eta Carina, NGC 3372
Scope: 4” f/5 refractor
Gear: 30mm Explore Scientific 82°, 17X, plus OIII filter
Date: 3rd January 2014
Location: Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia
Media: White soft pastel, charcoal and white ink on A4 size black paper.

Mount Leibnitz and Environs

Mount Leibnitz and Environs
Mount Leibnitz and Environs

Hello artists,we come in New Year,i hope good Year for all.
I sent one of my last Moon Sketch,made with my dobson 10″ and 12,4 mm
Erfle plus Barlow.
I hope to made in future other sketches with this technics.Frank Mc Cabe
is the Master of this.
I hope like you.
Auguri a tutti di un Bello e Limpido 2014!!!
Ciao,Giorgio.

Site: Pergola,Center Italy,behind my home.
Date: 24 September 2013.
Moon phase: Down (19,6 days)
Instrument: Dobson Gso 10″
Eyepiece: 12,4mm erfle plus Barlow(201,6 x)
Seeing: Good
Zone: Mount Leibnitz ( 8.000 meter of altitude).
Media: White pencil on black paper.

Beautiful Hydra Cluster

Abell 1060
Abell 1060

Object Name: Hydra Cluster or Abell 1060.
Location: Capitán Sarmiento, Buenos Aires Argentina.
Date: 05/01/2014.
Media: 2H, 2B, HB. Blend stump. Photoshop.
Telescope: Meade LB 12″ on equatorial tracking platform.
Eyepiece: Explore Scientific 11mm N2 82º.

First star party of the year and first non-digital sketch. Hope you like it!

Sunspot AR1944

AR1944
AR1944

Object Name: Sunspot AR1944
Object Type: sunspot
Location: Vitoria-Gasteiz (Basque Country, Spain)
Date: 6-1-2014
Media: graphite pencil on white paper.

Hi

This is a sketch of the biggest sunspot I´ve ever seen. It´s so amazing that can be drawn with small telescopes like the one I´ve used: the Astro-Professional ED80 equiped with binoviewer, a pair of 19 mm eyepieces and a 2.6x galsspath, that gives a magnification of 78x. I have used a Baader solar film to observe the sun with security. Although the seeing was not good at all, the view was great and unforgettable.

Best regards.

David Sedano

Sacrobosco and Environs

Sacrobosco and Environs - January 7, 2014Sacrobosco and Environs
Sacrobosco and Environs – January 7, 2014

Hi Guys, this is my Second lunar sketch… Today, moon was really good from my house…
So Tried it….

Location: Bangalore, India.
Date: 8-Nov-2013
Media: HB Graphite pencil(Click pencil), Eraser, 8B pencil….
Instrument: 130mm f-6.9 Newtonian.

Pls Do comment how I can improve….

C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy) – December 4, 2013

C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy) - December 4, 2013
C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy) – December 4, 2013

Hey ASOD!

This time I send a sketch of comet LOVEJOY from todays morning.
The observation was made with 166x magn. on my telescope.
The comet is a really nice one with both binos and telescope!
Info on my sketch.
I used graphite pencil on white paper and inverted in color.
Location : Trondheim, Norway.

Clear sky to all of you from Per-Jonny Bremseth.

The Miracle of Jupiter

Jupiter - October 27, 2013
Jupiter – October 27, 2013

Hi everyone!

I didn’t like observation of solar system members.

Since it’s strong brightness, I can’t make dark adaption in my eyes.

One day, under the moonlight.. I didn’t find deepsky anymore..

So I started observing & sketching the Jupiter.

Because it’s altitude is proper to observing with my 15″ Dob!

The more I saw the Jupiter, the more structure appeared my eyes.

It is a kind of miracle!

Unfortunately, I don’t have experience of Jupiter sketching.

It is not good planet sketch.. but it is my first true experience of observing Jupiter!

Object Name : Jupiter
Object Type : Planet

Location : S. Korea
Date : Oct. 27, 2013
Media : White paper, Sharp pencel

Mars – January 7, 2012

Mars - January 7, 2012
Mars – January 7, 2012

2012 01 07 – Mars
PCW Memorial Observatory, OH – Erika Rix
www.pcwobservatory.com
16” Zhumell, f/4.5, non-tracking Dobsonian mount
12mm WA Burgess, 2x Barlow, 300x magnification
Filters: Mars, 82A blue, 21 orange
5.6 C, 64% H, S: Pickering 4-5, T: 3/6
CM: 159.8°, Ls: 54°, Phase: 0.92, V. Mag: 0.1
RA: 11h 32m, Dec: 6° 18′ 51″

This was my most recent Mars observation from a few weeks ago. With only one or two clear nights since then, the timing was such that it prevented me from being able to crack open the observatory.

The early morning of the 7th, I had ample time to let the mirrors cool down on the telescope and collimated before dark. It was a little windy but had calmed down by 3am. Still, seeing wasn’t the best. I cold make out the NPC straight away and it appeared tucked in on the western and eastern edges more so than my observation the week prior. There was a definite dark streak above the NPC in my view and a few more darkened patches scattered around the disk. Very slight limb brightening on both the preceding (just prior to the terminator toward either pole) and following limbs.

I had to nudge the scope time and time again to let Mars slowly drift through my FOV before slight variances in albedo became apparent. It was nearly impossible for me to match them up with labeling programs such as Mars Previewer II or my Mars Globe app on my iPad because the two views on those programs were a little off from each other even though I checked the date, time and location several times. In the end, I went with Mars Previewer II since I’ve been using that program the longest.

I’m very much looking forward to more opportunities with Mars as it reaches opposition. If only my primary mirror was clean…sigh.

The sketch was created using charcoal on card stock, charcoal pencils, willow charcoal, vinyl eraser pencil and kneaded rubber eraser.