Category: Media Combinations

Glorious Omega Centauri

NGC 5139
Omega Centauri
Globular Cluster
Centaurus
09/08/10
Ilford NSW Australia
76mm Televue Apo Refractor
Field: 62′
Magnification: 48x
Sky Quality Meter reading: 21:38

I always find NGC 5139 a bit much in large scopes, a more elegant view of this grandiose globular can be had in smaller instruments.

As rain had been forecast I had packed the 56cm dob away, but I left my 76mm Apo set up just in case.
I went into the shed to lay down and listen to some music.

About an hour later I felt the urge to proceed to the toilets, and lone and behold it was completely clear.
It was not long before I was at the 76mm Apo with a bino view and two 14mm Radian eyepieces.

Needless to say it was a splendid view with the globular just barely giving the chance to resolve a smattering of tiny stars.

I just had time to complete this sketch when the clouds rolled back in, and then it began to rain, and rain, and rain.

Come the next morning it was still raining, and I could not get out of the place quick enough and go back home.

Scott Mellish.

Big Binocular Orion Nebula

Subject: big binocular M42

Hello Artists,all o.k.?I’m depressed about the weather..i hope in 4 of January for the partial Eclipse of Sun.
I made only one sketch,M42 made with my big bino Astrotech 25×100 behind my home.The night was very icely but the sky was great,the Nebula in the bino was spectacular , in one full field of stars….I hope,next day to continue my sketch with the stars of belt and Flame Nebula.At the end i made one “poster”of Orion!
Happy New Year at all.
Ciao,Giorgio.
.
Location:Pergola,10 December 2010 at 11,45 p.m. l.t.
Instrument: Big bino 25×100 (straight vision)on wood heavi trypod in steady mount
Seeing.Excelent
Temperature:Icely,no wind.
Technics:withe pastel and penn on black paper Fabriano 3.

Sunset Terminator Across Mare Crisium

Mare Crisium is that interesting isolated sea on the northeastern side of the visible lunar surface. Only about half of it was visible during this sketching session.
The Nectarian Period event that formed this feature occurred more than 3.8 billion years ago. The mare portion of the basin is about 500 kilometers across. In the grazing sunlight across the floor, wrinkled ridges were visible in the north to south direction. Also on the western floor craters Picard (24 km.), Peirce (19 km.) and Swift (11km.) stood out in the low light. I could clearly see the lighter colored bench lava that partly buried craters here such as Yerkes (37 km.). Tall flat top mountains (massifs) beyond the shore stand at 2-5 kilometers above the sea. Also beyond the sea to the West crater Proclus (28 km.) with its remarkable bright rays was reflecting some sunlight.

Sketching:

For this sketch I used: 400 series black Strathmore Artagain paper 9″x 12″, white and black Conte’
pastel pencils , and Conte’crayons, a blending stump, plastic eraser. Brightness was decreased -2 and contrast increased +1 using the scanner for this sketch
Telescope: 10 inch f/ 5.7 Dobsonian with 6mm (241x)
Date: 12-23-2010 10:00 – 11:30 UT
Temperature: -8°C (18°F)
Weather: clear, calm
Seeing: Antoniadi III
Co longitude: 120°
Lunation: 17.7 days
Illumination: 94.5%

Oak Forest, Illinois

Frank McCabe

Gazing at Medusa

Abell 21
PK 205+14.1
SH2-274
Planetary Nebula
Gemini
12/12/10
Ilford NSW Australia
56cm f5 dobsonian telescope
Field: 29′
Magnification: 166x with Oxy III filter
Sky quality meter reading: 21:55

Black Canford paper
White pastel chalk
White oil pencil
Soft white pencil
Paint brush
Blending stump

After three months of dismal wet new moon periods I finally scored two nights of decent conditions. My observing site was quite damp from all the rain and the days were humid, so this conspired to bring out a plague of mosquitoes of biblical proportions, hence I had to put on some repellent whilst out observing. The far northern constellation of Gemini was well placed so I decided to observe a few objects that I had listed. The so called “Medusa Nebula” was one of my first targets and it proved most interesting in the 56cm dob at 166x magnification. This diffuse nebula was visible without an Oxy III filter, but it improved slightly when the filter was inserted. Abell 21 was once thought to be a supernova remnant until Soviet astronomers in the 1970’s proved otherwise. It is a rather large planetary and visually shows no sign in the eyepiece of the braid like filamentary structure evident in images.

Scott Mellish

Langrenus and Others

Object Name : Langrenus and others
Location : Bures-sur-Yvette, France
Date : 22/10/2010
Media : white pencil, white pastel, black paper

A very nice night, seeing very good but very cold temperature (-5° > C). 3 hours of sketching, the spots shadow was sketche first > because that’s change, in 3 hours… with a maksutov-cassegrain > 127mm x300, at the end meniscus was frost

To the Edge

NGC 4517
Galaxy
Virgo
28/03/06
Ilford NSW Australia
41cm f4.7 Dobsonian telescope
Field: 23′
Magnification: 210x
Sky quality: N/A

Black Canford paper
White pen
White pencil
White pastel chalk
Blending stump
Paint brush

NGC 4517 is a really nice edge-on galaxy around 12′ x 2′ in size.
In the 41cm dob this galaxy looked very elegant and is designated as type Sc.
However visually it looks somewhat irregular in its appearance.

It reminds me of NGC 55 in Sculptor.
This is one of my older sketches from 2006.

Scott Mellish.

The Great Andromeda Galaxy and Her Attendants

Object Name M31/32/110
Object Type Galaxy, dwarf galaxy
Location la Ferme des étoiles, Gers, France
Date 16/07/2010
Media black paper, pastel
A nice night in an astronomy center. I didn’t have the time to make with precision the details, the periphery of the galaxy is less brighter than on the sketch and black region less dark too. The sky was nice, with a little bit light pollution. fujinon 25×150. Think’s to François Couturier who let me practice with this big binoculars !

clear sky,
Boris

Beauty of the Helix

NGC 7293
Planetary Nebula
The “Helix” Nebula
Aquarius
09/08/10
Ilford NSW Australia
56cm f5 Dobsonian telescope
Field: 29′
Magnification: 166x with Oxy-III filter
Sky Quality Meter reading: 21:52

Black Canford paper
White pastel chalk
White pen
Soft white pen
Cotton bud and paint brush for smudging

I have observed the Helix nebula a number of times over the years but have neglected it since I got my 56cm dob up and running.

I placed a 17mm Nagler in with an Oxy-III filter to give a reasonable field of view.
The Helix was an altogether different observing experience than I last remember, it dominated the eyepiece field and was impressive.

I was glad I called in for the visit.

Scott Mellish.