Tracing Paper – Astronomy Sketch of the Day

Comet ISON: Incoming

Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) - October-November, 2013 — Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) – October-November, 2013

Object Name: Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON)
Object Type: Sun-grazing Comet
Location: Near Grant, AL, USA
Dates: October 8 & 26, November 2 & 11, Before Sunrise
Media: Graphite Pencil on Strathmore Tracing Paper
Equipment: 20″ F/5 Newtonian with 13mm Ethos, 35mm Plossl (Russell Optics), 35mm Deep View (Orion), “Red Light Box” software, i-Pad (for backlighting the tracing paper).
Weather: Excellent Transparency and Seeing on all dates.

These four sketches show the evolution of Comet ISON over time during October-November 2013. At first, the comet was barely visible. No nucleus or dust tail could be discerned, but over time they became apparent. Each drawing is a stack of individual black and white sketches using the indicated filters. They were edited and stacked using Photofiltre and Canvas software.

–James M.

C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy) – November 16, 2013

Hello, here is a drawing of the comet Lovejoy, made with my Dobsonian Telescope 12. “Also visible in 8×40 binoculars, a telescope it offered a well detailed hair, including two jets very visible and 188x core composed of two very brilliant parts (?). beautiful visitor also revealed a double pretty tail, two jets obvious.

Détails :
Object : The comet C/2013 R1 Lovejoy
Location : France (Vendée-Atlantic)
Date : 16/11/2013
Support : Tracing paper, fading and pencils Hb

Good reception and thank you for your interest
Best regard, Yohan Archambaud ( Vendée, France)

The Twilight Colors of PanSTARRS

Object Name: Comet PanSTARRS C/2011 L4
Object Type: Comet
Location: Near Grant, AL, USA
Date: Feb. 13, 2013, Approx. 7:35PM CDT
Equipment: 4-inch (100×25) Binoculars, Red Backlit Panel, Soft Pencils, and Tracing Paper. Used multiple layers for different colors to assemble drawing using the computer.

Description:
Comet PanStarrs was only visible for a short time on the 13th (about 1/2 hour), but we were able to sketch several individual layers to assemble a color drawing of the Comet in the Sunset/Twilight. We were going to take an astrophoto, but realized that a drawing might work better, given the twilight. Glad we switched! The white coma and red dust tail contrasted strongly in the view.

–James M.