White Conté on Black Paper – Page 14 – Astronomy Sketch of the Day

Planet Five with Two Moons

Jupiter with Ganymede and Io
Sketch and Details by Frank McCabe

While spending most of the evening and night outdoors under the stars, I had an opportunity to sketch planet Jupiter as I awaited the moonrise.

Jupiter was not very high above my southeastern horizon but the seeing was quite good for my location. I was able to see the great red spot not far from Jupiter’s preceding limb on the southern edge of the south equatorial belt. The belt appeared bisected over most of the viewing area. Superimposed on the north temperate belt I was able to clearly see the shadow of Ganymede near the preceding limb. The satellite was lost in the front of Jupiter to the east of the shadow as it made its transit in front of the giant. Also visible in the field of view were moons Europa and further from the planet on the other side Io.

Sketching:

For this sketch I used: black Strathmore 400 Artagain paper, 8”x 11”, and a white Conte’ pastel pencil. I added the moons to the black paper using the white pastel pencil. The sketch of Jupiter was done on white sketching paper using HB, 2B and 4B graphite pencils an eraser shield, and a blending stump. I carefully cut the sketch of Jupiter from the white paper and using a small piece of double sided carpet tape added it to the black paper. Brightness was slightly decreased (-4) and contrast increased (+3) after scanning using Microsoft Office Picture Manager.

Telescope: 10 inch f/5.7 Dobsonian and 6mm eyepiece 241x
Date: 6-23-2008 4:25 – 4:55 UT
Temperature: 15°C (59°F)
clear, calm
Seeing: Pickering 7.0

Frank McCabe

The Asperity South of the Bay of Asperity

Catharina, Cyrillus and Theophilus
Sketch and Details by Frank McCabe

If you have not observed this trio through a telescope then you are in for a treat when you do. The trio I speak of is Catharina, Cyrillus and Theophilus. All three of these craters are between 100 and 104 kilometers in diameter. The oldest of the three is Catharina which is also the southern most of the group in this north at the bottom sketch. Catharina, a Nectarian period impact may be older than the Imbrium basin with debris from that basin scattered across this crater and the older surroundings. Cyrillus a bit younger than the former shows terraced walls and worn central peaks. The last member of the trio is one of those lunar treats that cannot go unnoticed. Theophilus, an Eratosthenian crater, just about has it all. It is large, sharp rimmed, terraced walled, tall central peaks (2 km.), a flat floor, and much melted ejecta just beyond the crater especially to the north and east. The outer reaches of Theophilus gradually merge with the Bay of Asperity.

To the east 28 km Mädler can be seen disappearing into the shadows approaching from the left as they cross the Sea of Nectaris.

Sketching:

For this sketch I used: black Strathmore 400 Artagain paper, white and black Conte’ pastel pencils, Conte’ crayons and a blending stump. After scanning, Brightness was slightly decreased (-2) and contrast increased (+4) using Microsoft Office Picture Manager.

Telescope: 10 inch f/ 5.7 Dobsonian and 9 mm eyepiece 161x

Date: 6-23-2008, 7:30-8:50 UT

Temperature: 15° C (59° F)

Clear, transparent, calm

Seeing: Antoniadi II

Colongitude 147.9 °

Lunation 19.5days

Illumination 81 %

Frank McCabe

Eddington: A Mere Shadow of its Former Self

Eddington
Sketch and Details by Frank McCabe

I was disappointed with my previous observation of this region of the Ocean of Storms this past August and this night was my first opportunity to return to this area. On this evening of observing and sketching, 137 kilometer, walled-plain crater remnant Eddington was well positioned and illuminated in the morning sunlight for drawing. The features that identify Eddington as a large crater ruin include the missing southern and eastern rims and the vast flooding of its floor with the mare lavas. Eddington is a Pre-Nectarian period crater which is likely older than 4 billion years. Today its worn appearance still has character. There is a broken arc of rim remains from south to east which gradually climbs from hills to mountains as the rim arc is traced northward. It may no longer be a regal crater, but it makes an excellent bay to the shore of the Ocean of Storms. To the east-southeast of Eddington rests the much younger Eratosthenian period crater Seleucus (44 km.). This is a deep crater at 3 km. and has a bright meandering debris ray from the crater Oblers A (not seen) passing the crater to the east. The Soviet moon probe Luna 13 landed 75 kilometers southeast of this crater. South along the terminator is the crater Krafft (51 km.) which makes an interesting partner to crater Cardanus beyond the sketching region to the south. Two craters are visible north and east of Eddington. These craters are Briggs (37 km.) and Briggs B (25 km.). Both were showing dazzling rims and ramparts in the early sunlight. The lone crater visible across the sketch to the northeast is Imbrian period crater Schiaparelli at 24 kilometers in diameter. This was that perfect lighting I was waiting for to capture this little corner of the Ocean of Storms.

Sketching:

For this sketch I used: black Strathmore 400 Artagain paper, white and black Conte’

pastel pencils and a blending stump. After scanning, Brightness was slightly decreased (-3) and contrast increased (+3) using Microsoft Office Picture Manager.

Telescope: 10 inch f/ 5.7 Dobsonian and 9 mm eyepiece 161x

Date: 6-17-2008, 2:55-3:50 UT

Temperature: 19° C (67° F)

Clear, transparent, calm

Seeing: Antoniadi III

Colongitude 72.7 °

Lunation 13.4 days

Illumination 98 %

Frank McCabe

Upon the Sea of Clouds

Bullialdus Crater
Sketch and Details by Frank McCabe

Western Mare Nubium has been the home of complex, Eratosthenian period crater Bullialdus (61 km.) for the past three and a half billion years. The beautifully terraced inner walls to the east and kilometer high central peaks were clearly seen in the morning light. The outer downward sloping walls were showing alternating radial ridges and valleys down to the lava flooded floor of Nubium. The crater rim stands 2.4 kilometers above the crater floor and the floor is 1.2 kilometers below the surrounding Mare Nubium lava.
The ancient flow of lava across the Sea of Clouds breached the walls and flooded the floors of craters Kies (44 km.) to the southeast and Lubiniezky (44 km.) to the northwest of Bullialdus. Immediately to the south of Bullialdus are Bullialdus A and B, both twenty something kilometers in diameter with the closer A being the larger of the two. The famous 11 kilometer dome Kies л was clearly seen just to the west of crater Kies and to the northwest, crater König (23 km.) looked impressive with its dark shaded floor.

Sketching:

For this sketch I used: black Strathmore 400 Artagain paper, 9”x 12”, white and black Conte’pastel pencils and a blending stump. Brightness was slightly decreased (-3) and contrast increased (+2) after scanning using Microsoft Office Picture Manager.

Telescope: 10 inch f/ 5.7 Dobsonian and 6mm eyepiece 241x
Date: 5-15-2008 2:10 – 3:45 UT
Temperature: 8° C (46° F)
passing clouds, calm
Seeing: Antoniadi III
Co-longitude: 28.8°
Lunation: 9.6 days
Illumination: 78.5 %
Phase: 55.3°
Observing Location: +41°37′ +87° 47′

Frank McCabe

Raising Eyebrows on the Floor of Imbrium

Aristillus and Autolycus
Sketch and Details by Richard Handy

Sitting replendently on the the eastern margin of Mare Imbrium, 56 km Aristillus and 41 km Autolycus, brothers of Copernician age, are a startling sight in the late lunar afternoon sunshine. Hexagonal in appearance, Aristillus’s broad and radially splayed glacis dominates the mare surface in this region. It’s wide, brilliantly lit terraces apparently have evidenced some mass wasting since its creation a little over a billion years ago. Resting on the floor, some 3650 m deep, the glowing central peaks are roughly 900 meters high. Rays, some quite prominent, emanate from the crater’s center. To the northwest of Aristillus, swathes of darker mare may indicate areas not fully dusted by the ejecta from this massive impact, or perhaps ejecta excavated from deep within the extant mare is responsible for these low albedo areas. Approximately 60 km to the south, Autolycus’s glacial nimbus appears almost serene in comparison to the complex nature of Aristillus’s glacis. Half of the floor of Autolycus is composed of quite torturous terrane including a strange floor subsidence to the eastern section of the floor.

Here are the sketch details:

Subject: Aristillus and Autolycus Rukl: 12
Date: 10-13-06 Start: 9:15 UT End: 10:50 UT
Lunation: 20.90 days Phase: 277.5 deg Illumination: 56.5%
Colongitude: 164.8 deg Lib. in Lat.: -5 deg 40 min Lib. in Long.: +7 deg 39 min
Seeing: Antoniadi III-IV with 30 seconds of Ant. II every 20 minutes
Weather: Clear early, turning to occasional clouds mid to late during session, 10-15 knot winds late.
Telescope: 12″ Meade SCT F10
Binoviewer: W.O. Bino-P with 1.6X Nosepiece.
Eyepieces: W.O. WA 20mm Plossls
Magnification: 244X
Lunation: 18.48 days Phase: 311.1 deg Illumination: 82.9%
Colongitude: 133.7 deg Lib in Lat.: -3 deg 53 min Lib in Long.: +5 deg 12 min
Sketch medium: White and black Conte’ Crayons on black textured Strathmore paper.
Sketch size: 18″ x 24″

Morning at Crater Walther

Walther Crater
Sketch and Details by Frank McCabe

On this spring evening I drove over to our local community college to pick up and bring home the observatory telescope which was in need of cleaning and minor repairs. When I finished that work the sky was clear so I decided to use the scope to make a lunar sketch. The target I selected for drawing was the large (140 km.) Nectarian period walled plain crater Walther. On older lunar atlases this crater is either labeled Walter or Valtherus but in 1982 the name was changed to the current Walther by the IAU. I have always found the moon shows off some of its best large craters at this time in the lunation. Walther is one of those great old highland craters with much to offer a careful observer. Most seasoned lunar observers are well aware of the Walther sunset ray, but even at sunrise this crater has its rewards. A combination of craters with a common dark floor rests on the eastern rim three kilometers above the shadowed floor of Walther. To the west beyond the dark floor is the cratered, off-centered “central” mountain group casting a long triangular shadow across the resurfaced floor to crater Walter E (13 km.). Four small 4-6 km. craterlets can be seen in the drawing although at the eyepiece additional smaller ones were clearly visible in moments of steady seeing. To the northeast of Walther another large 3.9 billion year old crater Aliacensis (80 km.) was showing terraced walls and a central peak. The large younger Eratosthenian crater to the north of Walther is Werner (71 km.). Like the other two it has an off-centered central peak as well.

This was one of those observing nights when you wish time would stand still. I watched the long triangular shadow from Walther’s central peak shorten by 40% in just 2 hours.
I must say this was a beautiful night for moon viewing.

Sketching:

For this sketch I used: black Strathmore 400 Artagain paper, 9”x 12”, white and black Conte’pastel pencils and a blending stump. Brightness was slightly decreased (-2) and contrast increased (+2) after scanning using Microsoft Office Picture Manager.

Telescope: 13.1 inch f/ 6 Dobsonian and 6mm eyepiece 333x
Date: 5-13-2008 1:35 – 3:20 UT
Temperature: 7° C (45° F)
high clouds, calm
Seeing: Antoniadi III
Co-longitude: 4°
Lunation: 7.6 days
Illumination: 59.7 %
Phase: 78.8°
Observing Location: +41°37′ +87°47′

Frank McCabe

Planet Number Six

Saturn
Sketch and Details by Frank McCabe

This was my first attempt at sketching the planet Saturn while using white Conte’ crayons on black paper. Over a period of 3 hours I made 4 drawings of Saturn. The first 3 made during the first two hours looked terrible but the third one, although rough and grainy looking, came out recognizable as a ringed planet. I have nothing but the highest respect for those sketchers that regularly and beautifully draw this planet.
I could clearly see the dark planet shadow on the A and B rings. I could not hold the C ring constantly visible and so I did not include it in the drawing. The Cassini division was clearly visible but not the Encke division. Contrast between the brighter equatorial zone and the southern equatorial belt above it were easily seen. Four of Saturn’s moons were easily seen when the high thin clouds moved on. Clockwise starting above the planet in the drawing is Titan (mag.8.8), then Tethys (mag.10.7), next Rhea (mag.10.2) and finally Dione (mag.10.8). Mimas and Enceladus were in the field of view but hidden by the planets glare.
Saturn and its moon make wonderful targets for a clear night at the eyepiece of a telescope. Sketching the view just simply adds to the enjoyment.

Sketching:

For this sketch I used: black Strathmore 400 Artagain paper, 8”x 11”, white and black Conte’pastel crayons, an eraser shield, and a blending stump. Brightness was slightly decreased (-5) and contrast increased (+3) after scanning using Microsoft Office Picture Manager.

Telescope: 10 inch f/5.7 Dobsonian and 6mm eyepiece 241x
Date: 5-5-2008 4:00 – 5:00 UT
Temperature: 13°C (56°F)
high clouds, calm
Seeing: Pickering 6.5

H-Alpha Sun

Solar H-Alpha
Sketch and Commentary by Erika Rix

2008 04 06, 1240ST – 1330ST (1640UT – 1730UT)
Solar H-alpha
PCW Memorial Observatory, Zanesville, Ohio, USA, Lat: 40.01 / Long: -81.56
Erika Rix

Temp: 62.1 °F / 16.7 °C
Winds: 3.5 mph from the East
Humidity: 52%
Seeing: 5/6 with moments of 2/6
Transparency: 4/6
Alt: 51.3 Az: 143.3

Equipment:
Internally double stacked Maxscope 60mm, LXD75, 40mm ProOptic Plossl, 21-7mm Zhumell

Sketch Media:
H-alpha – Black Strathmore Artagain paper, white Conte’ and Prang pencils, white vinyl eraser.
Added –25 brightness, +15 contrast after scanning in color at 300 dpi. Tilting Sun program used for digital Sun insert.

Triesnecker and Rimae on the Shores of the Central Bay

Triesnecker and Rimae on the shores of the Central Bay
By Richard Handy

Sinus Medii or Central Bay, is aptly named for its relation to the geographic midpoint of the Moon (the point on the surface where the Earth would appear at the zenith at all times). On the northeastern shore of Sinus Medii lies the Copernican Period crater Triesnecker, the 26 km archetypical complex crater. Only hints of its distinguishing characteristics are apparent is my sketch because most of the crater’s inner walls are cloaked in shadow in this view, awaiting lunar sunrise to reveal their contours. The intense highlights off the scalloped western wall is the only evidence of considerable mass wasting that the crater has experienced. Hidden in this view is a floor whose entire western half is buried in wall debris. The deviation from circular (polygonal) form that Triesnecker displays is apparent all around the periphery of the crater. Terrace collapse has resulted in a reduction in floor depth and a annular ring of hills that are hidden from our view here. A mid morning Triesnecker sports a central peak and a small mare like area of what appears to be impact melt. The larger the crater the higher the peak, a product of the rebound energy of a surface that is impacted. Triesnecker sized craters lie at the lowest energy level necessary to produce central peaks, consequently the peak heights hover around 300 to 500 meters, large craters between 80 and 100 km have central peaks that average 2 km high. Immediately to the east, the complex rille network of Rimae Triesnecker dominates the right side of my sketch. Several things intrigue me in this area. Despite Triesnecker’s obvious superposition on top of these features, it seems amazing to me that these rilles survived being buried by its ejecta blanket. However this sketch is probably telling for what it does not reveal, filled in rilles which might be responsible the isolated rimae segments I’ve rendered here. The biggest mystery to me is why these rilles are located in this area of the Moon in the first place. Wilhelm suggested extensional forces. Perhaps Procellarum/Imbrium and Serenitatis/Tranquillitatis mascons are responsible for their appearance here, meaning these rilles are interpreted as grabens. A quick look to the northeast and we are amidst the obviously volcanic domain of the Hyginus crater and Rima. The surface elevation in this region has subsided and that may be due to extensional forces and subsequent outflows of mare lavas and terminal eruptive episodes

Here are the sketch details:

Subject: Triesnecker and Rimae Rukl: 33, 34
Date: 1-26-07 Started- 4:38 UT End- 5:55 UT
Seeing: Antoniadi III to IV Weather: Clear
Telescope: 12″ Meade SCT f/10
Binoviewer: W.O. Bino-P with 1.6X Nosepiece.
Eyepieces: W.O. WA 20mm Plossls
Barlow: 2X Televue Powermate
Magnification: 396X
Lunation: 7.03 days Phase: 86.8 deg Illumination: 52.8%
Colongitude: 359.7 deg Lib in Lat.: -4 deg 33 min Lib in Long.: +03 deg 35 min
Sketch medium: White and black Conte’ Crayons on black textured Strathmore paper.
Sketch size: 18″ x 24″.

The Highlands Between Grimaldi and Mersenius

Highlands Between Grimaldi and Mersenius
Sketch and Commentary by Frank McCabe

With the moon at nearly full phase, the sunrise illumination was approaching the western limb on this evening of observing and sketching. The region I focused in on includes the highlands just beyond the southwestern portion of Oceanus Procellarum between the Grimaldi basin and crater Mersenius. Both of these features are outside the boundaries of this sketch. Normally in this light I can hold the linear Rille Sirsalis in view continuously, but on this night it was visible only intermittently. Twin craters Sirsalis (43 km.) and Sirsalis A (49 km.) were clearly visible with their bright rims and dark shadowed floors. It is clear from some light reaching the floor of Sirsalis A that Siralis is the deeper of the two.
Lava flooded Billy, an Imbrium crater at 46 kilometers is separated from slightly younger crater Hansteen (45 km.) by Mons Hansteen. Beyond these features the remains of Siralis E a ghostly 72 kilometer crater remnant was visible in the morning sunlight.

Sketching:

For this sketch I used: black Strathmore 400 Artagain paper, 8”x 11”, white and black Conte’pastel pencils and a blending stump. Brightness was slightly decreased (-5) and contrast increased (+6) after scanning using Microsoft Office Picture Manager.

Telescope: 10 inch f/5.7 Dobsonian and 9mm eyepiece 161x
Date: 3-20-2008 4:50 – 6:00 UT
Temperature: -2°C (28°F)
clear, calm
Seeing: Antoniadi III
Co longitude: 66.9°
Lunation: 12.5 days
Illumination: 97.5 %
Phase: 18.4°
Observing Location: +41°37′ +87° 47′

Frank McCabe