Mars: August 1892
Sketches by Professor W. W. Campbell
This series of Martian sketches was prepared by W. W. Campbell in 1892. They were printed the article, “The Lowell Observatory, In Arizona,” by Edward S. Holden in The Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, Volume VI, 1894, pages 160-170 at Google Books.
M41
Sketch and Details by Wade V. Corbei
I was able to observe M41 (NGC 2287) on Jan. 18th (early 19th), the ONLY day so far this month that has allowed for any sort of observing.
I was actually quite surprised at this OC that contained quite a few star-chains that only brought more interest, complexity and beauty to this jewel of the night-sky residing within Canis Major. I was fortunate in that my one night of observing was extremely clear and steady, allowing for some great observing of many of the fainter stars within this region.
This sketch, like all others, started out with a plain ol’ mechanical pencil, a #2 pencil & paper (my sketch book). The original sketch was then scanned into and digitized in PhotoShop CS3.
According to my observing notes, I spent a total of 1-hour & 10-minutes at the EP sketching and observing this OC. The longer I gazed at this OC, more star-chains and fainter stars seemed to slowly emrge from the inky darkness. I do rememebr having to stretch a bit after observing and sketching this one.
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
NGC 7090
Sketch by Eiji Kato
Moon
Sketch and Details by Carlos E. Hernandez
The waxing Gibbous Moon (11.9 days old) was visible over the western horizon on April 17, 2008 (07:30 U.T.). The Moon appeared a yellowish tinge while visible beneath a palm frond. The scene was both eerie and beautiful.
A digital rendering produced in Photoshop CS3.
Carlos
August 1894 Meteor Shower
Drawings by A. L. Colton
LLUSTRATIONS OF THE AUGUST METEORS OF 1894,
As OBSERVED AT THE LICK OBSERVATORY.
On page 294 of the previous publication is a note by Professor HOLDEN on the observations of the August meteors of 1894. The charts drawn by Messrs. COLTON and FERRINE showing the paths of the meteors observed by them at Mount Hamilton, and the diagram of frequency- curves compiled by Mr. POOLE, are reproduced in miniature in this number. It is, perhaps, to be regretted that the scale is so small; the illustrations will, however, convey a good general idea of the work which was done. The reduction of the observations will be made with the aid of the original charts, which are on so large a scale as to meet every requirement. J. M. S.
As published in the Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific – Volume VII – 1895, pages 58 and 77, Available via Google Books.
NGC 5139 (Omega Centauri)
Sketch and Details by Dave Riddle
My attempt to sketch Omega Centauri caused me to recall the trials faced by Frederick Catherwood, the famed British illustrator, while he tried to capture the Mayan “idols” found in Central America during the early 1800s. As recounted in C. W. Ceram’s “Gods, Graves, and Scholars”, Catherwood faced the daunting task of reproducing forms that were utterly different from any any thing he had experienced before and “for a time his crayon simply would not function.”
I spent an hour or so studying NGC 5139 before starting my sketch. Using a 12″ Schmidt-Cassegrain at 100X, prominent stars chains, clumps of stars and mysterious dark voids made their appearance. At first glance, Omega had appeared as a rather structureless oblate globe of stars.
My original graphite pencil and ink drawing was made on the evening of April 18, 2005 with rather poor seeing conditions and a waxing gibbous moon over the desert of Namibia. The submitted drawing is a Photoshop interpretation of the sketch.
Dave Riddle
NGC 1514
Sketch and Details by Bill Ferris
NGC 1514: Planetary Nebula (Taurus) RA: 04h 09.3m / DEC: +30º 46′.6
Instrument: 18-inch Obsession
NGC 1514 is pictured in the sketch [above]. Observing at 199X (12-mm Nagler Type 4) with the 18-inch Obsession, I initially mistook this large planetary as fog on the eyepiece producing a hazy glow around a bright star. But while sweeping the area, I realized that bright star was the only one encased in haze. I’d found the nebula. NGC 1514 covers a 3′ by 2′.5 area. At its heart is the blue tinged 9.4 magnitude central star. The nebulosity features a bright outer ring. After a few minutes observation, averted vision reveals striations within the nebula, and the east and west edges appear brighter than the surrounding ring. Slipping an OIII filter into position teases very faint outer lobes into view. These appeared along the east and west edges of the planetary nebula, and are confirmed by long exposure astrophotos and CCD images. Eighteen stars frame the view in the big Dob. You’ll find NGC 1514 in far northern Taurus about 3.5 degrees east-southeast of Zeta (44) Persei.
M4
Sketch by Michael Vlasov
M4 lies about 7,200 light years away, and is one of the closest globular clusters. It displays a bar-like structure that runs through its center. The bar consists of 11th magnitude stars, is 2.5′ long and runs at a position angle of 12°. The cluster is obscured by interstellar matter, and so is dimmed greatly. Deep photography reveals a diameter of 36, equating to 75 light years, whereas its visual diameter has been estimated at 14′. At Class IX, it is one of the most open of globular clusters, with a half-mass radius of 3.65′ or 8 light years.
M4 was discovered by De Chéseaux in 1745-46 and subsequently catalogued by Messier in 1764 who resolved it into stars. It was the only one he could resolve, calling it a “cluster of very small stars”, and so was the first globular ever resolved into stars.
Source: SEDS.
M51 (NGC 5194 and 5195)
Sketch by Serge Vieillard
Serge Vieillard created this sketch of M51 during three precious minutes he had at the eyepiece of a 60 cm (T600) telescope. The intricate detail that was visible conflicted with the short amount of time he had to record it. Serge notes that he wished he had hours to spend on the nearly photographic detail, but he did his best to quickly capture the main features of this beautiful pair of galaxies. He did have opportunity a little later in the evening to spend 2 more minutes at the 80 cm (T800) telescope to refine a few more details.
