Sketch the moon night [Archive]

mental4astro

16-11-2010, 01:59 PM

Thanks for the nice comment, Paddy. I'm not displeased with it either.

This question effectively askes 'how do you set the scale to a diagram'? I'll show how I go about it with a rough process on the sketch of Posidonius, following the pics numbered 1 to 3, and starting with a really hard pencil in numbers 1 & 2, like a 6H as these lines will be rubbed out as you go.

1: Have a good look at the area in question. Then squint a little to get an overall notion of the light and dark areas as this will give you the direction of the main axis of the feature to be sketched. Then you set the scale by 'boxing in' the main feature- here a crater. The rest of the sketch will follow this very scale.

2: Next position the other major feature along the axis in proportion to the principle one. Then roughly mark the other main craters and any significant BLACK features, here a mountain ridge.

From here, rub out any lines that are now redundant as you need to.

3: Start shading in the black shading, being careful to note the fine lines that are in black. This takes time as most of the detail sits here. Use no harder pencil than 2B as these need to be definite. The rest of the softer features can then be filled in. Write any notes you like with 6H pencil that will help remind of details.

Back in the house, these black features I went over with a black felt-tip pen. Make sure it is a permanent marker because if you go over the highlights with white paint the ink may bleed. The softer shading is also worked on. Highlights with white paint need to be done with a very fine brush and with next to no excess water in its bristles or the page will warp.

I hope this makes sense.

Paddy

16-11-2010, 07:20 PM

Thanks Alex, that's a very informative guide to laying out your sketch. I reckon it would be worth putting on the sketching tips forum. I haven't done anything like that so far - just by eye working out roughly where things will go. Putting marks for an axis and boxes for main object would be very useful. I am still very curious about the physical size of the sketch that you've ended up with.

Paddy

16-11-2010, 07:21 PM

I would be ecstatic if I could do a sketch 1/4 as good as yours.

Paddy

16-11-2010, 09:44 PM

Congratulations also Alex on another Astronomy Sketch of the Day with your rendition of Posidonius!

http://www.asod.info/?p=4314

michaellxv

16-11-2010, 11:38 PM

Congratulation Alex, and well deserved too.

On the subject of scale, I have been using a standard observing template but have had similar thoughts that for Lunar work I should ditch this and go which a blank sheet of A4.

A lot of what I am reading sugests that a rough drawing and notes at the EP and then finish off inside where you can see could be the way to go.

michaellxv

19-11-2010, 09:54 PM

Finally got out to have a go at Clavius.

I started early before sunset even. As it gradually got dark I could see more details coming out. Didn't really get the overall shape right with this one so not particularly happy with it.

So went back for more. This time I had to contest with the clouds starting to come in. As a result did not get quite as much detail on the page but the overall shape is better.

I think I completely under estimated the complexity of this beast when I picked it.:P

mental4astro

20-11-2010, 12:09 AM

Nicely done, Michael. Neat 'golf ball' you've layed down!

Did you notice the faint highlight of the leading rim of the craters that first catch the rays of the sun? That little 'flare up' really makes the 'black' of the crater really stand out, and gives the craters lift and volume.

Yes, Clavius is heavily potmarked, but I don't think any more or less detailed than any other feature. I think it's more a case of 'mistaken complexity', for once we actually sit down to pick over a feature, all it's little nooks and crannies suddenly reveal themselves.

That's what I found with Posidonius. Once I started marking down the detail, it was very much a case of "OMG, look at all that filigree work! I'll be here all bloody night." Two hours later...

I like it, mate! Good sketch.

mental4astro

21-11-2010, 01:23 AM

Hi all,

We had the clearest night in ages here in Sydney, and I wasn't about to let a whee full Moon spoil the occasion. So I pulled out my 8" f/4 scope for a quick sketch. I did this sketch quickly over an hour. Would drive one to drink to make it a more detailed sketch (he says savouring a cooling Ale!).

I got a neat surprise too! For a fleating moment, I saw a satellite cross through my field of view. Not for the first time, BUT it was the first time it transited across the Moon's face!!! :atom:

At first I thought it was a baloon, but since when does a baloon have spiky bits coming off it, and be very angular in shape! Cool bananas, :party: !

Details on gear:

Scope: 8" f/4 newtonian, dob
EP: Edmund Scientific RKE 28mm, 29X
Filters: 2X polarising filters
Media: China graph pencil & graphite on black paper

michaellxv

21-11-2010, 01:29 AM

I started on a repro last night. Started from scratch, just refering to my original sketches inside. Not done yet.

michaellxv

21-11-2010, 01:30 AM

You are getting adventurous. I see another ASOD coming. Well done. :thumbsup:

Paddy

22-11-2010, 11:40 AM

Very nice sketch Michael.

I think so. I have to also agree with Alex that they all start looking so complex when I try to sketch them. So much detail when you really look. I think it was a great choice and I hope to have another crack at it when the terminator is near and the clouds are far.

mental4astro

25-11-2010, 06:06 PM

Michael, you're psychic:

http://www.asod.info/?p=4385

Woohoooo! :party:

michaellxv

25-11-2010, 11:12 PM

Congratulations. :thumbsup:

mental4astro

30-11-2010, 10:41 PM

Next target suggestion:

The area between the crater Plato and east through to the Alpine Valley?

Crater, valley or all of it. Some choice in features. What do you think?

http://www.lunarrepublic.com/atlas/sections/a2.shtml

GeoffMc

04-12-2010, 07:17 AM

Good suggestion. I'll be in it if the sky ever clears. I haven't drawn in years, but have been looking closely at the Moon lately using the "Lunar 100" list as a guide. There are so many subtle features not seen by casual observers.

Geoff Mc

GeoffMc

11-12-2010, 11:23 PM

Did anyone else see Theophilus tonight (Saturday)? It was right on the terminator, and the central peak was a bright pinpoint in the middle of an otherwise black disk surrounded by a bright, completely illuminated rim. The terminator bisected the rim, so that half of it was set against darkness. Beautiful.

This is may be an unusual crater in that the central peak is higher than the rim (1400m peak; 1200m rim). There can't be many other craters that have this arrangement, and they may also show up as spectacular as this one.

Geoff Mc

mental4astro

11-12-2010, 11:36 PM

Alas not me.

Might be a struggle do get the sketch I want done in the next couple of days too. Tonight is clear, but a full day in the sun sees me with nothing much left in the gas tank for tonight.

Maybe, just maybe, tomorrow night. Here's hoping.

michaellxv

12-12-2010, 12:19 AM

Not me. Full cloud cover tonight, and I was finishing a floating floor. The moon did look quite interesting peaking through a gap in the clouds though.

Binca

12-12-2010, 09:46 AM

Reading this thread has inspired me to try sketching the moon sometime, if the clouds ever consent to go away. I have never sketched anything before, so this shall be interesting, especially as I don't know that much about the moon compared to anyone else here D=

Still, I can always try, right?

michaellxv

12-12-2010, 11:22 PM

You're more than welcome to have a go. I look forward to the results.

And speaking for myself, don't for one minute think that I actually know anything much about the moon.

mental4astro

14-12-2010, 02:03 AM

Hi all,

Here are my two latest sketches. The first one was done on Sunday night. I thought I was sketching the Alpine Valley as the main features so much resembled the deep trench of the Alpine. Monday night I had hoped to do a second sketch of the same feature, showing a successive sequence of night's terminator creep. Boy, did I get a surprise.

Both sketches where done with the same gear from my home:
Scope: Celestron C5
EP: TMB Planetary Type II 6mm, 200X
Media: Pencil, paint and ink on white paper

So, the first one: "The craggie terminator", around the crater Julius Caesar. It is bound to the east by a mountain ridge which at the time of the sketch, the terminator gave the impression of this ridge actually being a rift or valley

The second: "An Alpine dawn", the area around the Alpine valley as the sun rises over the massive rift. The crater Cassini A lies immediately to the left of the dawn lit Alpine Valley. The craters Exodus & Aristoteles (left to right) lie above the pointing Valley.

michaellxv

14-12-2010, 10:27 AM

Very nice Alex. You're getting very good at this with a style of your own.:thumbsup:

Paddy

14-12-2010, 01:37 PM

Stunning sketches Alex. And great to have the 2 consecutive nights. Was hoping to do a lunar sketch myself last night, but in the absence of thick cloud and rain we had thin high level cloud, just thick enough...

orestis

14-12-2010, 01:52 PM

:eyepop:Wow Those sketches are absolutely stunning,Alex.Great stuff:thumbsup:.

So much detail has beeen recorded in these sketches.I think you should submit them to Asod.They definitely deserve it.

Cheers orestis:)
PS- I admire your dedication to producing such fine masterworks.

Scorpius51

14-12-2010, 09:38 PM

Well done Alex - they are inspiring sketches!

Cheers
John

mental4astro

16-12-2010, 11:04 AM

Thank you all for your kind comments.

And...

http://www.asod.info/?p=4532

COMM'ON, boys and girls, I can't do this all by myself. Let's see what you've got.

Paddy

16-12-2010, 03:47 PM

Congratulations on another ASOD Alex. Did my attempt at Plato.Alpine Valley last night with the aid of 10,000 mosquitoes - I hope to post it tomorrow.

Binca

16-12-2010, 10:41 PM

Ahh, the skies are clear every day, and cloudy every night! T_T

Still, I am enjoying seeing everyone else's sketches, they look great! :)

Paddy

17-12-2010, 02:54 PM

Well, here is my attempt at the Plato-Alpine valley area.

orestis

17-12-2010, 05:52 PM

Nice going Patrick great sketch:thumbsup:.

I find lunar sketching quite challenging as there is so much detail to present and you just don't know when to stop.Though, it is quite satisfying after you have completed the sketch.

cheers Orestis:)

mental4astro

17-12-2010, 08:06 PM

Nice work, Paddy.

Tell me, do you find that The Little People make little surprise appearances as the time at the eyepiece on the Moon wears on? I do. It could be the pint or two though, maybe, yeah, :rolleyes:

michaellxv

17-12-2010, 11:16 PM

Nice work Paddy. Hopfully there will be more clear nights and we can all get outside more.

Paddy

18-12-2010, 06:07 PM

:lol:I think my brain does get a little stranger the longer I go trying to get the drawing to look vaguely like what I can see. But the little folk were less noticeable than the mosquitoes and my dog who decided to lie down against my tripod and give the scope a bit of a shake from time to time.

pgc hunter

20-12-2010, 01:54 AM

Awesome sketches Alex, you've got a real knack for this. Looking forward to more.

michaellxv

15-03-2011, 08:05 PM

Last night I decided to try my hand at the moon using pastels on black paper. I had not pre-selected a target so startet by scanning along the terminator. From South to North the following stood out.

Clavius: the subject of previous sketches although with the new scope much more detail was seen

Rupes Recta: The Straight Wall. This was the first time I have seen this feature in favourable lighting. It stood out as a clear dark line across Mare Nubium.

Copernicus: The selected target.

North of Copernicus two bright peaks stood out brightly. Mons Vinogradov on the dark side of the termiantor and Mons La Hire just inside the terminator.

Vales Alpes: Also had favourable lighting.

14 Mar 2011 11:00-11:30UTC Moon 9.58days
10" Lightbridge
26mm & 10mm Plossel
moderate wind made for unsteady seeing.

Copernicus:
I started by looking around making a few notes.
Twin peaks inside steep steps on the west wall. Dark shadow on the outer west wall edge suggested a steep slope or cliff. The crater floor appeared otherwise smooth. Two bright shelfs visible just below the eastern rim on the inside which was otherwise in darkness. The distinctive bright rays extending out in all directions. Mountains to the north and west. The surrounding area appeared roughed up from the impact.

This was my first attempt at using the pastels for a lunar feature so I was going for an overall impression rather than fine details. The end result is somewhat disapointing but you have to start somewhere. A combination of pencils to define shape and pastels to fill in may work better. And lots of practice.

mental4astro

15-03-2011, 08:21 PM

Oh, yeah! Now we're cooking Michael.

Very nice job. Working with white on black is a very different way of thinking. And with pastels, no pussy-footing here.

I really like the little 'flecks' of white along the dark right rim of protuding peaks, and the tight little shadows of the two central peaks. It's the little details that make the sketch work really well.

For sharp, fine details using pastel or charcoal (both white and black types) keep a piece of fine sandpaper in your kit. You then rub the edge you want to develop on the sandpaper, ;) .

Those fine rays would have been a tease.

Paddy

15-03-2011, 10:03 PM

Going great guns I reckon Michael. I like the way you've caught the light on the wall so the crater and on the peaks on the floor. I find this a great challenge. Enjoyed your accompanying report too!

michaellxv

15-03-2011, 11:13 PM

Thanks Patrick. Creating hilights is certainly easier with the pastels. Creating subtle shades is more difficult.

Thanks Alex. Pastels are a very different medium than I am used to. It's going to take a bit of work to develop the techniques needed.

yusufcam

08-04-2011, 12:06 PM

is it feasible to try lunar sketching with an unguided scope?

i remember some time ago reading an article (or seeing a documentary, cant recall which) about one of the early popular astronomy sketchers (this was back when they they thought there were cities on mars) who mainly did planetary/moon work.

And his sketches were a type of stylised artform more than accurate representations, sort of art deco versions of what they could see back then.

very interesting visually.

i have the phillips moon observing book and the sketches in it remind me of the ones in that program, in that they look more like art (maybe its a feature of lunar sketching?). In the section on sketching that it has it recommends that one start sketching moon photography first and build up some skills, then move to the eyepiece.

So thinking about taking a dip at a doodle, looks like it could be fun (and a bit cheaper than a$$$trophotog&%#!hy? for us newbies)

regards
Colin

mental4astro

08-04-2011, 12:37 PM

Hi Colin,

Unguided, done over 45minutes with an 8" f/4 dob at 29X, with white charcoal pencil, white chinagraph and Lumograph B8 pencil on black paper.

Very much doable, :thumbsup:.

If you use higher magnification, wide-field eyepieces help as the drift time through the FOV is longer.

yusufcam

08-04-2011, 01:27 PM

thanks kindly for that information.

will still start from some photos, to get a feel for it and then move to the scope if all proceeds according to plan.

hee, hee, (i'm excited)

michaellxv

16-04-2011, 12:34 AM

Vallis Schroter caught my eye tonight. Looks like a long snake along the base of a slightly hilly area. It was brightly lit as the sunrise reaches inside. Nearby craters are Herodotus and Aristarchus.

mental4astro

16-04-2011, 06:44 AM

This forum has been a little lean the last few weeks. I've been hearing its hunger pain grumbles, :lol:.

Well, Michael, finally some FOOD!

I particularly like your use of colour. The brown lends a very nice element of life. Something I should explore a little more.

The rendering is brilliant. You've managed to make those craters leap out of the page with the well detailed highlights and the careful, sharp shading. And the central peaks - cool, :cool2:. And the creaping Valley, not an easy feat to attempt at such magnification (300X ?).

Very, very nice mate.

Edit: I keep coming back to the image! There is something really captivating about your sketch. Colour? Shading of highlights? The shadows? All of it?!

yusufcam

16-04-2011, 07:45 AM

did one a couple of nights ago, the seeing was excellent and i discovered a great eyepiece/barlow combination that night.

unfortunately it ended up magnifying the difference between the drawing and what you could see at the eyepiece too much to feel happy about the outcome

trick is, i suspect, to figure out how to gloss over the nitty gritty details in a way that looks good.

in the lunar observational drawings i've seen thus far they appear to do it with a shading technique.

(back to the drawing board)..

mental4astro

16-04-2011, 08:36 AM

Yusuf, mate, post the sketch! Where you may see a flaw with it, you may be surprised by the comments. You may then do some 'corrections' as needed and then repost the sketch. We ALL learn that way!

There is no right or wrong here! We are all learning!

michaellxv

16-04-2011, 06:10 PM

I'll second that. There is so much I don't like about my sketch but it is what it is. We are all learning and experimenting and hopefully improving.

The real reason I enjoy sketching is because it makes me look longer and more closer and the subject. My recent sketch was about 45min going between EP and sketch. If I was just viewing I would probably only look for 5min tops.

It's easy to get caught up trying to put all the detail you can see into a sketch. If I am doing a small area like a single crater I will go for detail, but when sketching a wider view I go for a more general lay of the land look.

yusufcam

16-04-2011, 11:54 PM

raining tonight...

you guys got me going anyway

have a great book of planetary photos so i did one out of that in the interim.

the following are three craters in the top right quadrant of
south eastern side of the reverse side of the moon (from nasa photos)

its interesting if you haven't seen the other side, its heavily cratered as the earths gravity caused all the lava flows (oceans) to come out on the side facing us.

getting there....

michaellxv

17-04-2011, 12:43 AM

Excellent sketch, you've got nice shading there and it definately looks like it belongs on the moon.

mental4astro

17-04-2011, 09:19 PM

Good stuff Yusuf.

One thing about the Moon, there is no pussy footing with the contrast. Black and White, with just a little grey. Go in, boots and all, like this!

Paddy

18-04-2011, 02:43 PM

Nice Sketch Colin. And a great idea to use some photos when viewing is unavailable.

mental4astro

24-04-2011, 07:56 PM

Anyone keen to have a go tonight, it being a public holiday on Tuesday?

Any suggested target on the Moon, or a go at the whole thing?

---

Edit: how about the crater Eratosthenes? It's bound by Mare Imbrium & Sinus Aestuum, and has an ismuth of a mountain range connecting it to the mountains of Montes Apenninus.

Seems to make for a striking set of contarst between light and dark.

I'll set my alarm clock for 3am.

michaellxv

25-04-2011, 05:09 AM

Here you go Alex. Lucky I had a snooze for about an hour while I was out otherwise I couldn't have stayed up to do this. :zzz2:
It's a nice clear night so once I got setup I had a quick look around before turning to the moon, this also gave it a chance to get a bit higher.:stargaze:

Eratosthenes
A nice round crater, the innner wall steps down all around. Appears to have 3 central peaks in this illumination. Outer wall slopes evenly down to surrounding area except where the Apenninus range wraps around the crater.

I went back to pencil on white paper for this one, a bit of touch up once I got inside to the light.
I might try to redo it in pastel on black for comparison.

mental4astro

26-04-2011, 08:28 AM

Nice one Michael. Images of this crater certainly make it look truely spectacular. I didn't know it had three central peaks. Must have been a stiking view.

I'm glad someone is having scope time. The sky was clear when I made the suggestion, but "Mare Pluvia" (http://www.translation-guide.com/free_online_translators.php?from=En glish&to=Latin) spontaneously appeared here moments after I posted the suggestion, :sadeyes: :lol:. Looks like it might even kill this coming New Moon too, :sad:.

Paddy

27-04-2011, 08:55 AM

Very nice sketch Michael.

yusufcam

03-05-2011, 12:32 PM

nice!!

for me the trick is (like you've managed), to not get bogged down in the details, for lunar sketching to work.

otherwise...

if this clear sky drought keeps up much longer, gonna have to start looking at how radio telescopes work :rolleyes:

mental4astro

12-05-2011, 12:04 AM

Hi all,

The way things are on the East Coast, any time there are no clouds is a good time with a scope. Only thing is the temp. outside read 8 degrees, and with the blasted westerly wind, it felt more like 4.

This is my first sketch using my Orange Tube C8. She is such an easy scope to use. No bells or whistles, just a basic clock drive. It's all I need.

I had a bit of a race on to do this sketch. Tops I had an hour before the Moon went behind the neighbour's palm tree. Just managed it as the fronds began to be visible, swaying in the wind through the scope. It is a little rushed, but it seems to have a bit of movement, much like the quality of the image through the scope tonight, :lol:.

Object: 1'st quarter Moon
Scope: Orange tube C8
Gear: GSO Superview 30mm, 67X
Date: 11th May, 2011
Location: Sydney
Conditions: Windy & FREEZING
Media: White and black charcoal pencils, white chinagraph, graphite pencil, on A4 black paper

Mental.

Paddy

12-05-2011, 11:18 AM

Beautiful sketch Alex. Love the texture!

yusufcam

12-05-2011, 11:51 AM

yes agreed, great sketch, really getting that technique down...

couldn't agree more about the weather as well

nyaaah!! its cold

mental4astro

12-05-2011, 07:51 PM

Thanks Colin & Paddy,

Being in a hurry to get the thing done before the Moon hid as a bit of a thrill.

How about a target for this Saturday night?

If I'm not mistaken, the terminator will be cutting right over the giant ray crater Copernicus. It should make for a very darmatic setting.

Any one keen?

michaellxv

12-05-2011, 09:34 PM

Fantastic sketch Alex. Whatever you're doing it's working.

yusufcam

13-05-2011, 10:38 AM

if its out in the open, i'd like to give it go...

good idea

mental4astro

15-05-2011, 08:49 AM

Well, I got the position of the terminator all wrong, :lol:, meaning that the shadows across Copernicus not as prominent as I had hoped, :rolleyes:.

I wasn't too enthused with this prospect, and viewing the crater through my scope showed it a little flat, and I had to use stacked polarising filters to tone down the glare. I contemplated sketching something else too, and stuffed around for an hour before deciding "what the heck, just do it".

So here it is. Two hours worth, and a pot full of tea to keep the cold at bay. I was so impressed to make out the patterns of the ejecta radiating out, in some cases, the surrounding lunar scape had 'shadows' behind it where the feature had blocked the ejecta.

Conditions were pretty good too. While the image quality did come and go at 222X, it was very stable though, more good than poor for once, :D.

Object: crater Copernicus
Scope: C8
Gear: 9mm TMB Planetary Type II, 222X, two polarising filters
Date: 14th May 2011
Location: Sydney
Conditions: fair
Media: White & black charcoal pencils, grey soft pastel & white ink on black paper, A5 size.

morls

15-05-2011, 09:17 AM

Great sketch Alex, I really like it. The last one you posted and this have great detail and you really capture the light beautifully. You must be building up a great collection of sketches.

Paddy

15-05-2011, 03:24 PM

:jawdrop:
Absolutely stunning Alex. I am in awe. This must be an ASOD. Maybe it's sketch of the year. I am lost for words.

michaellxv

15-05-2011, 09:48 PM

Fantastic sketch Alex. The fineness of the detail you are rendering is fabulous. It just looks so real, not like a sketch at all.

It may not have been the exact illumination you had hoped for but you have captured the prevailing conditions extremely well.

P.S.
nothing from me last night due to cloud

yusufcam

21-05-2011, 09:13 AM

nice one mate

i ended up gaving it a miss. having balked at the fact it has no clearly defined edges to tackle with my rudimentary drawing skills

mental4astro

21-06-2011, 08:52 PM

Been a pretty rotten time of things lately, :sadeyes: . If you believe the Weather Man, this weekend should be a good one, if a little cold. Anyone like to brave the elements with a Lunar target? How about the crater complex Aristarchus & Herodotus, along with the extensive valley Schroteri. One item or the whole lot.

Will mean setting my alarm clock, but this phase of the Moon needs some attention.

Not done a Lunar sketch before? Just have a go. It's more the experience of giving it a shot. Should you be not too pleased with your first effort, I'm sure the second will be much, much better as the experience of the first will feed the second.

Cheers,

Alex.

pgc hunter

22-06-2011, 03:24 PM

Another damn fine sketch Alex. 2 Hours :eek: big respect!

mental4astro

10-07-2011, 01:40 AM

Tonight was cold, breezy and far from ideal seeing conditions, but I did get a sketch done. Seeing came and went, but went really pear-shaped by the end.

This is a rather large area of the Moon. The central features are the crater Eratosthenes and the Apennine Mountains. The large crater on the bottom right is Archimedes, and the smaller one below it closer to the terminator is Timocharis. The top half includes the craters Gambart B & C, Schroter, Mosting & Sommering.

This was another take on using pastels and charcoal pencils. I tried to add some drama to the sketch with the angled terminator. It was a dramatic view through the scope, and hopefully this 'tilted' sketch helps evoke some of that drama. Two hours' work.

Object: Lunar craters and mountian range
Scope: C5, f/10 SCT
Gear: GSO Superview 15mm + 2X barlow, 167X
Date: 9th July, 2011
Location: Sydney, Australia
Media: Soft pastel, white & black charcoal & white ink on A5 size black paper

Ric

10-07-2011, 02:20 AM

That's awesome Alex

Excellent work.

orestis

10-07-2011, 08:30 AM

:eyepop:Alex,Amazing.

It looks awesome,great work and 2 hours at the EP in the freezing cold,WOW.

Thanks
Orestis:)

mental4astro

10-07-2011, 09:51 AM

Thanks Ric & Orestis.

I also shouldn't forget my sketching buddy for last night, Peter (aka hickny). Having a mate there made the cold a bit more tolerable. Peter knocked out a few beautiful sketches too.

hickny

10-07-2011, 11:26 AM

This is my first Moon sketch (and second astro sketch ever) under the guidance of Mental4Astro.
The Straight Wall Escarpment. It looked interesting and not as dramatic as some of the other features on view last night. I was amazed at how good an afocal image taken on my smartphone through a 30mm eyepiece turned out.
It was cold but it was fun all the same.
My first astronomy sketch ever was of the Jewel Box also done last night.
Its attached also.
Thanks Alex for the guidance.

Paddy

10-07-2011, 04:14 PM

What brilliant sketches, Alex and Peter. I am pretty used to Alex producing such amazing work, but your sketch of the moon as a first astronomy sketch, Peter, extraordinary.

:bowdown: to you both.

mental4astro

06-08-2011, 11:04 PM

I guess I was overly optimistic that the weather man got the forecast wrong whent the early evening cleared up. So, I pulled out the C8, and wouldn't you know it, no sooner am I ready to put pencil to paper, freaking clouds appear!

Only managed 30 minutes at the eyepiece. Damned shame as atmospheric conditions were the finest I've seen for quite some time. The crater Hipparchus barely showed any image shimmer at 222X.

Anyway, I thought I'd still post this sketch. Shows some of the way I work too, showing some reference markings, and a little criptic note to help me identify the crater on a chart later on.

Such a shame I couldn't get this finished. I don't get to see such stable conditions often.

michaellxv

07-08-2011, 02:03 AM

Pity about the interuption. What you have is very good though.

Paddy

10-08-2011, 09:03 AM

To be able to produce a sketch like that at all, let alone in 30 minutes. Green!

mental4astro

15-08-2011, 09:35 PM

Hi again,

Well, I did manage a session a couple of nights later. Seeing was pretty good too, with the finest of riles visible. Beautiful stuff, and with a 30 year old scope. She doesn't make me coffee, but she does satisfy, :whistle:.

The seeing was just so good, I got a bit carried away with the range of the sketch. Plato and some if its surroundings would have been enough, but I couldn't resist following the Terminator down to the north pole and a little down the limb. It was a bit much in the end, and had had enough by then.

Seeing the Alpine Valley so clearly was a must include too. An interesting exercise to achieve the necessary effects too. White on white is always a challenge.

Not my best, but some elements I do like.

Object: Crater Plato through to North Pole, 2 1/2 hours
Scope: C8
Gear: 9mm TMB Type II, 222X
Date: 8th August, 2011
Location: Sydney
Media: White & grey pastel, black charcoal and white ink on A5 size black paper.

Paddy

17-08-2011, 09:20 AM

Another stunner Alex.

pgc hunter

17-08-2011, 10:08 PM

Yes, a stunner indeed. That's a work of art mate, you're truly gifted in this department ;)

michaellxv

17-08-2011, 11:27 PM

Awsome. I think your nearly ready to attempt the full disc :poke:

mental4astro

05-10-2011, 12:45 AM

Hello everyone,

Tonight was the first chance I’ve had to use a scope productively for some two months. Sky was crystal clear, and a beautiful first quarter Moon was beckoning.

After a little amming and ahhing on what to select to sketch, I chanced upon a feature that resembled the famous ‘Lunar X’. This was a feature I’ve been dying to not only see but to have a crack at sketching as it is a short lived feature of some three hours before it is rendered unrecognisable by the rising sun over the lunar surface. This feature looked oddly “squashed” from the pictures I had seen of it, but just took it for the way it was.

As I started finishing of the sketch with just outlines of surrounding craters, ANOTHER Lunar X appeared! I grabbed my lunar map and noted the surrounding craters to these two features to help me identify between the Real McCoy & the imposter.

As it turns out the imposter is the feature I originally deemed as the true Lunar X, with the real one a lucky chance find.

The first picture is of the plain sketch. The second has the respective “X”s and surrounding craters noted.

Alex.

Object: “2 Lunar ‘X’s”
Scope: Celestron C8
Gear: 9mm TMB Type II Planetary EP, 222X
Date: 4th October 2011
Location: Sydney, Australia
Media: White and black charcoal on A5 size black paper.

michaellxv

05-10-2011, 11:10 AM

Great sketch Alex, the detail in the main part of your sketch around Stofler is excellent. The technique you are using results in a very realistic 3D effect.

I caught the Lunar X by chance last year, it is a very striking feature. For reference here is an APOD (http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090311.html) which covers the Lunar X and also shows your imposter in the image.

Paddy

06-10-2011, 12:12 PM

Who needs a telescope to look at the moon when we've got your sketches Alex. As always a stunning rendition!

pgc hunter

06-10-2011, 03:47 PM

Very nice!

Ric

07-10-2011, 12:21 PM

Lovely work Alex, they are so realistic.

I can only admire your talents.

michaellxv

07-12-2011, 08:33 AM

Anyone who wants to know where the bar is set for lunar sketching should take a look at today's LPOD (http://lpod.wikispaces.com/December+6%2C+2011)

Paddy

07-12-2011, 11:19 AM

:eyepop:

mental4astro

09-12-2011, 09:21 AM

Ahh, the days when there was no TV & no internet! Time was all there was, and the luxury that went with it to hone skills. Real treasures of a time long ago.

I wonder though, would they have cussed and carried on like we do if seeing was poor? :question: :lol:

mental4astro

13-12-2011, 03:34 PM

Hi all,

On the 3'rd of December, a few of us mad dogs went up to Katoomba Airfield for a bit of a session. I managed to get one sketch done of the Moon with seeing conditions being really quite good that night. I used my little C5 this time, and I was amazed at the level of resolution that was possible that night.

I had my first go at the prominent trio during this phase of Ptolemaeus, Alphonsus & Arzchel. This trio lies very close to the terminator and almost dead centre of the Moon.

I was astounded at the amount of detail that could be seen. So many tiny craters within the three, and the highly textured crater walls.

The sketch took longer than normal, 2hrs this time, as there were a lot of folks up at the Airfield that night, so some time was dedicated to showing fellow astro-nuts what I was sketching and the view through the EP. A very pleasent evening actually, :).

Object: craters Ptolemaues, Alphonsus and Arzachel
Scope: Celestron C5, 5" SCT
Gear: 6mm TMB Planetary Type II, 208X
Date: 3rd December, 2011
Location: Katoomba Airfield, NSW, Oz, approx 1015m elevation
Media: White pastel & black charcoal on A5 size paper.

mozzie

13-12-2011, 09:00 PM

well done alex !!! an absolute cracker of a sketch..the detail is amazing...

i was going to sketch the eclipse but cloud cleared as it was finishing totality so i just enjoyed the view...

Paddy

14-12-2011, 04:02 PM

Another astonishing sketch Alex. Superb.

mental4astro

18-01-2012, 03:28 PM

Hooray! A sketch, the first for the year!! :cool:

Not without drama though. Got up at 2am, went outside and clear. Got the tripod out to set up, damned clouded over in just 2 minutes I was back inside, :mad2:. Looked again an hour later, and would you believe it, crystal clear! Better than earlier. I did still end up playing "spot the gap in the clouds", but I got a sketch done.

Copernicus eastern rim was right on the terminator this morning as the sun sets on it. I was amazed at the level of terracing that could be seen in the its eastern internal walls. The northern boundary of its ray system showed a capilary network of fine ridges and cravases that were revealed by the shallow angle of the incident light. And a dazzaling amount of tiny, tiny craters that pot mark the entire Moonscape. I was also surprised to see that the internal walls of the crater Reinhold (the crater in the top left of the sketch) was also very terraced.

The amount of detail on offer had me feel like I was in a bottle and being rattled around - so much of it! I loved it.

I hope you enjoy it too.

Object: Crater Copernicus
Scope: Celestron C5, 5" SCT
Gear: 6mm TMB type II, 208X
Date: 17th Jan. 2012
Location: Sydney, Oz.
Media: White pastel and charcoal pencils on A5 size black paper
Time: about 1hr

mozzie

18-01-2012, 07:42 PM

wow alex!!!!!! fantastic sketch good to see you've had time at the scope.......
the patience you must have to get that detail amazing...........

Paddy

21-01-2012, 01:49 PM

Mind bogglingly brilliant as usual Alex. Just brilliant.

Ric

22-01-2012, 08:40 AM

Lovely work Alex.

That one has a 3D feel to it.

mental4astro

12-02-2012, 09:45 PM

Many thanks for the comments lads.

I've managed to pinch another couple of sketches over the last couple of weeks. The first is of one of the brightest features on the Moon, the screaming bright crater Aristarchus.

Just inside of the terminator, Aristarchus' western internal wall is an incredibly bright feature. Very textured too that needs careful inspection to make out as the brilliance of the illumination can cause the many fine details to be washed out.

The evening was particularly good. So many lacey rimae, or fissures, were traceable all around Aristarchus. Atlas's collectively call the cluster of fissures to the south Rimae Aristarchus (Rima being the singular).

Just to the west is the crater Herodtus which has just crept inside of the terminator. Flowing from the north of Herodtus is the extraodinary scar of Vallis Schröteri. This meandering fissure has an almost riverbed look to it. The illumination of the valley's wall switching sides as the meander changes direction. The width of the valley also varies.

This was an enjoyable sketch to do. Stable conditions made following details easy, and the network of fissures was a good challenge.

Object: Craters Aristarchus & Herodtus and Schröteri's Valley
Scope: Celestron C5, 5" SCT
Gear: Hyperion 5mm, 250X
Date: 4th Feb. 2012
Location: Sydney, Oz
Media: Charcoal, pastel & white ink on A5 size black paper
Time: 2hrs

pgc hunter

12-02-2012, 10:58 PM

Alex, I am speechless. Absolutely spectacular work!

Paddy

14-02-2012, 09:23 PM

I wouldn't have thought it possible for your previous lunar sketches to be improved upon. But I think you have. Extraordinary!

mental4astro

11-03-2012, 10:15 PM

Leeeaaaan pickings this year. No news this. Enough to drive a person to the unimaginable, the full Moon! :tasdevil:

Well, I'll claim some semblance of sanity with a sketch of a 98% illuminated Moon, :rolleyes: .

That's what it was a couple of nights ago, and there were two particular features that persuaded me to sketch the Moon at this phase. One was the irregular circumferance produced by the profile of the craters, mountians and depressions along the entire limb of the Moon. The other was the thin cresent of the terminator.

I did hesitate as I had no idea how long this sketch would take. But a clear night and the whole weekend to recover, I just went for it. Some two hours later and I was done and ready to turn in.

Object: 98% illuminated Moon
Scope: C8, 8" SCT
Gear: 35mm Masuyama, 57X, 2 piggybacked polarising filters
Date: 9th March 2012
Location: Sydney, Oz
Materials: Pastels and charcoal on A4 size black paper
Time: 2hrs.

pgc hunter

17-03-2012, 12:50 PM

lookin' good Alex :thumbsup:

Paddy

22-03-2012, 10:26 PM

Another beautiful rendition Alex.

lepton3

14-04-2012, 10:05 PM

My first serious sketch since I was a 9 yr old with a 60mm Tasco. Hopefully the first of many.

Not game to sketch "live" yet, this was done from a photo I took on March 31st with my C11. I'd like to get all sophisticated with technique and media in the future, but as a gentle re-introduction, this one was just a 2B pencil on watercolour paper.

Of course I started with my favourite region, Plato and Vallis Alpes.

-Ivan

mozzie

14-04-2012, 10:12 PM

wow ivan,
nice sketch especially for your first moon attempt your detail and shadow casting is spot on...well done!!!!
iv'e not attempted the moon as yet working up to it....

mozzie

14-04-2012, 10:13 PM

how long did it take ??

lepton3

14-04-2012, 10:31 PM

Thanks Mozzie, I'm trying to concentrate on getting the shadows realistic. I've got some charcoal pencils to try next.

Took about 2 hrs.

-Ivan

Paddy

20-04-2012, 09:36 AM

Very nice sketch Ivan.

mental4astro

20-04-2012, 10:06 AM

Hey Ivan,

Still got that sketch from when you were 9?

Mate, good sketch. Good idea to work from a photo to get the juices running. No time pressures, comfortable, and no dew. You can practice with different media and techniques that way too. I do it myself.

2B is a good pencil to start with. Try even softer grades, and even Chinagraph style pencils. These in particular are just BLACK, not the metallic grey of graphite. No sheen either. Bit of learning with them as they are less forgiving than graphite, but you won't look at graphite pencil in the same way once you've used these babies with the Moon.

Charcoal is also very good. More technique sensitive, but even more forgiving than graphite. Charcoal comes in black and white. White pastel pencils are probably a better pencil than the white charcoal. You can use these with a blending stump to blend out the tooth of the paper if you like to work with its texture to your advantage.

Mental.

lacad01

20-04-2012, 02:19 PM

I've only just discovered this thread :ashamed: and the sketches are fantastic, great work guys. Will be checking here more often :thumbsup:

lepton3

20-04-2012, 06:15 PM

Thank you Paddy, it's nice to get encouragement when you sort of "put yourself out there".

Thanks for the tips Alexander. I don't still have those old sketches (there were some watercolours too), but never mind. I'll be keeping these, hopefully to track progress.

This was the first time I have used a blending stump, and I think it is a technique I will seek to improve with.

I'm going to try charcoal pencils next. I have three hardnesses. I'm already considering my next target. Maybe a close up of Petavius, if I can get an image with the lighting right? It's pretty close to the limb.

-Ivan

lepton3

29-04-2012, 10:06 PM

This is my first attempt at sketching with charcoal pencils. It's very different from graphite pencil, so there's a lot of technique for me to learn. A lot more messy, but I like the way it can be smudged for background, and the black is just so much blacker than graphite.

This is Rima Ariadaeus at the top, with Agrippa the large crater to the lower left and Ritter on the middle far right. I sketched from an image I took last night with my C6 SCT.

The sketch took about 2 1/2 hours to complete. I only used the "hard" and "soft" pencils. So far I'm enjoying my "quiet time" sketching. This may become a Sunday evening routine.

-Ivan

mental4astro

01-05-2012, 10:03 PM

Groovy, Ivan. A lot happening there. Lovely details you've got.

Yep, charcoal is a very different beast. What I enjoy too is you don't need to totally smudge/blend the texture out, rather you can use the paper's texture to your advantage to give the sketch some lift.

You can also use a fixative to help control the "messiness". Hairspray is all that's needed, and far cheaper than the stuff sold in art stores. Much the same thing too. You need to learn how to spray it on too. Too much at once and you can lose a lot of your detail. You can spray as you go too if you like, but you'll need to let the thing dry for a couple of moments or you'll find the surface sticky.

No need to forget your graphite either. A good hard one like H6 is great for laying down faint outlines as you start to compose your sketch.

Poita

02-05-2012, 09:02 AM

Nice work Ivan, I've been rigorously doing my hand exercises and hope to return to sketching soon, I know what you mean about the nervousness of putting your sketches out in the public eye, especially when there is such great work here. I don't think you have any worries though, they look great. Have a very 1950s feel to them for some reason, I like how bold they are.

Maybe the thread title should be changed, I keep thinking it is an invitation to an event, rather than a thread of Sketches of the moon.

mental4astro

04-05-2012, 12:32 AM

Thought I’d share this latest lunar sketch of mine. It was done a few weeks ago of the striking feature The Straight Wall.

I’ve seen this feature countless times since I pointed my first telescope at the Moon some 30 years ago. The Wall seems to be in a relatively featureless section of the Moon as it sits in Mare Nubium. This time, however, I noticed a few details that made me exclaim “WOW” all over again with the Wall. The orientation this time in the eyepiece saw its southern end at the top of my field of view. This end of the escarpment has a small mountain complex that makes it look like the handle and guard of a dagger, with the Wall as the blade.

Seeing wasn’t the best, but I also managed to spy out a tiny crater at the northern end of the Wall. Some research on it leads me to believe it is between 3 and 4km in diameter. Always astounds me to believe that such a tiny feature in the eyepiece is actually so big on the Moon. Much smaller features are visible, but conditions need to be better. Best I’ve been able to identify is in the half kilometre mark as the width of various rilles. One of those, despite the prevailing conditions, I did manage to see right next to the Wall, siting just west of it, Rima Birt. The crater Birt is the largish crater just west of the “blade’s” centre, and the rille heads north from it.

In the full sketch image the Rima Birt is difficult to see, which is why I added a close up photo of the sketch. Surprises me how neat the “tiny” gash came up! I am guessing that because Rima Birt is an extended feature that I was able to see it, while other features of the same width eluded detection.

Mare Nubium is not a featureless as I thought after all, :) !

Cheers,

Alex

Scope: Celestron C8, 8" SCT
Gear: 9mm TMB Planetary Type II, 222X
Date: 31st March, 2012
Location: Sydney, Oz
Media: White and grey pastels, black charcoal and white ink on A4 size black paper
Duration: approx. 2hrs
Circle diameter: 16cm

Screwdriverone

04-05-2012, 12:53 AM

Wow Alex,

I'm glad I stopped by for a look at this thread, those are fantastic!

I was imaging the moon tonight with my new DBK21 and these are almost picture perfect as to what I was seeing on my screen.

Excellent work indeed.

:)

lepton3

04-05-2012, 08:44 AM

Wow, a spectacular sketch Alex.

The shading of the surface is so realistic. I notice you favour white on black, is this for technical reasons, or just what you like better?

Also, I'm wondering, for the small black features, do you get this by leaving the paper blank, or do you put down white and then erase it, or do you use black charcoal?

I did a bit of a study of my next target last night, hopefully I'll get the time to do something this Sunday.

-Ivan

lepton3

04-05-2012, 08:52 AM

Thanks Alex, I was happy with that as a start, and I think I'll be continuing with the charcoal for a while.

Thanks Peter, that "pre moonshot" look is actually exactly the look and mood I'm after, so it's nice to hear you say that.

-Ivan

omegacrux

04-05-2012, 10:14 AM

Hi Alex
All I can say is impressive
a lot of people can't draw stick figures let alone something that complex

Thanks David

mental4astro

05-05-2012, 07:27 PM

Thanks gentlemen.

Ivan, I draw on black paper just because I find I get better results to my liking. Convenient too as I then need to keep the one black paper pad for my lunar & DSO sketches.

I tend to use charcoal for the black details. If I go too far with the white it is easy to just go right back over it with the black. And vice versa. I don't use an eraser at all. Have a try.

mozzie

05-05-2012, 08:47 PM

very nice alex !!!!!!!!! so realistic..the detail and shadows amaze me..

alistairsam

05-05-2012, 09:51 PM

Alex,
That's cause you're related to superman!! ;)
nice work

lepton3

07-05-2012, 04:57 PM

My latest sketch, of the Aristarchus and Vallis Scroteri region.

Aristarchus is the bright crater that dominates the top edge of this view. To the right is the crater Herodotus. Vallis Schroteri winds its way down and across from there, draining into Oceanus Procellarum.

To the left is the almost completely submerged crater Prinz.

This sketch was done from an image captured on May 3rd through a 150mm SCT. Material is charcoal on white paper. Total time was around 3 hours.

-Ivan

mental4astro

07-05-2012, 10:33 PM

Hey Ivan, nice work there. The good thing about what you are doing with sketching off an image like this is you are preping your eyes and hands for the work you will experience at the eyepiece. Learning what the media does, how to best exploit it, what works and doesn't. Your first session at the eyepiece will be less trumatic for this.

I like how your blacks are really black. Makes a real statement this way! How did you find using the charcoal? Quite a bit different from graphite, isn't it! I find it a beautiful, organic medium to use. And you don't need as much pressure applied to it to make a mark.

Paddy

14-05-2012, 09:34 PM

Very nice work indeed Ivan.

lepton3

04-06-2012, 09:58 PM

This is a sketch of the conspicuous craters Copernicus and Eratosthenes.

Copernicus is the main subject. I tried to capture the terraced crater walls and interesting central peaks. This sketch was done during a waxing moon as Copernicus was close to the terminator, and so the shadows are dramatic.

Below (to the North) is the edge of Mare Imbrium. Above is Mare Insularum and the crater Reinhold. To the left is Sinus Aestum, the "Seething Bay", and the crater Eratosthenes. The bottom edge of Montes Apenninus reaches out to Eratosthenes. Under this slanting light, the mountainous terrain appeared much brighter than the smooth mare floors.

The sketch is charcoal on white paper, and took around 3 hours to complete. I sketched from a photograph taken with a C11 at f/5 on May 30th.

-Ivan

omegacrux

04-06-2012, 10:20 PM

Nice one Ivan
I would like to draw half as good as yourself and Alexander
Thanks

David

Paddy

12-06-2012, 10:37 PM

Ripper sketch Ivan.

mental4astro

29-07-2012, 09:10 PM

Hi all,

It’s been a long while since I made a sketch of the Moon. Last night was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up – cloudless, no dew and the kids were in bed!

I spent half an hour scanning the terminator for a subject. I struggled to find an easily recognisable feature at first, and decided to look for those quirky “alphanumeric” features that to our mind resemble recognisable symbols like letters or numbers. Then a new world opened up with the change in mind set. As half chased letters started to show up, I chanced upon a fantastic freakish apparition – the face of an owl centred around the crater Mercator!

This striking resemblance is created foremost by the wing like mountains that reaches North East away from Mercator, and a vaguely similar feature reaching North West out of the neighbouring crater Campanus. Together these create the impression of the feather tufts that crest the face of the nocturnal aviator.

As the sketch developed and expanded, I came across so many unexpected features. My very first dome, Capuanus 2, in the crater Capuanus (top right of sketch), and the 309km long rile Rima Heiodus that punches through mountains from Palus Epidemiarum through into Mare Nubium. And then the last feature I included in the sketch was the crater Konig, named after the Austrian amateur astronomer whose Konig eyepiece design is one of my favourites (very bottom crater).

I showed my wife the sketch the next morning, and she too exclaimed the uncanny stylised resemblance to the owl! Confirmation to me that I’m not completely off my tree, :P.

Alex.

Object: Mercator’s owl
Scope: C8, 8” SCT
Gear: 5mm Hyperion, 400X
Date: 28th July 2012
Location: Sydney, Australia.
Media: Soft pastel, charcoal and white ink on A5 size black paper.

Tinderboxsky

30-07-2012, 06:50 PM

Alexander,

Like your sketch. I showed my wife, who just adores owls, and she saw and enjoyed your interpretation.
Your images are inspiring me to give sketching a go!

Thanks

Steve

lepton3

01-08-2012, 06:18 PM

Alex,

Fabulous sketch. I particularly like sketches at the terminator, they have bold shadows which really add dramatic effect, and your sketch really captures that.

-Ivan

Paddy

05-08-2012, 08:14 PM

Another magnificent sketch Alex!

mental4astro

08-08-2012, 01:44 PM

Thank you gentlemen.

I've had a bit of a run on Moon sketches. I managed another two this last weekend.

This one is of the region around the crater Brisbane. As it happens, the Australian link to this crater is a direct one as I've noted in the General Chat forum thread Brisbane City and crater linked (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=94368).

I chose this section to sketch for the striking wedge shaped cluster of craters close to the terminator one day after the full Moon. This was the first time I chased down something to sketch at this phase of the Moon, and I was surprised to see so much was on offer to observe and sketch.

Object: Brisbane crater et al.
Scope: C8, 8" SCT
Gear: 9mm TMB Planetary Type II, 222X
Date: 3rd August, 2012
Location: Sydney, Oz.
Media: Soft pastel, charcoal, white ink and white china graph on A5 size black paper

Mental

08-08-2012, 09:32 PM

I'll reply here so I don't repeat the post twice.
Just showed this to my wife and family, again we're in awe, at first they thought it was a photo from a distance.....

Amazing drawing Alex.

Regards
Andrew

Paddy

10-08-2012, 10:08 PM

Your brilliant sketches never cease to amaze me Alex. Superb. Ineffable even.

:bowdown:

mental4astro

11-08-2012, 09:26 AM

Thanks Andrew & Paddy.

This is the second sketch I managed last weekend. The phase was the day after the Brisbane crater sketch, three days after full Moon. With no particular target in mind, after half an hour of scanning the terminator, evaluating this and that, I settled on this striking crater, Petavius.

It remined me a lot of Copernicus with its teraced walls, stunning central peaks, and detailed floor. But Petavius is also very different to Copernicus. The ray system is highly erroded from a more concentrated subsequent impacts, and the remant ray system to its south is very, very jagged. Might just be an illusion though due to the position of Petavius close to the Moon's limb, and Coperincus more central. But the effect is of a very nasty Moonscape.

Petavius also has an impressive rile running through its floor. Probably from fracturing of the surface - Petavius is a very ancient crater.

Being situated in a highly cratered section of the Moon, the surrounds of Petavius is complex, textured and tortured. There are very fresh impacts, and highly erroded ones. One such near obliterated crater sits just to the south (right) of the crater Snellius. There are three craters that trace a short arc around Snellius. The top one is the most erroded, with only a soft shadow of the depression remaining due to the innumerable smaller impacts. The crater just below this "shadow" is also highly erroded, but to a lesser extent, but also on its way to oblivion. And the third (S. A) I've just included its sharp illuminated eastern wall. The trio made for an impressive example of lunar errosion.

Snellius also has a rile running through its floor. Finer than that of Petavius.

I learnt a lot from this sketch. The time taken to observe each little section allows for a much more concentrated examination of the lunar surface. The erroded trio was one such little treasure of me. Another was a more technical one where I found a way to depict the variations of illumination by fixing the finished sketch, and then the application of the white ink has less bleed into it from the pastel and charcoal, making it even brighter.

Object: crater Petavius and surrounds
Scope: C8, 8" SCT
Gear: 9mm TMB Planetary Type II, 222X
Date: 4th August, 2012
Location: Sydney, Oz
Media: Soft pastel, charcoal, white ink and china graph on black paper

mental4astro

27-08-2012, 09:02 PM

Hello all,

A sad time has befallen our hobby with the passing of Neil Armstrong. I never imagined as a little boy that I would be writing a tribute to him. And these words are not easy either.

Last Saturday night I managed a session with a good mate, both of us sketching the Moon. We never could have imagined what was happening on the other side of the world at the same time. What had been a very productive and happy time turned into a sorrowful one in a few short hours.

From my last sketch, I was determined to focus on the area around either one of the poles. Whatever took my fancy would become my subject. The spectacular crater Moretus caught my eye, and two hours later the sketch below appeared.

What most impressed me was the shadow flooded crater floor with its brilliantly white, massive and tall central peak surrounded by the silent blackness. Careful inspection showed a terraced internal crater wall, highly textured and fractured, as well as very crated too.

The whole scene was very dramatic with the foreshortened lunarscape, long, long shadows, and an impressively long leading edge of singularly illuminated peaks far beyond the terminator proper. By the time the main body of the sketch was done, I just couldn’t finish it without adding the position of the south pole and an extension of the south east limb with the irregular ‘horizon’ of the Moon.

This sketch will forever be a “remember where you were when…?” occasion with the passing of Neil Armstrong.

Neil, every time I look through a telescope, I become an astronaut too…

The world has lost a true hero. Humble, graceful, peaceful.

Alex.

Object: Crater Moretus to South Pole
Gear: C8, 8” SCT
Gear: 9mm TMB Type II Planetary, 222X
Date: 25th August, 2012
Location: Sydney, Australia
Media: Soft pastel, charcoal, white ink and china graph on A5 size black paper

PS, I've added a photo of the whole sheet the sketch is on.

hickny

28-08-2012, 06:08 PM

This drawing done on Saturday 25th August shows a chain of three prominent craters: Ptolomaeus, Arzachel and Alphonsus. Arzachel is the topmost and (with a diameter of 100 km) smallest of the craters in the above image, Alphonsus is the middle one having a diameter of 121 km. With 158 km, the crater Ptolomaeus is the biggest of the craters visible in this drawing.
Soft pastel and charcoal on black paper.
Alex gave me a lesson prior to attempting the drawing. I wasn't too fussed about my effort until I saw it in daylight and now I'm quite impressed with myself.
Thanks Alex for you patience and guidance.
I found the details about the lunar location at at...
http://scholtes.syssoft.uni-trier.de/astro-photography/moon/ptolomaeus,-arzachel-and-alphonsus.aspx

Paddy

28-08-2012, 09:35 PM

My goodness Peter, I'd be well impressed too. Fantastic sketch - you have learned well from the master!

lepton3

07-12-2012, 11:08 PM

My most recent sketch of the moon made "Astronomy Sketch of the Day"!

http://www.asod.info/?p=8693

Pretty pleased, this is my second ASOD.

-Ivan

mental4astro

08-12-2012, 08:42 AM

Awesome stuff Ivan! And congratulations on the ASOD!

Lovely sketch mate. You've conveyed a sense of depth and vitality to the crater.

Very well done. The media you used also presents its own challenges that you've handled very well

Mental.

lepton3

08-12-2012, 09:22 AM

Thanks Alex. I'm liking the charcoal for bold shadows.

-Ivan

michaellxv

08-12-2012, 12:20 PM

Very impressive Ivan, it has a real natural look to it.

lepton3

08-12-2012, 01:10 PM

Thanks Michael.

Paddy

08-12-2012, 09:24 PM

Ripper sketch Ivan and congratulations.

lepton3

08-12-2012, 10:15 PM

Thanks Patrick.

-Ivan

mental4astro

21-02-2013, 08:31 PM

Here’s my first lunar sketch since August last year.

This particular sketch has been most rewarding. Not only was a seemingly “featureless” lunarscape most detailed, but the subsequent research I did on this area opened my eyes to lunar geography that I was totally ignorant of. A most enlightening last couple of days it’s been.

One feature I hadn’t sketched before was a submerged crater. Stadius is a very ancient crater that has been flooded by lava, either that poured over from the surrounding Mare, or had been filled from below. Either way, its floor is level with the surrounding plain and the central peak covered.

Erastosthenes makes for a striking ‘full stop’ to the western spur of the Apenninus mountain range. The spur and crater are surrounded by flooded Mare which at first appear to be featureless. Yet these plains a pot marked with tiny craters and the flood plains are laced with subtle colour variation of light and dark, giving an insight to the mix of flows and compositions.

A surprising feature for me though was a wavy chain of craters that lies between these two craters and a little further west. When I started to research this chain, I came to find that it is actually a line of secondary impacts created from the ejecta from the impact formation of the crater Copernicus! This line of craters was the last feature that I sketched last, but conditions had deteriorated that prevented detailed examination.

This was a very satisfying sketch. From not initially seeing much detail or features turned into a great sketching exercise and a fascinating research project.

I hope you enjoy this sketch too.

Alex.

Object: Craters Erastosthenes, Stadius and western spur of Montes Apenninus
Scope: C8, 8” SCT
Gear: 5mm Hyperion, 400X
Date: 18th February 2013
Location: Sydney, Oz
Media: Soft pastel, charcoal and white ink on A5 size black paper.

Jen

21-02-2013, 10:17 PM

Wow that looks fantastic I used to draw all the time when I was younger and I'm thinking of giving this a go myself I love it :D thanks for sharing :thumbsup:

Paddy

25-02-2013, 10:14 PM

Magnificent sketch Alex! I'm always amazed at what you produce.

mental4astro

21-03-2013, 10:58 PM

Thanks Jen and Paddy. Jen, do have a go!

Since my last sketch, I've been itching to have a go again at Alphonsus. Along with its two buddies, Arzachel (to left) and Ptolemaeus (at right), this trio are a time line of Lunar history.

Ptolemaeus is the oldest. The crater floor is totally flooded, even the central peak is covered. It was fromed when the Moon was still very hot and lava readily flowed with a large impact.

Arzachel is the youngest. The crater floor is intact with no flooding, the crater walls are terraced with land slides both inside and outside of the crater.

Alphonsus sits bewteen the two in age. The crater floor is only partially flooded with the central peak still visible. The Moon has cooled since Ptolemaeus and lava flow has slowed. BUT, volcanic activity was still occuring after the flooding process had stopped. This is seen from the pyroclastic deposits that sit within Alphonsus. Four deposits lie within this crater and are marked in the labelled pic, and are seen as the darker shaded areas that are easy to see through the eyepiece.

Quite remarkable to consider that from here on Earth we can see the effects of ancient volcanism on a body that isn't Earth.

Another treasure of the night was the Celestron Ultima LX 8mm eyepiece I used. These eyepiece are much underrated, but are surprisingly good. The 8mm in particular is easy to use for extended viewing. It made the 2.5 hours much more bearable, and my eyes were not as fatigued as they have been after with other sketches that have taken less time to do. It's one of my favourite eyepieces.

Object: Pyroclastic deposits in Alphonsus
Scope: C8, 8" SCT
Gear: 8mm Celestron Ultima LX, 250X
Location: Sydney, Oz
Date: 19th March 2013
Media: Soft Pastel, charcoal and white ink on A4 size black paper
Duration: approx 2.5 hrs

omegacrux

22-03-2013, 03:00 PM

Very nice drawing
I think those Ultima's are underated
I have the 17mm a good ep

David

Larryp

22-03-2013, 05:54 PM

Wonderful sketches, Alex! Like looking at a photo:thumbsup:

brian nordstrom

22-03-2013, 07:38 PM

:eyepop: Woaw ! Alex , thats just so good mate .
Brian.

dannat

17-04-2013, 09:31 PM

couple of quick sketches - never done the moon before cos i knew it would be difficult -it was, part the luna mountain regions couldn't get them right, also used a mismatch of materials from grey oil pastel, white pastel, blk oil pencil & white conti pencil

dannat

17-04-2013, 09:33 PM

another mare serenitatis , botched causcasus mts & aristoteles & eudoxus on the left

overall bit happier with this sketch than previous one

for some reason when i upload its rotating the sketch 180deg?

omegacrux

17-04-2013, 09:42 PM

Good drawing Daniel
The second one , image not found ?
Thumbnail is there , might be my android thing
Keep posting

David

It's working now

mental4astro

22-04-2013, 03:44 AM

Hey, nice work Daniel.

The hardest thing about sketching is just getting the first one down. The second becomes pig headed determination, :lol:

You'll find your technique will continue to develop to your own style, and the materials you use too will change until you find what best works for you.

Grabbing the bull by the horns is the only difficult part. Run with it, mate.

By the way, I too find depicting mountain ranges very tricky. They are so detailed, with so many nooks and crannies, and just so much of it. It is just overwhelming the amount of detail.

Paddy

22-04-2013, 08:34 PM

Fantastic sketches Daniel! Well done.

AstroJason

23-04-2013, 09:53 PM

Been going through some of the sketches on these pages and I have to say I am blown away by the detail you guys have captured. Here is my first sketch of the moon since I was about 14 on my 4.5" Tasco Reflector.

I was looking for an interesting feature which stood out tonight and Vallis Schroteri really caught my eye along with bright Aristarchus. Was hoping to spend some time capturing more detail but the blood thirsty mozzies and clouds ended up shortening the sketch (even though just this took about 90 mins).

One thing I have remembered since my last sketch all those years ago is how much detail the moon has. At first glance you look at an area and think, yeah this will be quick and then as you get going you realise just how much detail there is!

Drawn using:
SW 10" Dob
SW 10mm superpossl
Televue 2x Barlow
2B pencil

Should probably have used a scanner rather than my phone to post the sketch.

mental4astro

20-05-2013, 11:52 PM

Hey Jason, Vallis Schroteri and crater Aristarchus are amongst my favourite features of the Moon. You've done well to lay down the detail you have, with a dob too (I'm assuming that it's a push-pull one). Aristarchus itself is one of the brightest features on the Moon too. Yeah, mozzies can be a bugger. But the good thing is winter is around the corner - no mozzies and a more settled atmosphere to really up the magnification. If you don't get frost bite first...

Sinus Iridum - Bay of Rainbows.

How they named these features, I've got no idea.

Still, being three days after first 1/4 Moon, the Northern mountains forming Sinus Iridum shone out like a beacon. A really stunning feature this enourmous mountain range, Montes Jura, that rose out of the darkness of the terminator. Very striking indeed, with the arc of disconnected beads of light reaching out of the dark.

Sinus Iridum while seemingly featureless has a wealth of Lunar history to tell. It is the result of a very, very ancient massive impact that resulted in its floor being completely flooded by lava. BUT, it is much older than the neighbouring Mare Inbrium (Sea of showers). The hint to Iridum's antiquity comes from the Wrinkle Ridges that span its width. Wrinkle Ridges are the terminator line of lava flows. These lava flow stop-lines all run somewhat concentric from their origin within Mare Inbrium. As such, the floor of Sinus Iridum lies some 600m below that of the mean height of Mare Inbrium!

Volcanism within Iridum also didn't finish with its flooding. There are at least four "domes" or volcanos within it, one of which I've captured in my sketch, in the top left quadrant of Iridum, a tiny double lobed feature which is Heraclides 4 (the volcano, 3km dia.) and Heraclides E (4km dia.) [Promontorium Heraclides is the southern spur of the Montes Jura chain that surrounds Iridum]. The four main volcanic vents within Iridum all lie to the west of the line of wrinkle ridges that flow into it. Quite a story book of history this area.

While bereft of big impact craters, long examination of the area begins to reveal a patchwork of small ray craters. These are around the 3 to 5km mark in diameter, but their ray systems extends a little further out. These ray craters are all relatively new impacts.

I hope you enjoy this sketch.

Object: Sinus Iridum & Montes Jura (North is down)
Scope: C8, 8" SCT
Gear: 8mm Celestron Ultima LX, 250X
Date: 20th May, 2013
Location: Sydney, Oz
Duration: 1hr 50min
Media: White & grey soft pastel, black charcoal and white ink on A4 size black paper.

Jen

21-05-2013, 07:19 PM

Nice I will never be able to draw these moon pics they look like photos :) very cool :thumbsup:

mental4astro

21-07-2013, 01:25 AM

At last I've been able to put pencil to paper again. Weather and work couldn't conspire this time!

While scanning the terminator for interesting features, I'm always on the look out for interesting "apparitions". These could be alphanumeric symbols, or anything that the mind recognises as a familiar shape or thing. This time, a lovely collection of rimae and craters worked to form a butterfly! As the sketch developed, I found two other items that curiously form a pine tree in silhouette and an old cross with rounded ends.

I also found the crater Vieta to be an interesting item. A striking feature of Vieta is the bottom most section of the crater floor has a very much longer shadow of the rim wall cast across it than the top section. Two things could be at play here: either the rim wall is taller than the surrounding rim (unlikely), or the crater floor has collapsed in this area allowing for the shadow to appear to extend further out (more likely). A tell-tale sign is the small fissure that sits just above the extended shadow that reaches out to the central peak.

While conditions tonight could have been better, and it was a very cold night, it was a dry evening that saw no dew form at all!!! Wonderful stuff as the previous week had seen the mornings sodden with dew.

I've included a labelled picture of tonight's sketch to show the location of the various items.

Object: A butterfly, a pine tree and an olde cross
Scope: orange tube C8, 8" SCT
Gear: 8mm Celestron Ultima LX, 250X
Date: 20th July, 2013
Location: Sydney, Oz
Media: White, grey and black soft pastel & white ink on A5 size black paper
Time: approx. 2hrs

Jen

21-07-2013, 10:08 PM

Wow Alex that's really kool :thumbsup:

bigjoe

21-07-2013, 10:38 PM

Alex. Your sketches look far better than my attempts at photographing
the Moon. Wow! Thats all I can say.:thumbsup:

mental4astro

12-10-2013, 12:53 AM

Hi all,

It's been a long time since I've been able to do a sketch. Work and the weather conspiring as usual. Tonight I took a chance. The Moon was still boiling in the eyepiece, but not as much as on other occasions, so I took the plunge. And I was richly rewarded.

As most times has it, I took some time to scan the lunar surface for eye catching features. Damned if this time it wasn't a shadow with an uncanny resemblance to our homeland, Oz!

The early morning shadow creeping across from crater Maurolycus' eastern rim bore quite a striking likeness to a map of Australia. A very busy place here, with heavy cratering making for slow and time consuming progress. As time wore on, conditions improved, and the occasions of crystal clear seeing revealed sooooo much cratering at I'd guess the sub 1km mark. This resulted in tonight's sketch being smaller than usual, or my eyes would have just fallen out of my head.

The lower part of the sketch shows an unusual outline of two overlapping craters, Faraday and Stofler. Sitting right on the terminator with just the very tips of their rims being illuminated by the Sun.

I hope you enjoy this sketch, and are also surprised by the "Australia" shadow on the Moon.

Mental.

Object: Maurolycus and "Australia" shadow
Scope: C8, 8" SCT
Gear: 8mm Celestron Ultima LX, 250X
Location: Sydney, Australia
Date: 11th Oct, 2013

Jen

13-10-2013, 01:54 AM

Looks really good Alex :)

Larryp

13-10-2013, 07:50 AM

Great sketch, Alex-you have a talent for it!

mental4astro

14-11-2013, 08:40 PM

Thank you Jen and Laurie for your kind words, :) .

There were a few excellent sketching candidates last night. Yet it was this amazing rile complex that ultimately did it for me. Ever since I saw my first rile as a little boy through my 2” Tasco, I’ve always had a soft spot for these.

I can’t say I’ve ever seen such a collection of riles. This system all seem to be co-centric – they probably are, and possibly came about as a result of the cooling of the ancient lava fields they sit in.

On first inspection, only three, short, co-centric arcs are immediately visible. As time progresses with the sketch, these same arcs can be seen to extend much, much further, and shorter riles also become visible. All these riles seem to develop their own menacing and rampant charcter, crashing through mountains, slicing through craters, and gouging their path through the plains of lava – nothing seems to stop them.

Much of the appeal of this rile system comes from the surrounding lunarscape. The plains, the mountain ranges, the terraced large craters, and the barely observable ‘craterlets’ – all of these are integral to making the rile network so striking.

This is a great system of riles to chase down. Their number and co-centric nature will make this rile system readily visible to novice’s eyes.

“A fractured Moon”
Object: Rimae Hippalus
Scope: C8, 8” SCT
Gear: 8mm LVW, 250X
Location: Sydney, Australia
Date: 13th November, 2013
Media: White and grey soft pastel, charcoal and white ink on A5 size black paper
Duration: 1.5hrs

Jen

14-11-2013, 09:16 PM

:eyepop: dam I hate artistic people that can draw like this nice work :thumbsup:

iceman

19-11-2013, 05:08 PM

Congrats to Alex for your IOTW (http://www.iceinspace.com.au)with the Rimae Hippalus sketch!

omegacrux

19-11-2013, 05:39 PM

Congratulations on your iotw
Another wonderful picture

David

kinetic

19-11-2013, 05:50 PM

Alex,
that is brilliant!

So, SOOO worthy of IOTW!

Mike, great choice,:thumbsup: breathtaking.

Steve

AstroJason

19-11-2013, 05:53 PM

Congrats on IOTW Alex. Well deserved!

EricB

19-11-2013, 06:09 PM

Fantastic sketch Alex! And congratulations on making IOTW :thumbsup:

Eric

Larryp

19-11-2013, 07:29 PM

Looks like a photo, Alex-great work!

lacad01

20-11-2013, 10:44 AM

Nice work, made the front page :thumbsup::thumbsup:

baileys2611

20-11-2013, 05:04 PM

Very nice art-work Alex.

carlstronomy

20-11-2013, 07:23 PM

Alex,

Super sketch, very nice detail :thumbsup::thumbsup: This certainly deserves to be on the front page:D

Carl

venus

22-11-2013, 07:04 AM

The shadow in the crater looks like a map of Australia....amazing work and talent!

mental4astro

28-11-2013, 11:43 AM

Thanks everyone for the kind words. I haven't replied sooner to your praise as I prefer to make posts in this thread when I have a sketch, and respond with a thank you then. But this time I'll make an exception to my "exile" from commenting, :thanx:

Sketching is a real niche in astro today. But it is probably the only real form of imaging that really depicts the view through a telescope. And for me, its my way of unwinding - ney a computer in sight, :D

Mental.

cometcatcher

28-11-2013, 01:27 PM

Awesome sketches Alex. My sister is the artist in the family. I can't draw a straight line with a ruler. :D

alistairsam

28-11-2013, 03:48 PM

thats stunning work Alex. well done.
Looking closely, you've even captured the variations in shadows akong the rile, changes in its depth, parts where it flattened a bit and so on. I cant understand how you do it. That is retain so much of detail and transpose it.
perhaps have an camera taking a timelapse of you sketching so others can see how its done.
very cool.

Alistair

Jo41

30-11-2013, 04:10 PM

Brilliant!!! Lovely work, the detail is fantastic!!!

mental4astro

09-05-2014, 10:55 AM

Hi all,

Sorry for not replying sooner to your kind words. I tend to reply when I have a new sketch or when there is a question. Otherwise I just get all mushy and a big head...

Heck! been a while since I did a lunar sketch! Not having done one for so long, last night I was not about to let a bit of cloud spoil things. Not great conditions with a boiling Moon through the eyepiece. But, I’m grateful for the time at the eyepiece.

As always, unless I have a specific target in mind, I just let my eye wonder along the terminator to see what pricks my interest. And, as there are several repeated alphanumeric apparitions on the Moon, I’ve found a second avian one! Some time ago I spotted an owl formed around the crater Mercator. Last night I found a second Owl, this time around the flooded craters Fra Mauro (the fat body), Parry (the right eye), and Bonpland (the left eye). Cute little fella I think is formed here J.

As it turns out, Fra Mauro is just to the south of the Apollo 14 landing site - south is to the top of the page, so the Apollo 14 site lies just below where the Owl’s feet would be.

Object: “Little Fat Owl”, craters Fra Mauro, Parry and Bonpland
Scope: C8, 8” SCT
Gear: 5mm Baader Hyperion, 400X
Date: 8th May, 2014
Location: Sydney, Australia
Media: White & grey soft pastel, charcoal and white ink on A5 size black paper
Duration: approx. 2hrs.

Paddy

15-05-2014, 07:30 PM

Another stunner Alex!

mental4astro

04-07-2014, 08:05 PM

Thank you Patrick. I really value your support.

~x.X.x~

Last night I had a chance to sketch a part of the Moon I’ve been wanting to for a very long time – the landing site area of Apollo 11. While the site itself is invisible to us here on Earth, there are three craters close to the site that are significant to the site. These three craters are the ones named after the three Apollo 11 astronauts, Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins.

This particular area of the Moon sensational! The shallow angle that the Sun’s light is illuminating the field reveals dozens of ancient lava flows. These flows are reveal themselves with the shadow of their leading edge. There is also a rile to the north. Riles are typically as a result of shrinkage of the lava flows.

Rile Hypatia is a very ancient valley. It was formed while the Moon still had lava flowing freely. Evidence for this is the flooded valley floor. The surface lava field fractured due to cooling and subsurface lava pressure. The freshly opened gash filled with lava from underneath.

The craters Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins are very recent impacts compared to the surrounding lava field. These three craters are challenging to spot being so small. The smallest is Collins with a diameter of 3km, Aldrin at 4 and Armstrong at close to 5km. Due to their size, they are visible only for a short time when the angle of the incident sunlight is shallow enough to make their shadows prominent enough. Collins is the most challenging to see, and requires a combination of good and stable atmospheric conditions and a minimum aperture of 8” to spot it.

This sketch was a joy to lay down. Mare Tranquillitatis’ lava fields are full of an intricate filigree network of lava flows. The lunarscape is also pockmarked with dozens upon dozens of tiny craters, three of which are named after three most important explorers.

Object: Apollo 11 landing site area
Scope: C8, 8” SCT
Gear: 8mm LVW, 250X & 5mm Hyperion, 400X
Date: 3rd July, 2014
Location: Sydney, Australia
Media: White and grey soft pastel, charcoal & white ink on A5 size black paper.
Duration: 2hrs.

michaellxv

04-07-2014, 09:11 PM

Another fantastic sketch Alex, and thanks for the story that goes with it this extra detail really brings the sketch to life.

mental4astro

08-07-2014, 07:46 PM

Hi all,

A second sketch in less than a week! An absolute flood compared to the previous 12 months!

I have sketched the crater Copernicus on other occasions. I enjoy sketching this magnificent ray crater as it has so much to offer no matter the phase of the Moon. Since my last Copernican sketch, I’ve come to find out more about this 95km diameter hole on the Moon.

The area around the crater Copernicus is fascinating, with so much lunar history on display – from amongst the oldest to the newest lunar formations. From ‘ghost craters’ nearly totally lost in lava flows from long ago, to relatively recent, terrifying massive impacts whose devastating power is very much still visible.

Copernicus sits isolated surrounded by Seas and an Ocean. These large areas of lava flows occurred a very long time ago. The ghost crater is Stadius is nearly as large as Copernicus. But all we see today is barely the barely visible rim of its crater, the result of an ancient impact with a very hot Moon that readily flooded the impact hole with lava.

A newer impact is the crater Erastothenes. In structure it closely resembles Coperniucs with clear features of large impacts such as central peaks, terraced internal and external walls (the result of landslides of the steep walls). But it is an older impact than Copernicus because the rays of ejecta material have been covered over by those of Copernicus.

The rock that created Copernicus was a massive one. The impact through up and enormous amount much material. Much was vaporised and polversied that blew way out from the impact zone, being deposited as the rays that we see today. There are even ‘shadow zones’. These formed when the cloud of polverised rock raced over a mountain range and eddie currents were created depositing material behind the ledge.

Another great feature of Copernicus is another set of ejecta. Rock was not only pulverised but also ejected out from the impact as huge bolders. These rocks inturn created their own set of craterlets. These craterlets surround Copernicus, even forming strings of impacts. But these are not considered Chain Craters as they are the result of secondary impacts from a larger impact. Chain Craters are a string of primary impacts. In the sketch you will see one of the more prominent strings of secondary impacts. These secondary impacts are not trivial ones either. Some of these craterlets are over 5km in diameter which would have taken a substantially big rock to have been thrown out to make such a large crater. Conditions on the night were not perfect. If conditions were better a whole lot more of these secondary impacts would have been visible.

This night I also took a photo of myself at the eyepiece with all the gear I use while sketching. The white box is a polystyrene box I use as a dew hutch to protect my materials from dew during the evening. I also made a video of the sketch. I’ll be looking at making a time lapse video of this as a 3hour video of the sketch is not gripping viewing… I'll be uploading this video to my blog noted below in my signature.

Object: Copernicus and surrounds
Telescope: C8, 8” SCT
Gear: 8mm LVW, 250X
Date: 7th July 2014
Location: Sydney, Australia
Media: White and grey soft pastel, charcoal and white ink on A5 size black paper
Duration: approx. 3hrs

omegacrux

08-07-2014, 08:16 PM

Another great sketch
And an informative story thanks Alex
It will make me look a bit harder at that target.

David

Jen

09-07-2014, 10:28 AM

Awesome Alex :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

OzStarGazer

22-07-2014, 02:03 PM

Fantastic sketches. Wow, they are all good, but yours are unbelievably good, Alex.
I want to try some sketches too as I am into art, although I don't use pastels too much. But I love the moon and love drawing, so why not? :)

mental4astro

02-09-2014, 11:32 AM

Hello everyone,

Local weather has been abysmal over the last three weeks. Rain and heavy overcast conditions killing off any chance of scope time. This last Sunday saw a break in this weather pattern, and I had an opportunity to visit the Moon again.

First inspection of the Moon threw up a wonderful trio combination of craters formed by Theophilus, Cyrillus & Catharina (south is to the top of the work). The image they presented close to the terminator was most striking. Little did I know of what lay ahead of me. What I thought would be an ‘easy’ cruise was to turn into a marathon effort at the eyepiece.

These three large craters are very busy places. They are riddled with younger imapacts, criss-crossed with rilles, damaged and worn with age. The actual depth of detail only slowly became apparent as the sketch developed and the observation time increased.

All three craters are very ancient. All three have flooded floors, with Catharina’s (the oldest) central peak completely covered over, Cyrillus’ central peak just managing to poke through, and Theophilus’ being the least flooded. The ghostly image of the ray system radiating out from Theophilus is still visible across the plains of Mare Nectaris, and Sinus Asperitatus to the north. These plains are heavily pock-marked with thousands of small craters

The longer the sketch when on, the more detail I saw, and the longer the process went on. What I had anticipated as a two hour sketch went on for more than three hours. The level of detail is astounding, and beautiful. While I was cramping up, and my seat becoming less comfortable, I just could not stop nor reduce the amount of detail I was putting down.

Then, a little surprise popped up. I spotted a curious looking little ‘crater’ just off the northern rim of Catharina. The trailing shadow of the rim of this little crater looked way too long for it to be a normal crater. The length of the shadow implied a much taller rim wall. It just could not be a crater. The only thing it could be was a volcano. I always examine my Moon atlas’s after completing a piece to check names and features. Principle of the atlas’s I use is “Virtual Moon Atlas” (VMA). VMA confirmed my suspicion of the unusual nature of this ‘crater’ as being a volcano! Woo-hoo! ‘Catharina 2’ is its official designation. Catharina 1 is to the south east of Catharina, but it is not as prominent as ‘2’, and in the sketch is lost in the noise of the surrounding small craters.

Another surprise presented itself along the terminator, with the lesser known brother to ‘The Straight Wall’ escarpment made its presence known with the brilliantly illuminated eastern facing wall of Rupes Altai. Unlike The Straight Wall, Rupes Altai is serpentine in nature. Rupes Altai is close to 500km long, nearly five times longer than its straight brother, and has an average height three times taller too.

This piece was an exquisite exercise for me. The amount of detail revealed to me was fabulous. Detail that is just not visible without extensive observation time spent on the area. I ended up being dashed on the rocky shore line of Mare Nectaris, beaten up due to my complacency. And now all the happier for it.

I really hope you enjoy this piece as much as I’ve enjoyed producing it!

Alex.

Object: Western Shore of Mare Nectaris: Theophilus, Cyrillus & Catharina
Telescope: C8, 8” SCT
Gear: 8mm LVW, 250X
Date: 31st August, 2014
Location: Sydney, Australia
Media: Soft pastel, charcoal & white ink on black paper

Jen

02-09-2014, 08:59 PM

:eyepop: wow that's brilliant Alex

ralph1

01-01-2015, 08:40 PM

Is there any particular feature to sketch tonight? If not, I'll draw whatever looks interesting.
Ralph

mental4astro

02-01-2015, 01:10 AM

Hi Ralph,

This thread originally started with the idea of selecting a particular target to sketch, but then changed to sketching whatever feature appealed. So, yes, sketch whatever feature appeals to you, :)

Alex.

ralph1

03-01-2015, 01:37 PM

Here's a sketch of Gassendi. It was buried deep in the terminator at the time and was barely resolvable with the naked eye. The equipment was a 130mm F/5 at 108X. The FOV is approx 1.5'. Unfortunately, the tracking isn't working properly:mad2: so I am tracking by hand which makes it much harder to draw. I would have liked to get more detail but I lost an hour photographing a distant lightning storm and found magnifications above 100 too hard to use with the hand tracking.

mental4astro

04-01-2015, 04:18 PM

Ah, the pleasures of equipment failure... :rolleyes:

Nice piece though for all your difficulties, Ralph. I enjoy the dark shadows and the drama it introduces to the work.

ralph1

06-01-2015, 06:56 PM

Thanks Alex.
Looking back on some of the previous sketches you've posted, I notice you have a lots of shades of grey. Do you take the pastels, charcoal, etc outside with you? If so, how do you deal with dew?

This sketch is Pythagoras. The tracking is still down:mad2::mad2: but it's my fault now as I was recommended at Bintel to call Celestron customer service after christmas and I keep forgetting. Same scope as last time but this time I tolerated 217X. the FOV is approx 1.3'. I lost a bit of time with this crater, this time sketching the moon as seen in my 1x7 binoculars;) but it didn't turn out, and the moon was setting behind the trees as I was finishing the notes for this sketch( I have a very poor western horizon.)

ralph1

31-01-2015, 01:11 PM

Another sketch, this time of Copernicus. I thought it would only take 1/2 hour but I was sorely mistaken. Details I didn't notice on other visits to the area presented themselves and I took a little over an hour. As an off-topic bonus, when I looked at Jupiter Io and its shadow where about to begin a transit so I watched as it gradually got closer, the shadow appeared on Jupiter and eventually Io itself entered the disk. Earlier in the night all four moons plus the disk where visible in binoculars but still no binocular cloud band:mad2::mad2:.
108X magnification was used to decrease the effects of below average seeing.
Ralph

ralph1

03-03-2015, 07:06 PM

As the title says, this is a sketch of Copernicus and Eratosthenes along with the ghost crater Stadius and the western end of Montes Apenninis. I originally planned to do just Stadius itself but it got out of control fast and what was originally anticipated as a one hour sketch became nearly two! Again, I used 108X even though the seeing was very good to get it done before the moon went behind the trees. There was a bit of haze around and a vast amount of dew so thanks to mental4astro for his dew control tips. In hindsight it was a bit silly to do Copernicus again but the different lighting conditions made up for it.
Ralph

ralph1

29-06-2015, 04:45 PM

A sketch of the Apollo 15 landing area. This required every drop of telescope resolution and sharpness in only a 130mm, but I could see almost all of the valley. This sketch was inspired by http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=135357, a panorama including Rima Hadley by Star Catcher (Ted Dobosz) and the Mythbusters episode on the moon conspiracy. The Apollo 15 landing site is circled.
time: 1 1/4 hours
eyepiece: 6mm Edge-On and 2X Barlow
seeing: above average
transparency: very good
wind speed: no wind
Dew: no dew

mental4astro

21-07-2015, 10:06 PM

Lovely work there Ralph!

I have wanted to sketch the crescent Moon for a few years now. But the timing of the phase during the day is rarely ever a good one for me. Today, after such a long wait, the 5 day old Moon beckoned, and all the ducks lined up !

One aspect of the crescent Moon that has appealed to me is that when it is high in the sky, it is set within the blue of the daytime sky. I’ve had blue coloured paper for some time now in patient anticipation that one day I would get the chance to use it.

What a magnificent scene greeted my eyes. The amount of detail took me by surprise. I used low magnification, and this served to concentrate the quality of the image. And it took me a little while to figure out that there was no way I was going to replicate the level of detail I would normally put into lunar sketch – it is just impossible.

It was a joy to produce this sketch. As a whole, the finished piece impressed me too! It was such a delicious treat to see not a smooth lunar limb, but a textured and rippled limb with mountains, ridges and valley breaking up the hard edge. The terminator was beaded with isolated peaks catching the first rays of the sun. And details that are normally washed out when I typically get to sketch the Moon, tonight were on show.

But the magic of the night held another precious moment for me after I completed the sketch. My young son joined me in the backyard. He was keen to see the Moon through the telescope I had just sketched. He was mesmerized by the detail, and when I explained the flat plains he could see were fields of lava flows, his curiosity really picked up. As a final treat I showed him Saturn. He was amazed to learn that gap that is Casini’s Division is larger than Australia! And we finished with a view of the streaky clouds on the disk which he ran inside to tell his mum about! “Mum, mum, I just saw clouds on another planet!”

I came in a very happy dad.

Object: 5 day old Moon
Scope: C8, 8” SCT
Gear: 30mm Superview, 67X
Date: 21st July, 2015
Location: Sydney, Australia
Media: white and blue soft pastel & white ink on blue paper.

ralph1

22-08-2015, 11:18 PM

This is a sketch of the Theophilus and Cyrillus craters on the moon. Cyrillus was mostly in shadow but Theophilus was showing a beautiful central mountain cluster and shadow.
20.08.15
Seeing - very good
Transparency - poor (very foggy)
Time - 7:15 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
Telescope - 130mm F/5
Eyepiece - 6mm edge-on (108X magnification)

mental4astro

14-09-2015, 01:32 PM

Nice work Ralph. Nice and tight area there, jam packed with detail.

If I could be so bold to make a suggestion, you might like to look into using some softer graphite pencils, or even black pencils like the Stedler 'EE'. These will give a much stronger dark/black shading. There's no pussy-footing with the Moon's shadows. It's either black or black... You might find using such pencils a challenge at first. These 6B, 7B and even 8B graphites smudge very easily. The 'EE' is wicked black in comparison - no sheen at all compared to graphite.

Alex.

mental4astro

14-09-2015, 07:34 PM

Video of me sketching

I've uploaded a timelapse video of my sketching the Moon at the eyepiece. The video show the process from planning the piece, developing the details, the constant swapping between media, the constant sharpening and shaping of the pastels and charcoal, and to finish the final inspection and confirmation of being satisfied with what's been laid down.

As this is not a Youtube video, I can only provide the link to the blog page where the video is. The picture below shows me all set up for a sketching session. The white box in front of me, is tipped on its side and is to shield my materials from dew.

187996

Link to Lunar sketch video (http://alexanderastrosketching.blogspot.co m.au/2015/09/spicing-up-process-video-of-me.html)

ralph1

14-09-2015, 08:33 PM

Thanks Alex.

If I remember correctly, that sketch was done with a 2B pencil on plain white paper. I recently got some black paper and two white pencils but haven't had the chance to try them under the sky since the last sketch. On a brief inside trial (putting a small mark in the corner of the page), I can confirm that these pencils are indeed softer and smudge quite easily.

Is the sketch in the video a new one, or a previous video that you've only just posted?

Ralph

mental4astro

15-09-2015, 12:51 AM

Video is a totally new item. I finished making it this weekend.

ralph1

26-09-2015, 11:19 PM

It's about time for me to get a solar scope too. Seeing all those features must be incredible, considering it normally just glares down showing no detail. (not that I ever look directly at it.) If only they weren't so expensive.

I was also able to do a sketch on the 23rd, but of the moon, specifically the sunrise over Sinus Iridum. I finally got a chance to test out my new black paper with white pencils, and I am very happy with the results. Unfortunately, the image is a little overexposed, but it doesn't hide too much detail, as anything that appears white in the picture was white on the drawing, because I failed to make the distinction between 'bright' and 'very bright'.
It was incredible to see the changes in the shadows so close to the terminator, even over the course of 2 hours.

Ralph

Date: 23.09.15
Object: Sinus Iridum
Time: 8:00 p.m. - 10:15 p.m.
Seeing: below average
Transparency: poor to good (patchy clouds)
Wind: moderate, enough to vibrate the image during gusts
Eyepiece: 6mm TV Plossl
Telescope: Celestron 130mm F/5

Ralph