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.
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=
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.
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...
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.
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,
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,
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.
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.
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, .
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!
Wow Those sketches are absolutely stunning,Alex.Great stuff
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.
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