Mars sketch, several days after opposition.

[John Baars]

Another sketch of Mars. Quite a cold evening, seeing was better than average, high magnifications were possible without shaking. Transparency was fair. I used my 120 mm f/7.5 ED Evostar refractor. It is obvious that the refractor gives more contrast compared to my 140 mm Maksutov. In the second sketch the names of all dark spots, according to Sky & Telescope Mars Profiler.

I hope you enjoyed it.

[Makuser]

Hi John. A very sketch from your Mars observing session. You have a nice color and many surface features in your sketch and I especially enjoyed the annotated version. Thanks for sharing these with us John and I too like my 6" refractor for the high contrast that it delivers, but being only a Fraunhofer doublet there is also the chromatic aberration.

[messier 111]

wow , look like a pic , thx .

[Ylem]

That's awesome John!

I wish I had that a talent!

[Lady Fraktor]

Really nice John.
I keep thinking I should do this again, one year

[AstroBee]

Your sketches always amaze me, John. Very nice work. So much time and dedication at the eyepiece.

[Bigzmey]

Another excellent sketch from the master!

[helicon]

Beautiful sketch and of course very detailed. A fabulous session, as well! Congratulations on the VROD for today (very well deserved!)

[John Baars]

Thanks to all for your kind words, thanks for the VROD!
This is what one really can call a "visual report"

[Unitron48]

Well done, John and congrats on your VROD recognition.

Dave

[John Baars]

Hi John. A very sketch from your Mars observing session. You have a nice color and many surface features in your sketch and I especially enjoyed the annotated version. Thanks for sharing these with us John and I too like my 6" refractor for the high contrast that it delivers, but being only a Fraunhofer doublet there is also the chromatic aberration.

Thanks. There is a black and white pre-version of the sketch. That is the one made at the telescope. Usually I sketch a better B&W version when I come inside. The color version is usually made the next day. Better light, more control etc.
I had a 6 inch f/5 too in the near past and even worked on it to get the axial coma out. I am not impressed by chromatic aberration, I don't even care. The six inch gave the same amount of details as the 4.7 inch ED. The reason I sold it again was its weight.

wow , look like a pic , thx .

Thanks,
Yes I hope so, I try to get resemblance to the image in the eyepiece

That's awesome John!

I wish I had that a talent!

Thank you.
There is nothing wrong with a basic Black and White sketch to start with, even when if it is not an exact copy of the eyepiece-view.

Really nice John.
I keep thinking I should do this again, one year

Thanks!
Three pencils, HB, 2H en 3B, a piece of paper, a soft eraser and a fingertip for smearing are enough for a nice Black and White sketch. It is all a matter of doing it often.

Your sketches always amaze me, John. Very nice work. So much time and dedication at the eyepiece.

Thank you!
The sketch at the eyepiece is made much more quicker then the final one. Working out the final sketch costs the most time. I made a final one before this one, didn't like it ( too much smearing, lots of erasing gives too much smudging) and threw it away. But time is on my side..:-)

Another excellent sketch from the master!

Thanks, considering other sketches I see I am just a good apprentice. But if you say so....

Beautiful sketch and of course very detailed. A fabulous session, as well! Congratulations on the VROD for today (very well deserved!)

Thanks for the VROD!
Luckily at the eyepiece every detail can be studied separately. The biggest pitfall for a sketcher is wanting everything on paper at once. At first glance all you have to do is to establish the positions. The biggest luck is that the sketch is an add up of all details.

Well done, John and congrats on your VROD recognition.


Dave

Thank you!

[Baurice]

I've only just seen this. I'm VERY impressed. Due to weather and back trouble I missed Mars. Better detail than I can capture on camera. Is it a pencil sketch or do you draw them by computer?

[mariosi]

Great work John!!! Beautiful Drawing , observation and presentation.

Marios