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asaint
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/25/03
Posts: 2021
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Scribbling in the Dark
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oldsalt
Astro Philosopher
Reged: 02/12/05
Posts: 7958
Loc: Pa - between starparties
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Great article, and something we often overlook in our quest to get out and view.
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Starman1
Vendor - Scope City
Reged: 06/24/03
Posts: 10960
Loc: Los Angeles
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I started keeping a log so I could develop a list of favorites and not go back to visit objects I didn't really want to revisit.
I've noticed that my note-taking has improved, and when my scope size increased I was seeing more.
So I went to an individual page for each object log so I could change the pages as further observations warranted.
[log page is attached]
I observe in cold weather and at high altitude. The only pen that wrote every time and didn't explode at that altitude was the Space pen. I recommend it.
I don't observe with glasses but need them to write, so I keep them hanging on a lanyard around my neck and they go on and off hundreds of times per night.
I view the object for a minute or two, then record notes, then re-view the object and update my notes. This 2-step process prompts me to look for details I missed on first viewing and also allows me to update my notes before I turn the page to a new object.
My unwritten rule is to view at least 30 new objects every time I go out and spend the rest of the time visiting favorites.
I have a list of all objects I want to view, and check them off after I've written my log entry page. I will always revisit the same objects on a later night because of vast differences in transparency from night to night. Two checkmarks by an object on the list tells me I can cross the object off the list.
It may seem too systematic to observe this way, but it is a leisurely approach when viewing all night (which I always do), and allows plenty of time to view "eye candy".
And sometimes I'm quite surprised at what I was able to see because my log prompted me to look for details I otherwise might have missed.
I'm glad to see this article, and the author covered the bases. Good show!
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Don Pensack
12.5" Truss Dob, 5" Maksutov
Sustaining Lifetime IDA member, TeleVue junkie
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Bruce MacDonald
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/12/06
Posts: 1019
Loc: Devizes, Wiltshire, UK
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I wish I had written notes from the very beginning of my interest in astronomy. It would be fascinating to read some notes by my 12-year old self now I am nearly 40. Sometimes I find old notes scribbled in my old books from those days, such as an observation of Comet IRAS-Araki-Alcock from 1983, but really I didn't know what I was doing and I am sure that if I had been able to join a club I would have developed better habits for recording my observations.
What finally spurred me into keeping records of what I was observing was the internet. I had a website on Geocities some years ago where I had a blog of what I saw and it was nice to write it up.
Since then I have got into serious observing and recording of variable stars for the BAA Variable Star Section and satellite observations for orbital analysts, and my record-keeping has become much more rigorous. I use bound notebooks and black ink pens to record my observations. I did get a specially-published astronomical logbook but I find I don't use it; I have only recorded a few observations in it, because logs like that tend to be for "sky tourists", for listing deep-sky objects. There's nothing wrong with that of course, it's just that for my type of observing, they are no use. I need to record my observations in lists and in a very structured way for an analyst to use.
Incidentally I use Moleskine notebooks which come in a variety of sizes, and can be plain paper, ruled or squared. I have one plain notebook for general observations such as the satellites and deep sky objects for my Astronomical League Binocular Messier pin, and a ruled cahier notebook for variable star observations. They have a website at www.moleskines.com
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Bruce MacDonald
Devizes, Wiltshire, UK
Per Mare Per Terras
Viz Top Tip: Don't waste money buying expensive binoculars. Simply stand closer to the object you wish to view.
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RLTYS
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/18/04
Posts: 1741
Loc: New York (Long Island)
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To All
An excellant article. Recording my observations has always been an important aspect of observeing for my. You might say it's half the fun of observing. I have notes dateing back to my first lunar eclipse in April 1968. To me keeping notes represents a "snap shot" in time. These notes let me remember particular nights that, in my memory, might get lost in the mists of time.
Clear Skies.
Rich (RLTYS)
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10" F4.8 Refl.
4" F5 Refr.
50mm F12 Refr. (Tasco #6TE-5)
12x63 and 10x50 Binoculars.
"I want to do more then just look."
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Jeremy Perez
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 08/12/04
Posts: 1675
Loc: Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
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Excellent article Tom. You covered a lot of important bases. I'm glad to hear the UltraDarkLight has been working nicely for you. I've considered investing in one at some point myself.
How many log entry pages do you tend to store per plastic sheet protector? One, or several?
Thanks for putting that together!
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Orion SVP 6LT (6" f/8 Newt) || Orion XT8 (8" f/6 Newt) || 15x70 Oberwerk Binoculars
The Belt Of Venus || Astro-Sketch Gallery || Astro-Sketching Resources || Astro-Photo Gallery
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desertstars
Deja moo
Reged: 11/05/03
Posts: 30032
Loc: Tucson, AZ
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Thanks for the comments, guys.
Jeremy, I put two log sheets per protector, back to back. That way, in the binder, I can look at either just by flipping the page.
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Tom W.
SVP8 'She turned me into a 3-legged Newt' EQ
Ralph, the All-Purpose 102mm Refractor
Under the Desert Stars
Alcohol and calculus do not mix. Please don't drink and derive.
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stevecoe
Reged: 04/24/04
Posts: 2129
Loc: Arizona, USA
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Tom;
Great article, lots of excellent info and links. I am the Novice Group Leader for SAC and I hope that at least a few folks have listened to my "guidance" about taking notes. I really enjoy reading through old notes and remembering times past. Lots of good memories and info on what I saw among my notes, I treasure them.
Thanks;
Steve Coe
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150mm 6" f/8 Celestron Refractor on Sirius Mount
80mmED 3" f/7.5 Orion Refractor
Author "Deep Sky Observing" Springer-Verlag
Author "Nebulae and How to Observe Them" Springer
New Canon Xt astrocamera with Hutech modification
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desertstars
Deja moo
Reged: 11/05/03
Posts: 30032
Loc: Tucson, AZ
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Thanks, Steve. 
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Tom W.
SVP8 'She turned me into a 3-legged Newt' EQ
Ralph, the All-Purpose 102mm Refractor
Under the Desert Stars
Alcohol and calculus do not mix. Please don't drink and derive.
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Erix
Toad Lily
Reged: 12/25/04
Posts: 20451
Loc: Ohio, USA
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Excellent job on the write up, Tom.  This article would have been very handy when I first started to observe. It's rich with ideas and helpful advice.
I'd like to stress the point about the same info with each entry - such as date, times, seeing, transparency, etc. It's been very useful for me when looking back on my notes to compare observations. Plus, it acts as a checklist so that you don't forget anything.
I also use Rite in the Rain for my sketches and notes. I use Jeremy's templates for DSO's, Sol's templates for planets, and just a blank page for solar and lunar, all printed on the Rite in the Rain paper.
When I get inside at the end of the night or next day, if it is too messy from lack of sleep, I will transpose it on fresh paper.
But each report is retyped in Word and not only printed for my 3-ringed journal, but saved on my hard drive in Chronological order.
It is also my belief that if you can write up a detailed description or sketch what you see, you'll train yourself to see more and more detail in the objects you view.
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Erika
10" LX200 Classic, ETX70-AT, DS Maxscope 60mm, 12" Truss Dob, Orion ED80, WO Binoviewers, 10x50's and 7x50's Binoculars, Rebel XT 350
Having Fun in the Sun!
More solar fun: 2007 July - tracking NOAA10963
Support bacteria. It's the only culture some people have.
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Starman1
Vendor - Scope City
Reged: 06/24/03
Posts: 10960
Loc: Los Angeles
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I might comment that when your observations get into the thousands, it will be necessary to store them in numerical order by object. Otherwise, you'll never be able to find an earlier observation of the same object.
Mine are stored in 3-ring binders in numerical order (it's sometime necessary to move pages from binder to binder) as well as in a spreadsheet on the PC.
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Don Pensack
12.5" Truss Dob, 5" Maksutov
Sustaining Lifetime IDA member, TeleVue junkie
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Erix
Toad Lily
Reged: 12/25/04
Posts: 20451
Loc: Ohio, USA
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Got you covered, there, Don.
I actually have mine stored not only by type of object (ie, lunar, solar, comets, Mars, Jupiter, globular clusters, galaxies, nebulae, etc) but within each divided type is the chronological order.
I should have gone more in depth with my "filing" system in the previous post. My 3 ring folder is 3" thick and I'm ready to start a new one now. But I've only been observing since Nov. 2004.
Once I get several binders full, I was thinking I should divide it so that each binder is a type of object. Is that how you do it, Don, or would you suggest a better way?
As far as my PC, I have it pretty much the same way. Within the "Astronomy" folder, I have sub-folders for each type of object. Within each sub-folder, I have more sub-folders for each year. Within each year, the files start with "Year, Month, Day" followed by a specific name such as "halpha prom pa240" or "Bullialdus".
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Erika
10" LX200 Classic, ETX70-AT, DS Maxscope 60mm, 12" Truss Dob, Orion ED80, WO Binoviewers, 10x50's and 7x50's Binoculars, Rebel XT 350
Having Fun in the Sun!
More solar fun: 2007 July - tracking NOAA10963
Support bacteria. It's the only culture some people have.
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Starman1
Vendor - Scope City
Reged: 06/24/03
Posts: 10960
Loc: Los Angeles
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Erika,
My written records are in numerical order by catalog number: NGC numbers, PK numbers, etc.
In my computer, they're arranged in the following sequence:
Constellation: Catalog #: RA, so all Stock clusters are together, VdB nebulae, PK planetaries, etc.
My log has 10,450 entries so far, so this is the only way for me to review an observation.
I don't have written records of all observations. Prior to 2000, I destroyed the written record once it was recorded in the PC. I didn't have any sketches, though, so I didn't lose anything critical. After all, the log is for my own review, not posterity.
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Don Pensack
12.5" Truss Dob, 5" Maksutov
Sustaining Lifetime IDA member, TeleVue junkie
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Erix
Toad Lily
Reged: 12/25/04
Posts: 20451
Loc: Ohio, USA
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Thanks for going into it further for me. I can see that would be a more accessible way of logging your observations. Thanks for the ideas!
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Erika
10" LX200 Classic, ETX70-AT, DS Maxscope 60mm, 12" Truss Dob, Orion ED80, WO Binoviewers, 10x50's and 7x50's Binoculars, Rebel XT 350
Having Fun in the Sun!
More solar fun: 2007 July - tracking NOAA10963
Support bacteria. It's the only culture some people have.
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desertstars
Deja moo
Reged: 11/05/03
Posts: 30032
Loc: Tucson, AZ
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Well, you guys have managed to come up with one aspect of record keeping that I neglected to cover! 
I have my basic files in the computer, and the hardcopies and log sheets used in the field, filed chronologically. I am by nature a story teller, so the arrangement comes naturally to me. To facilitate access, however, I keep a spreadsheet updated with the object, planet, or lunar feature name followed by observation date. I generally sort it by identitity, which then gives me an index or quick reference to all the dates in the journal that correspond to an observation.
It isn't nearly as time consuming to maintain as it might sound.
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Tom W.
SVP8 'She turned me into a 3-legged Newt' EQ
Ralph, the All-Purpose 102mm Refractor
Under the Desert Stars
Alcohol and calculus do not mix. Please don't drink and derive.
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desertstars
Deja moo
Reged: 11/05/03
Posts: 30032
Loc: Tucson, AZ
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In this article I briefly describe my prefered method for lighting up a clipboard at the eyepiece, a product called the Ultra Darklight. It has recently been brought to my attention that this product is no longer available, which is a shame, really.
The best option remaining, that I know of at any rate, is this sketch light described on the website of CN member Jeremy Perez.
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Tom W.
SVP8 'She turned me into a 3-legged Newt' EQ
Ralph, the All-Purpose 102mm Refractor
Under the Desert Stars
Alcohol and calculus do not mix. Please don't drink and derive.
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Bill F
super member
Reged: 05/30/05
Posts: 162
Loc: scotland
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I use an ordinary exercise book (usually slightly soggy at the end of a dewy session)to take notes, then transpose them into the excellent "Deepsky" programme. This gives all the type of object and other ordering I need.
I would love to sketch, but in a class of 30 at school I came bottom in art every year! I have trouble drawing a straight line with a ruler.
Bill
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Orion Optics (UK) SPX 250 F4.8
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desertstars
Deja moo
Reged: 11/05/03
Posts: 30032
Loc: Tucson, AZ
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Quote:
I would love to sketch, but in a class of 30 at school I came bottom in art every year! I have trouble drawing a straight line with a ruler.
Same here! Hated art class when I was a kid.
Fortunately, DSOs rarely require the ability to draw a straight line...  
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Tom W.
SVP8 'She turned me into a 3-legged Newt' EQ
Ralph, the All-Purpose 102mm Refractor
Under the Desert Stars
Alcohol and calculus do not mix. Please don't drink and derive.
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Bill F
super member
Reged: 05/30/05
Posts: 162
Loc: scotland
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Curved lines drawn freehand are even harder.
Bill
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Orion Optics (UK) SPX 250 F4.8
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desertstars
Deja moo
Reged: 11/05/03
Posts: 30032
Loc: Tucson, AZ
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They can be, that's true. That's part of the reason sketching is encouraged, but strictly optional. 
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Tom W.
SVP8 'She turned me into a 3-legged Newt' EQ
Ralph, the All-Purpose 102mm Refractor
Under the Desert Stars
Alcohol and calculus do not mix. Please don't drink and derive.
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