frank5817
Post Laureate
Reged: 06/13/06
Posts: 4082
Loc: Illinois
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I just returned to the cloudy Midwest this afternoon from a brief trip to Mesa, Arizona. On the evening of October 19th the beautiful sunset had just occurred and the search for the young waxing crescent moon began in earnest. A quick turn to the eastern sky and the dark portion of the Belt of Venus could be seen 3° above the horizon. Looking back to the southwestern horizon I spotted the 1.8 day old, 3.8% illuminated moon in the golden green glow in that part of the sky at 6:08pm local time (1:08 UT October 20, 2009).
While the sun was setting, I began to sketch the scene using a piece of copy paper and a number 2 pencil. I took careful notes on the sky colors, positions of trees, cactus and roof tops of homes in Sunland Village East where I was sitting while I made this pencil sketch. After arriving back in Oak Forest, Illinois, I converted the pencil sketch and notes into an oil pastel drawing on to white sketching paper.
I did not have access to a telescope at the time of this sketch but if I did I would have been looking at craters Neper, Gauss and Phillips the latter two along the lunar terminator and the former near the illuminated limb.
Sketching:
For this sketch I used: medium weight white CPP sketching paper 9"x 12",
Grumbacher oil pastels, blending stumps, plastic eraser, and a razor blade, redrawn from a graphite pencil sketch and notes
Telescope: none
Observation Date: 10-19-2009, 6:00-6:45 local time
Temperature: 32°C (90°F)
Clear, calm, warm
Seeing: very good
Lunation number 1074
Lunar age 1.82 days
Illumination 3.8 %
Mesa, Arizona
Frank McCabe 
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my gallery
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CarlosEH
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Reged: 01/19/05
Posts: 4132
Loc: Pembroke Pines, Broward County...
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Frank,
A beautiful observation of the Waxing Crescent Moon over the southwestern Arizona sky. The Moon must have been an impressive sight over a pastel rainbow sky. The cactus adds to the scene and reminds us all of the desert view. Thank you for sharing it with us all.
Carlos
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JayinUT
I'm not Sleepy
Reged: 09/19/08
Posts: 933
Loc: Utah
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Frank,
This is stunning! Please enter this into the contest for this month as I love the colors and the change of scenery.
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Jay in Utah
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Location: Lat: 40.514N Long: -112.032W
Mortal as I am, I know that I am born for a day. But when I follow at my pleasure the serried multitude of the stars in their circular course, my feet no longer touch the earth.
— Ptolemy, c.150 AD
My Blog
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markseibold
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/19/08
Posts: 1080
Loc: Portland Oregon
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Frank
A stunning rendering of eye-opening color! 
As if VanGogh was reborn!  
You have proven that sometimes a telescope is not necessary.
Thanks for posting as you've reminded me to get out tomorrow night to see the new crescent, weather permitting,
Mark
www.markseibold.com
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frank5817
Post Laureate
Reged: 06/13/06
Posts: 4082
Loc: Illinois
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Carlos, Jay and Mark,
Thank you all for your kind comments.  I thought of just posting the pencil sketch when I got home, but upon further review I had too many lines and words and other marks on the page; it looked like bad doodling.
After a few nights of just beautifully clear skies, I was feeling guilty for not making any sketches so I needed to do something before returning to always cloudy Chicago.
Frank
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my gallery
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jayscheuerle
Post Laureate
Reged: 01/16/06
Posts: 4064
Loc: S. Philadelphia, PA
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That sketch makes me happy, Frank. I particularly like the faint glow of the streetlights kicking in. Kudos! - j
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Fight indignorance!
The Green Goblin - 12" of dobsonian excellence!
The PortaBowl-a $100 4.5" f/8 ball-scope YOU can build!
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Jef De Wit
super member
Reged: 03/06/09
Posts: 120
Loc: Hove, Belgium
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Frank, congratulations with your ASOD!
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Clear skies, Jef De Wit
7x50 bino, Meade ETX-70 & Orion Optics UK 12" Dobson
"Bright skies aren't empty skies" (James Mallaney)
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niteskystargazer
member
Reged: 10/05/09
Posts: 11
Loc: 41-43'-28" N 87-42'-39" W
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Frank,
 , very nice sketch.
,
Tom
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JanisR
newbie
Reged: 06/26/08
Posts: 75
Loc: Pennsylvania
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Love it - not only a nice image, but I "feel" that sunset.
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JanR
My CN Gallery
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frank5817
Post Laureate
Reged: 06/13/06
Posts: 4082
Loc: Illinois
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Jay, Jef, Tom and Jan,
Thank you all for your pleasant and encouraging words about my sketch. We do not often get such nice sunsets here in the midwest. I just couldn't leave it as a simple pencil drawing.
Frank
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my gallery
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Tommy5
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 03/28/04
Posts: 1821
Loc: Chicagoland
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Very cool sketch/painting, i returned from Las Vagas a couple of weeks ago and found the desert very appealing, you feel so much closer to nature then in suburban cloudy chicagland.your sketch does portray that feeling.
Edited by Tommy5 (10/22/09 10:10 PM)
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frank5817
Post Laureate
Reged: 06/13/06
Posts: 4082
Loc: Illinois
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T5,
Thank you for that. With the month of October just a few years back, you could expect some nice clear nights. This year 17 cloudy nights most with rain out of 22 is not too good.
Frank
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my gallery
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mickmrn1
member
Reged: 05/18/08
Posts: 34
Loc: Mesa, Arizona
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Frank, Very impressive color sketch from the desert! The desert sunset is always nice to see and you have captured it wonderfully!!
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Michelle D.
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Shannon s
super member
Reged: 06/21/09
Posts: 138
Loc: Bartow FL.
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Frank, That is a nice piece. I love seeing it. Wonderful colors!
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4.5" & 12" Reflectors
5" Maksutov
Astroview mount
Orion SSDSI
7x50 Binos
A box of Eps
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frank5817
Post Laureate
Reged: 06/13/06
Posts: 4082
Loc: Illinois
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Michelle and Shannon,
Thank you both.
Desert sunrises and sunsets are beautiful and if the moon is there also it becomes very special.
Frank
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my gallery
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Kris.
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 09/16/04
Posts: 1275
Loc: Belgium
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beautiful colors!
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Kris
To be old & wise, you first gotta be young & stupid
8" dob
AstroTech 66ED/APO
TAL 120 newt.
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frank5817
Post Laureate
Reged: 06/13/06
Posts: 4082
Loc: Illinois
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Kris,
Thank you for your remark and yes the colors were much better than I could re-create.
I hope your Mars observing is going well.
Frank
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my gallery
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kraterkid
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/07/05
Posts: 4547
Loc: Jacumba, California
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Frank,
The intense colors of this desert sunset with crescent Moon is beautifully rendered in this spectacular oil pastel sketch! The beauty of the Belt of Venus is so vibrantly on display in your excellent twilight scene. You're soon to be a full time desert rat, such as yours truly. Expecting to see many more of these great oil pastels.
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Rich
My CN Gallery
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frank5817
Post Laureate
Reged: 06/13/06
Posts: 4082
Loc: Illinois
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Rich,
Thank you for the kind words. It does take some forethought to apply these to paper. Lots of scraping and reapplying if you make mistakes and you can't go over dark colors with light ones. I really like the vibrant, bright colors but they are like trying to draw with crayola crayons.
Crescent moons at desert sunrises and sunsets must be seen to be believed. I have a desert trip planned for later this month and I'll be bringing sketching materials this time.
Frank
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my gallery
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