Page 28 - BBC Sky at Night Beginners Guide to Astronomy - 2017 UK

KEEPING AN

OBSERVING LOG

HOW TO REALLY ‘OBSERVE’ THE NIGHT SKY AND GET MORE
FROM ASTRONOMY BY RECORDING WHAT YOU SEE

Today’s modern telescopes make it easy for you to whizz through You may have seen wonderful observing logs from a dedicated
your Go-To list of deep-sky wonders in no time at all. You might think few, and it might seem daunting to try and follow their example.
that the idea of actually stopping on an object for 15 minutes or so, But your logbook doesn’t need to be an ornate affair – just begin
especially to draw the thing or at least be able to describe it in detail, with some basic details. At the very least you should record the
seems a little old-fashioned. If this is the way you practise astronomy, date, time and object you’re looking at, what telescope and
then you can certainly say that you’ve seen any given object – but you magnifi cation you’re using and some notes about the object.
haven’t truly ‘observed’ it. When you’re happy that you’ve got the hang of covering the
To fully appreciate the sky, there is nothing like an observing log basics, you can add details like light pollution, sky transparency,
– a journal in which you detail information, observations and thoughts limiting magnitude and any telescope fi lters used.
during an observing session. There are many reasons to keep a log, Drawings are a bonus and can really enhance your logbook
as you’ll see from the case studies below, including Patrick Moore entry. Once you become a seasoned observer, you may not even
who has over fi ve decades of logs. But overall, by paying attention need to do the full sketch at the telescope – just do a rough drawing
to and recording what you are looking at, your observing improves. and complete it indoors as soon as possible after the session is over.
You get better at seeing fi ner details and viewing seemingly invisible Indeed, many astronomers use a pocket notebook to jot down
features. By taking time, objects take on a new light, which adds some records outside before transcribing observations into a nice
a great deal to your experience. hardback, A4-sized logbook.

The book keepers
Observers keep logbooks for lots of different reasons. Here, one very famous astronomer and a keen
amateur share some insights into what they keep them for and the best way to log your observations

PATRICK MOORE Analysts wanted to fi nd out used, the time in GMT, the
SELSEY, WEST SUSSEX whether they came from the quality of the seeing and
Patrick offers his tips on core or from discrete surface any special circumstances.
keeping a logbook features, and they needed It is very useful to include
In astronomical work it is central meridian transit times illustrations. I used to make a
essential to be systematic. for features such as the sketch at the telescope, ‘tidy
Your log should show what Great Red Spot and smaller it up’ and then re-check it at
you have observed and what white spots from 1946 to the telescope. You should also
you need to observe next. 1963. I was able to provide keep a separate book or fi le
This can also be a help to these details from my Jupiter for each object: the Moon,
other observers studying the logbook (pictured above). Jupiter, variable stars and so
same or similar objects. In A logbook entry should on. And never send away an
the late 1950s, radio waves include the objects you original observation – always
from Jupiter were detected. observed, the equipment send a copy.

MARTIN MCKENNA where someone is within their transient astronomical,
MAGHERA, N. IRELAND observing career, and where weather and atmospheric
Martin has been keeping an they need to go next. events during day and night.
observing log for 11 years For me personally, keeping I also like to complement
The logbook is more than an observing log is about observations with details that
a collection of text and capturing memories of may seem trivial to some but
sketches: it documents the spectacular sky events and that I know will raise a smile
when I re-read them myself.
growth and change of
recording those events in your
MARTIN MCKENNA, BBC the person who penned own style so that they can be The antics of my cat often
it through the passage of
feature – like the time when
relived with a smile at some
it jumped on the telescope
point in the future. I record
time, and it’s only through
one night, causing it to swing
reading such a record that
everything in the sky that is of
you can appreciate just
28 skyatnightmagazine.com 2012 interest to me. This includes frantically to the zenith.