Logging & sharing observations

[Clear Skies]

Hi all,

As a new member of this forum I very much look forward to the many observations all of you undoubtedly have logged over the years. As a great fan of AstroPlanner (http://www.astroplanner.net) I have been using the application for several years to log all of my observations. How are you logging yours? How do you share them?

Cheers,


Victor

[deepskytraveler]

Hi Victor,

Welcome to Deep Sky Forum.

For the last few years I've been logging my observations into Sky Tools 3 Pro. In most cases I take handwritten notes while observing and then after the observing session I manually enter everything into Sky Tools. Though this process works okay it is fairly cumbersome, particularly when I have a large number of objects to enter. Even though I use Sky Tools for planning ahead what objects I will observe, I actually use MegaStar at the scope. Sure wish MegaStar had integrated logging capability. Since it doesn't I have conjured up a pseudo logging process which allows me to capture an object's data box from MegaStar along with a date & time stamp. This way I don't have to remember to manually record the time for each observation. Then before I enter the log entries in Sky Tools I transcribe the times from this MegaStar log into my handwritten log notes.

-Mark

[rmollise]

I'm using SkyTools 3 Pro as well. While I like AstroPlanner very much, SkyTools is just a little more responsive on a Windows machine than AP. I also like the extensive charting resources of ST3--which are as good as anything available IMHO.

But, anyway, at the scope (or monitor if I'm using the Mallincam Xtreme), I speak notes into a little Sony MP3 recorder. Back home, I transcribe them into Microsoft Word, and, when done, cut and paste into SkyTools' logbook.

[Clear Skies]

Same here, I like to talk to myself when observing while recording everything on an MP3 player. Allows for everything you see to be described in detail, without having to leave the eyepiece to write.
One funny side effect is that you can actually hear yourself getting fatigued during long sessions. Well, that's part of making the most of the not-clear-all-that-often skies of midwestern Europe..!

Regarding AstroPlanner, I love the feature of being able to switch from logging an observation to the FoV at the time of the observation (a very nice feature for azimutal / non-equatorially mounted scopes). Checking the FoV has allowed me to log multiple bonus double stars: Whenever I suspect a double to present in the FoV during an observation I simply describe what I see and which stars I expect to be components of the double. Checking that in AstroPlanner while working out the observation quite often leads to the stars actually being members of a double star.

[Don Pensack]

I use the following form as a reminder in the field, so I don't forget anything:

Object ID & name:________________________________
Type: Galaxy / Galaxy Cluster / Open cluster / Globular Cluster / Bright nebula / Dark Nebula / Planetary Nebula / SNR
Constellation_________________ Location: RA__________Dec____________
Date/Time: Best Eyepiece__________________
SQM Mag:______________ Transparency____________ Seeing__________________

GENERAL:
Actual Catalog Size______________________
Magnitude (Total Integrated)_______________
Surf.Brightness_______________
Apparent Sz (visual impression): V.Large / Large / Medium / Small / V.Small/ Stellar / Other_______________________
Apparent Overall Brightness: Bright / EZ / Moderate / Faint / Very Faint / At Limit
Apparent Shape: Round / Round-Oval / Oval / Elong. / Very Elong. / Lenticular / Other______________________________

OPEN AND GLOBULAR CLUSTERS:
Apparent Density______________________________________
Richness (# of stars): Rich / moderate / sparse
Detachment in field: Well detached / moderately detached / poorly detached
Range of Mags: Wide / moderate / narrow
Apparent brightness of members_________________________
Nature/Shape of core__________________________________
Core % of visible Cluster_______________________________
Concentration_____________________________________ ___
Resolution________________________________________ __

GALAXIES:
Nature/shape of core and nucleus____________________________
Superimposed stars_______________________________________
Edge definition________________________________________ ___
Brightness Gradient_______________________________________
Core % of visible galaxy___________________________________

NEBULAE AND PLANETARY NEBULAE:
Color_____________________________________________ __________
Best filter_UHC / O-III / H-Beta / CE-1 / None
Central star vis_______________________________________________ _
Edge Definition________________________________________ ________
Number and visibility of superimposed stars_________________________

OTHER NOTES
Features of note______________________________________________ ______________
Comments on Field_____________________________________________ ____________
Ease of visibility________________________________________ ____________________
Comments__________________________________________ __________________________
__________________________________________________ ___________________________
__________________________________________________ ___________________________

[deepskywim]

I enter everything in DeepskyLog and share it with observers all over the world! See http://www.deepskylog.org/

[dacker]

I like using a program called Eye & Telescope. It has everything for planning and loging plus it gives you a good idea how the object might appear based on your telescope and sky conditions. You can download a free trial here: http://www.eyeandtelescope.com/. The program can interface with most desktop planetarium software as well.

[MarcE]

Hi Victor,
i also use Eye and Telescope since several years now. IMO it is very user friendly and allows 1. adminstration of Astro-Projects; observing planning (nice: it gives you an feeling how difficult the object is with your scope and your sky conditions), log book and creating star charts. I use all these features and they work very well.
Interface to The Sky also is working fine.
I personally have no experience with "sharing observations" with others, but friends of mine us deepskylog.
Clear Skies
Marc