Patrick Moore’s Practical Astronomy Series

For further volumes: http://www.springer.com/series/3192 wwwwwwwwwwwww Sketching the Moon

An Astronomical Artist’s Guide

Richard Handy Deirdre Kelleghan Thomas McCague Erika Rix Sally Russell Richard Handy Erika Rix Poway, CA, USA Zanesville, OH, USA [email protected] [email protected]

Deirdre Kelleghan Sally Russell Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland Berkshire, UK [email protected] [email protected]

Thomas McCague Oak Forests, IL, USA [email protected]

ISSN 1431-9756 ISBN 978-1-4614-0940-3 e-ISBN 978-1-4614-0941-0 DOI 10.1007/978-1-4614-0941-0 Springer New York Dordrecht Heidelberg London

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011937227

© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2012 All rights reserved. This work may not be translated or copied in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher (Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, 233 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013, USA), except for brief excerpts in connection with reviews or scholarly analysis. Use in connection with any form of information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed is forbidden. The use in this publication of trade names, trademarks, service marks, and similar terms, even if they are not identified as such, is not to be taken as an expression of opinion as to whether or not they are subject to proprietary rights.

Printed on acid-free paper

Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com) This book is dedicated to lunar sketchers from all over the globe, for whom it was written. To Cloudy Nights Telescope Reviews for the encouragement and friendships that helped make this book possible. To all who want to pick up the pencil or brush and try their hand at representing the Moon. − Richard Handy

To Bernard for his love, wonderful support, and expert advice. To my children, Olwen, Owen, and Oona, who listened to Moon talk beyond the call of duty. To my mam, Eileen, and in memory of my dad, Michael, who gave me my first telescope. To my dear friend, Jane, who opened my eyes to astronomical sketching. − Deirdre Kelleghan

To my wife, Pattie, children Michelle and Thomas, my mother and in memory of my late father, all of whom have always been supportive, loving and make my life the joy that it is. − Thomas McCague

In loving memory of my grandparents, Pauline and Charles Withers and Elizabeth and Raymond Mayer, who enriched my life in so many ways and taught me to always believe in myself. − Erika Rix

To my father, Len, and the memory of my mother, Eileen, for their enduring love and encouragement in all my endeavours, and for their foresight in rousing a sleepy child to watch the first man step onto the Moon. − Sally E. Russell wwwwwwwwwwwww Foreword

Sketching celestial objects is a habit that goes back to my previous astronomical incarnation as a teenager living under dark rural skies. The books I read on amateur astronomy back then instructed the amateur to sketch objects viewed, and I did so. It was simply part of the hobby, as I understood it. In the years since, I have learned that making such a sketch is actually as much an observing tech- nique as a means of making a complete record. Going from the eyepiece to the paper and back, to make sure you have recorded what can be seen, causes you to look more closely and to think about what you see. Such interaction over time makes you a more careful and perceptive observer. For this reason, and to encourage people to try their hand at this technique, most books promote the idea that the act of sketching is far more important to the observer than the beauty of the result, a perception I shared for a time. Involvement in the online astronomy forum Cloudy Nights, however, has changed that perception. The forum community includes a number of astronomy artists (as well as a separate forum to accom- modate them) who not only share the results of their work, but freely offer advice to others interested in making better astronomical sketches. Like many who count themselves members of the Cloudy Nights community, I have learned a great deal about sketching from these artists. To this day I still can’t hold the proverbial candle to artists such as the authors of this book, but looking over their col- lective shoulders in the forum has allowed me to steadily (if slowly) improve my own abilities to a degree I would likely not have achieved on my own. For although practice is surely the key to improvement, without instruction what do you practice? A forum is a useful thing but lacks the portability of a book. In 2007, several of these master sketchers, including two of the authors of this current volume, collaborated on a book in the Patrick Moore’s Practical Astronomy Series entitled Astronomical Sketching: A Step-by-Step Introduction . This very accessible manual for the astronomer-artist covers a wide range of objects commonly observed by amateur astronomers, and has become one of my most frequently used and frequently recommended astronomy references. Of course, it includes a solid introduction to sketching features viewed on the Moon. But the Moon presents some unique challenges to the astronomer-artist, dear Selene being so fond of tricks of the light, and therefore deserves a more thorough treatment than a general manual of technique can provide. Sketching the Moon: An Astronomical Artist’s Guide, by five of the best lunar observer-artists working today, steps in to effectively fill this need. All the major types of lunar fea- tures are covered, with a variety of sketching techniques applied to each. These techniques are

vii viii Foreword explained and illustrated in ways that take the mystery out of artwork, rendering it (so to speak) more accessible to anyone interested in going farther than merely illustrating their notes. So, here we have at last the necessary instruction, neatly packaged and portable, that allows practice to make perfect. All you need now are a few art supplies and a clear moonlit night.

Thomas Watson Preface

Due to its proximity and lack of an obscuring atmosphere, our rocky, cratered, and lava-flooded Moon is the only celestial body that displays three-dimensional form on its surface when viewed through earthbound binoculars or telescopes. All other planets and their moons are either so distant or so cloud covered that there is virtually nothing in terms of tangible surface form to sketch or pho- tograph. In contrast, the Moon provides a surprisingly rich diversity of three-dimensional shapes and contours for the lunar sketcher. From the smallest crater to huge, circular mountain ranges built by basin-forming impact events, and the mare formed by lava flooding those basins, the Moon’s rugged and varied topography reflects the history and the violence of impacts and the secondary processes of volcanism. Lit by the Sun during the changing angles of the long lunar day, the dramatic play of shadows and light upon its features are fascinating to observe, sketch, or photograph throughout a lunation. We are fortunate to live in a period when reasonably priced telescopes and binoculars of good optical quality are available to almost everyone. Each can open lunar vistas of remarkable detail and drama. We can explore the Moon visually while recording the memories in the form of our sketches. Sketching the Moon’s complex features is an excellent way to become a better observer while exer- cising our sketching skills. Sketching gives us time with our subject, inviting us to take a concentrated look at its contours, highlights, and shading. As we observe the Moon, we are often surprised to see features that are puzzling due to lighting or topography. A sketch can capture that scene, helping us convey to others important details of what was noted. A good lunar sketch is a graphical representation of a visual observation. The strongest emphasis should be placed on “observation”, being that it is the basis of the activity. The level of concentration required for creating a sketch works to sharpen our observing skills; no activity does this more effi- ciently. Experience with our chosen media develops our technical abilities to represent those observa- tions. Sharing our sketches demonstrates our various personal styles and teaches us how others handle the subject and media. Observation experience and media mastery can yield excellent sketches, some of them quite wor- thy of being called art. However, it is very important to emphasize that we need only create as faithful a rendering as our seeing, equipment, and abilities allow. Creating a work of art is not the aim of lunar sketching, regardless of the fact that there are many who do that routinely! Lunar sketches can be as simple or as intricate as we each decide to make them. The only limits are imposed by time and reso- lution and, ultimately, our skill developed through practice and perseverance. When we put too much

ix x Preface emphasis on art, it can become quite intimidating to those who have limited experience. And to that extent, art can be exclusive rather than an invitation to the joys of observing. Choose a medium that attracts you the most and begin by reading and following the associated tutorials, starting with “Basic Sketching, A Place to Begin” for a brief instruction on outline sketching and shading. Do not worry about whether your sketch is “artistic” or not. Does it represent your observation? Then it is a good sketch! It’s as simple as that. Key to Map of Featured Targets*

1 Ch. 1.1 Craters Geminus and Bernoulli – E. Rix 2 Ch. 1.2 Crater Gassendi – T. McCague 3 Ch. 1.3 Crater Eratosthenes – S. Russell 4 Ch. 1.4 Crater Copernicus – D. Kelleghan Ch. 11.4.19 Crater Copernicus – C. Lee 5 Ch. 1.5 Crater Langrenus – R. Handy 6 Ch. 1.6 Crater Clavius – D. Kelleghan Ch. 11.4.9 Crater Clavius – C. Lee 7 Ch. 2.1 Mare Crisium – D. Kelleghan 8 Ch. 2.2 Palus Epidemiarum – S. Russell 9 Ch. 2.3 Mare Serenitatis – T. McCague 10 Ch. 3.1 Montes Apenninus – R. Handy 11 Ch. 3.2 Mons Pico and Montes Teneriffe – R. Handy Ch. 3.4 Mons Pico and Montes Teneriffe – S. Russell 12 Ch. 3.3 Montes Harbinger – T. McCague Ch. 11.4.7 Craters Aristarchus and Prinz – S. Russell 13 Ch. 4.1 Rima Hyginus – E. Rix 14 Ch. 4.2 Rima Ariadaeus, Rima Hyginus, Rimae Triesnecker – R. Handy Ch. 4.3 Rimae Triesnecker – T. McCague Ch. 11.3.3 Rima Ariadaeus and Crater Agrippa – P. Grego Ch. 11.4.10 Rima Ariadaeus – D. Holt 15 Ch. 4.4 Rima Cauchy, Rupes Cauchy with Tau and Omega Cauchy Domes – E. Rix Ch. 7.4 Rupes Cauchy – D. Kelleghan 16 Ch. 5.1 Dorsa Smirnov – R. Handy Ch. 5.2 Dorsa Smirnov – T. McCague 17 Ch. 5.3 Crater Arago and Environs – S. Russell 18 Ch. 6.1 Crater Kepler – E. Rix

xi xii Key to Map of Featured Targets

Ch. 6.2 Crater Kepler – T. McCague 19 Ch. 6.3 Crater Maginus – T. McCague 20 Ch. 6.4 Crater Tycho – D. Kelleghan 21 Ch. 7.1 Rupes Recta – E. Rix 22 Ch. 7.2 Scarp at Lacus Mortis – T. McCague 23 Ch. 7.3 Rupes Altai – S. Russell Ch. 7.5 Rupes Altai – R. Handy 24 Ch. 9.1 Mons Gruithuisen, Gamma and Delta – S. Russell 25 Ch. 9.2 Milichius and Hortensius Dome Fields – R. Handy 26 Ch. 11.2 Crater Theophilus – H. Roberts Ch. 11.4.6 Craters Theophilus, Cyrillus and Catharina – P. Mayhew Ch. 11.4.8 Crater Theophilus – E. Graff 27 Ch. 11.3.2 Sinus Iridum – P. Grego 28 Ch. 11.3.3 Craters Delisle and Diophantus – P. Grego 29 Ch. 11.3.4 Crater Parry – P. Grego 30 Ch. 11.4.1 Crater Petavius – C. E. Hernandez Ch. 11.4.11 Crater Petavius – R. Handy 31 Ch. 11.4.2 Mare Orientale – M. Rosolina 32 Ch. 11.4.4 Mare Imbrium near Aristillus and Autolycus – L. A. Hernandez 33 Ch. 11.4.5 Alpine Valley, Craters Aristillus, Eudoxus and Cassini – A. Massey 34 Ch. 11.4.12 Crater Maurolycus – C. E. Hernandez 35 Ch. 11.4.13 Crater Schiller compilation – S. Russell, M. Rosolina, R. Handy, E. Graff, J. Perez, E. Rix Ch. 11.4.15 Crater Schiller – D. Holt 36 Ch. 11.4.14 Crater Anaxagoras – D. Kelleghan 37 Ch. 11.4.16 Crater Ptolemaeus – L. A. Hernandez 38 Ch. 11.4.17 Crater Bullialdus – E. Rix 39 Ch. 11.4.18 Crater J. Herschel – H. Roberts 40 Ch. 11.4.20 Crater Plato – C. E. Hernandez *Note: Tutorial and Gallery Sketches of the whole Moon are not included xiv Key to Map of Featured Targets