© Alexander Massey.  Craters Aristarchus, Herodotus & Vallis Schröteri, 2012 February 4. C5, f/10, at 250x. This sketch was co-winner of the first RASC Astrosketchers' Contest.

L to R: James Edgar, Glenn Hawley, Colin Haig, Denis Grey, Deborah Thompson (Executive Director), Chris Gainor.

© Gordon Webster. Europa shadow transit, 2012 December 20. 120mm f/8.3 refractor, at 125x. This sketch was the co-winner of the first RASC Astrosketchers' Contest.

© Alexander Massey   I’m throwing my hat into the ring with this sketch of the crater Hercules and surrounds. An average night’s start ended with quite stable conditions to be able to see very fine details. A multitude of fine riles, escarpments and stunning long shadows along the terminator was a dramatic scene I could not resist.

© Alexander Massey   This sketch is of one of the brightest features on the Moon, the crater Aristarchus. The brilliantly illuminated internal western wall requires time to spy out the many fine details within it, otherwise these features would be washed out. A myriad of riles radiate out from this crater.

© Deirdre Kelleghan   First solar observation of 2012. Yes the main Active Region that morning looked very detailed, but the hedge proms on the east limb were outstanding, and very busy indeed. A long rope like filament arched upward above the chromosphere, whipped round the limb becoming that very dramatic feature the filaprom.

• East limb proms January 12th 2012 10:50 UT - 11:20UT
• PST 40 / 8mm TVP eyepiece / 50X. Seeing good.
• Pastel and Conte on black paper.
• Sketch is 9 inches X 4 inches on A4
• Bray, Co Wicklow Ireland

Naked-eye Moon Tantramar Marsh on 2012 January 2. Sketch © R.A. Rosenfeld.

Louise Racine ©  2012 October 13. White chalk on black paperboard.

Louise Racine © 2012 October 13. 12-inch Dob, 13mm ocular, 2x barlow. White chalk on black paperboard.