Messier Marathon Weekend 2004 - March 20-21, 2004

Messier Marathon Weekend 2004 - March 20-21, 2004

The Messier Marathon presents an opportunity to view the entire Messier List in
one night. Each Spring, the period around the Spring Equinox on March 21 allows
observers to view all 110 of the Messier objects in one observing session. In
2004, the new moon weekend falls on March 20-21, allowing for a full night of
observing. During other weekends in March and April, the appearance of the moon
during part of the night will hinder observers from viewing the whole list.

To make your Messier Marathon more fun and rewarding, the AAAA has provided our
Messier Marathon Packet in Adobe Acrobat 3.0 PDF format. Our packet contains a
checklist and observing sheet for you to use to keep track of your
observations. This is intended to be a fun project, so observing and recording
on the checklist is done on the honor system. Finding objects and sharing
observations with other observers is OK.

http://www.corvus.com/marathon.htm

You may use any size telescope or binoculars for the Marathon, since the object
is to SEE the object, rather than to OBSERVE and LOG it. For this reason, it is
OK to use setting circles and other electronic devices, even though such
observations would not qualify you for the Astronomical League's Messier
Certificate.

Start with M77 right after sunset, and continue on to M30 just before dawn. Use
your own star charts and maps to help you find the individual objects if you do
not already know where they are. You will find there will be periods of
inactivity while you wait for the next object to come up, and periods of
frantic activity trying to find that one last object before it sets. While the
objective is to see all 110 objects, a very difficult project, whatever total
number of objects you observe will be a successful night. And if you do not see
all of the objects in one night, you can always try again next year!

You do not have to conduct you own Messier Marathon on the dates indicated.
These are just the ideal weekend dates for 2004. You can observe anytime during
March or April that you have an opportunity to be out. The objects will be up!

This is a great club project for any astronomy club. Get your friends together
and go out and observe!

Ed Flaspoehler, President
American Association of Amateur Astronomers
http://www.astromax.com

call me an amateur (hey that is what this NG is about right?) but what is a
"Messier?"



--
35deg42'S; 174deg19'E
"EFLASPO" wrote in message
...
Messier Marathon Weekend 2004 - March 20-21, 2004

The Messier Marathon presents an opportunity to view the entire Messier
List in
one night. Each Spring, the period around the Spring Equinox on March 21
allows
observers to view all 110 of the Messier objects in one observing session.
In
2004, the new moon weekend falls on March 20-21, allowing for a full night
of
observing. During other weekends in March and April, the appearance of the
moon
during part of the night will hinder observers from viewing the whole
list.

To make your Messier Marathon more fun and rewarding, the AAAA has
provided our
Messier Marathon Packet in Adobe Acrobat 3.0 PDF format. Our packet
contains a
checklist and observing sheet for you to use to keep track of your
observations. This is intended to be a fun project, so observing and
recording
on the checklist is done on the honor system. Finding objects and sharing
observations with other observers is OK.

http://www.corvus.com/marathon.htm

You may use any size telescope or binoculars for the Marathon, since the
object
is to SEE the object, rather than to OBSERVE and LOG it. For this reason,
it is
OK to use setting circles and other electronic devices, even though such
observations would not qualify you for the Astronomical League's Messier
Certificate.

Start with M77 right after sunset, and continue on to M30 just before
dawn. Use
your own star charts and maps to help you find the individual objects if
you do
not already know where they are. You will find there will be periods of
inactivity while you wait for the next object to come up, and periods of
frantic activity trying to find that one last object before it sets. While
the
objective is to see all 110 objects, a very difficult project, whatever
total
number of objects you observe will be a successful night. And if you do
not see
all of the objects in one night, you can always try again next year!

You do not have to conduct you own Messier Marathon on the dates
indicated.
These are just the ideal weekend dates for 2004. You can observe anytime
during
March or April that you have an opportunity to be out. The objects will be
up!

This is a great club project for any astronomy club. Get your friends
together
and go out and observe!

Ed Flaspoehler, President
American Association of Amateur Astronomers
http://www.astromax.com

s:
call me an amateur (hey that is what this NG is about right?) but what is a
"Messier?"

OK, I'll call you an amateur -- just like everyone else here.

As for Charles Messier and his catalogue, please see
http://www.synapticsystems.com/sky/messier.html.

Davoud

--
usenet *at* davidillig dawt com

s wrote:

call me an amateur (hey that is what this NG is about right?) but what is a
"Messier?"

In the context of the original posting, this refers to the list of over 100
objects which the 18th Century French Astronomer Charles Messier created. He
put together the list so that observers who were hunting for comets would not
mistakenly think that they had found a comet when all they had found was one
of these Deep-Sky objects. Some of these objects Messier discovered while
others were ones he observed but were first reported by others. Interestingly
enough, few people remember Messier for his comet discoveries, but they do
remember him for creating that list, as it contains some of the most prominent
deep-sky objects visible from the northern hemisphere. The Messier Marathon
is an attempt to see as many Messier objects as a person can in only one night
of observing. Clear skies to you.
--
David W. Knisely
Prairie Astronomy Club: http://www.prairieastronomyclub.org
Hyde Memorial Observatory: http://www.hydeobservatory.info/

**********************************************
* Attend the 11th Annual NEBRASKA STAR PARTY *
* July 18-23, 2004, Merritt Reservoir *
* http://www.NebraskaStarParty.org *
**********************************************

so "Messier's" are only visible from Northern Hemisphere? Darn, see my
signature below, I'm pretty darn far from the Northern Hemisphere. Any
bright spark compiled a list of southern hemisphere delights?

--
35deg42'S; 174deg19'E


"David Knisely" wrote in message
.. .
s wrote:

call me an amateur (hey that is what this NG is about right?) but what
is a
"Messier?"

In the context of the original posting, this refers to the list of over
100
objects which the 18th Century French Astronomer Charles Messier created.
He
put together the list so that observers who were hunting for comets would
not
mistakenly think that they had found a comet when all they had found was
one
of these Deep-Sky objects. Some of these objects Messier discovered while
others were ones he observed but were first reported by others.
Interestingly
enough, few people remember Messier for his comet discoveries, but they do
remember him for creating that list, as it contains some of the most
prominent
deep-sky objects visible from the northern hemisphere. The Messier
Marathon
is an attempt to see as many Messier objects as a person can in only one
night
of observing. Clear skies to you.
--
David W. Knisely
Prairie Astronomy Club: http://www.prairieastronomyclub.org
Hyde Memorial Observatory: http://www.hydeobservatory.info/

**********************************************
* Attend the 11th Annual NEBRASKA STAR PARTY *
* July 18-23, 2004, Merritt Reservoir *
* http://www.NebraskaStarParty.org *
**********************************************

s posted:

so "Messier's" are only visible from Northern Hemisphere? Darn, see my
signature below, I'm pretty darn far from the Northern Hemisphere. Any
bright spark compiled a list of southern hemisphere delights?

No, many of the Messier Objects are visible from the southern Hemisphere,
depending on your local latitude. You might find some of those north of +50
degrees declination difficult to impossible to see, but there are lots of
others farther south than this. As far as southern objects, there are a lot
of real gems that we up here in the north would just love to see (Eta Carinae,
Coal Sack, the Jewel Box, the Magellanic Clouds, ect.). The Caldwell list has
some of these in it, although again, its a "whole-sky" listing, so those north
of +50 deg. declination you may not see. Clear skies to you.
--
David W. Knisely
Prairie Astronomy Club: http://www.prairieastronomyclub.org
Hyde Memorial Observatory: http://www.hydeobservatory.info/

**********************************************
* Attend the 11th Annual NEBRASKA STAR PARTY *
* July 18-23, 2004, Merritt Reservoir *
* http://www.NebraskaStarParty.org *
**********************************************

s:
so "Messier's" are only visible from Northern Hemisphere? Darn, see my
signature below, I'm pretty darn far from the Northern Hemisphere. Any
bright spark compiled a list of southern hemisphere delights?
35deg42'S; 174deg19'E

Once again, I have the honour of referring you to
http://www.synapticsystems.com/sky/messier.html. I add
http://www.seds.org/messier/, http://messier45.com, and
http://messier45.com/listgen/messier_links.html.

Davoud

--
usenet *at* davidillig dawt com

so "Messier's" are only visible from Northern Hemisphere? Darn, see my
signature below, I'm pretty darn far from the Northern Hemisphere. Any
bright spark compiled a list of southern hemisphere delights

35deg42'S; 174deg19'E

Mid-July is the best window for Messier marathoning from your latitude. There's
a new Moon the weekend of July 17, 2004 and 100 Messier objects will be above
your horizon during late twilight or full darkness.

Regards,

Bill Ferris
"Cosmic Voyage: The Online Resource for Amateur Astronomers"
URL: http://www.cosmic-voyage.net
=============
Email: Remove "ic" from .comic above to respond

awesome, thank you very much. Guess I better get myself a scope b4 mid July.
Almost bought one this month, but finances have run a little tight (had to
splash out on a new PC for the business instead), maybe I could afford one
by April.

--
35deg42'S; 174deg19'E


"Bill Ferris" wrote in message
...
so "Messier's" are only visible from Northern Hemisphere? Darn, see my
signature below, I'm pretty darn far from the Northern Hemisphere. Any
bright spark compiled a list of southern hemisphere delights

35deg42'S; 174deg19'E

Mid-July is the best window for Messier marathoning from your latitude.
There's
a new Moon the weekend of July 17, 2004 and 100 Messier objects will be
above
your horizon during late twilight or full darkness.

Regards,

Bill Ferris
"Cosmic Voyage: The Online Resource for Amateur Astronomers"
URL: http://www.cosmic-voyage.net
=============
Email: Remove "ic" from .comic above to respond

c (Bill Ferris) wrote in message ...
snip

On a different topic, I am trying to interest a friend in Arizona in
this. He has a small Meade 4" reflector with an autocontroller. Is
there a Meade autocontroller program somewhere that I can download
that will drive the Messier sequence for him? - Thanks Kurt