Munros and Messiers: a modest proposal

Many readers will be aware that Sir Hugh Munro in 1891 published a list
of mountains in Scotland over 3000 feet high. These are numbered in
descending order of height in the Scottish Mountaineering Club guide in
the format M1, M2 etc (so Ben Nevis is M1). There are 284 Munros in the
current list.

I propose that a club should be formed of those who have observed each
of the 110 Messier objects from the corresponding peak so that for
instance the Orion Nebula should be observed from M42, Tom a'Choinich
in Glen Affric and the Pleiades from M45, Meall A' Bhuiridh in Glen
Attive. A full numbered list of Munros can be found at
http://www.nigelspencer.co.uk/web-pa...o-list-all.htm
Membership of the club will be awarded on the posting to this group of
a list giving dates and observing notes. It would be hard to think of a
more stringent test of hill craft, night navigation, discriminating
choice of optical equipment (with special reference to portability),
stamina and of course complete idiocy.

I propose that a club should be formed of those who have observed each
of the 110 Messier objects from the corresponding peak

Let us know when you've completed the list.

;-)

Chuck Taylor
Do you observe the moon? If so, try
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lunar-observing/

If you enjoy optics, try
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ATM_Optics_Software/
*********************************************

Or how about observing Messier objects from the corresponding motorway (as a
passenger, of course - driving with a mobile teleSCOPE would be even more
dangerous than with a mobile telePHONE)? Spotting them against the glare of
the motorway lighting would be a real challenge!

"Robert L" wrote in message
oups.com...
Many readers will be aware that Sir Hugh Munro in 1891 published a list
of mountains in Scotland over 3000 feet high. These are numbered in
descending order of height in the Scottish Mountaineering Club guide in
the format M1, M2 etc (so Ben Nevis is M1). There are 284 Munros in the
current list.

I propose that a club should be formed of those who have observed each
of the 110 Messier objects from the corresponding peak so that for
instance the Orion Nebula should be observed from M42, Tom a'Choinich
in Glen Affric and the Pleiades from M45, Meall A' Bhuiridh in Glen
Attive. A full numbered list of Munros can be found at

http://www.nigelspencer.co.uk/web-pa...o-list-all.htm
Membership of the club will be awarded on the posting to this group of
a list giving dates and observing notes. It would be hard to think of a
more stringent test of hill craft, night navigation, discriminating
choice of optical equipment (with special reference to portability),
stamina and of course complete idiocy.

Or how about observing Messier objects from the corresponding motorway

A neat treble can be achieved by observing the Pleiades from the M45 in
a Subaru, Subaru being Japanese for The Pleiades (hence the stars on
the badge)

I knew the English (British in defference to other nations) were
eccentric......

Pierre MK-UK

Some machine guns have M numbers as well. A sucessful observation could be
signaled by firing a stream of tracer bullets into the air from the
appropriately numbered gun.

Garry