How to prepare for a Messier Marathon

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How to prepare for a Messier Marathon

• by Ken Anderson

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What is a Messier Marathon?

• Special time of year when all 109-110 Messier
  objects are visible during the same night, and an
  individual or group of astronomers attempt to
  find all (or most) on that New Moon night (or
  closest weekend).
• Between March and April. Between 40 North and
  -20 South Latitude.
• Not the longest night (late Dec) 12 hrs 45 min
  (530PM-615AM), but March would be better than
  April.
• John Kirchhoff normally sets up a March Messier
  Marathon at Lake Hudson for all the local clubs
  Working together with a group makes it more
  enjoyable and team support keeps you going.

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Strategy

1. Good Site
2. When
3. Equipment
4. Training/Practice
5. Messier Object Summary

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1. Good Site

• Dark skies (Lake Hudson, Mich Thumb, UP)
• Low horizons (W (evening), S, E (morning))
  Lake Hudson Beach Site
• Between 40 North and -20 South Latitude
• Low traffic (headlights, public distractions).
• Good weather.
• Comradery (Lake Hudson)

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Lake Hudson 3/17-18/2007
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Lake Hudson 3/17-18/2007
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2. When

• March-April
• New Moon Night
• Closest Weekend to New Moon Night
• Scheduled Event (Lake Hudson)

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No. of Messier Visible by Month Lattitude
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3. Equipment

• Nothing New! Be familiar with all your equipment
  (scope, finder, eyepieces, filters, binos,
  charts, atlas, books, etc) This is not the time
  to try our or learn new equipment
• Ensure Telrad and finder are aligned at least the
  day before.
• Arrive Early Setup and Laser culmination before
  dusk or when it gets completely dark.
• Use wide TFOV eyepiece (30mm 82 AFOV) to enable
  you to quickly find objects so you can check them
  off this is not the time to study objects (save
  that for other days).
• Switch eyepieces if they get dewed up or iced up.
  
• Dress Warm Hunters/Ski clothing, Insulated
  Boots, Hunters gloves where index finger only can
  stick out for the small screws, hand/feet warmers
  (prevent quitting because you got cold).

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4. Training/Practice

• Learn constellations that Messier Objects are in
  (and/or constellations stars that will assist
  you).
• Observe objects as often as possible.
• Practice the starting objects at least one month
  before (i.e. M74, M77, M31/M32/M110, and M33).
  Use UW binos to help locate stars at the
  beginning!
• Practice the ending objects before they go behind
  the sun in winter (M55, M75, M15, M2, M72, M73,
  and M30). Use UW binos to help locate stars near
  the end!
• Practice Virgo-Coma Cluster Often (M49, M59/M60,
  M58, M84/M86, M87, M88, M89, M90, M91, M98, M99,
  M100, M85)
• Harvard Penningtons Year Round Messier Marathon
  Field Guide Must for Marathon! I tabbed M
  numbers, and listed chart orders for all other
  months (Penningtons off season chart is too
  small for night reading with red flashlight)
• Stephen James OMearas Deep Sky Companions The
  Messier Objects to learn objects (not really
  used during marathon, except for black white
  drawings)
• Brent Watsons Laminated Telrad Finder Charts of
  The Messier Objects Must for Telrad Owners
  during Marathon!
• Sky Tel Laminated Messier Card Must for
  Marathon!
• Sky Atlas 2000 to learn sky and constellation
  objects Not used during Marathon, except
  possibly the Virgo cluster page.

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Training Jan-Jun Chart Order
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Training July-Dec Chart Order
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First M74

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Second M 2nd
M77
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Last M30?

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5. Messier Objects (14 Types)

• Charles Messier (1730-1817) Pierre Mechain
  3.5-7.75 telescopes, Paris
• 38 Galaxies
• 1 Double Galaxy (M51)
• 1 Galaxy Nucleus (M54)
• 28 Globular Clusters
• 25 Open Clusters
• 6 Nebulous Clusters
• 1 Milky Way Bright Patch Star
  Window(Cloud)
• 1 Possible Asterism (M73)
• 1 Double Star (M40)
• 4 Planetary Nebula Use Ultrablock and/or
  OIII
• 1? Emission Nebula (M43) M42/M43, M8, M20,
  M17 Use Ultrablock
• 1 Reflection Nebula (M78) Use Skyglow
• 1 Supernova Remnant (M1) Use Ultrablock
• 1 Duplication (M102)
• 110 Total Messier Objects

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6. Errors Found in References

• Harvard Penningtons Year Round Messier Marathon
  Field Guide No picture for M95 in Leo (Use
  OMeara to Identify).
• Brent Watsons Laminated Telrad Finder Charts
  of The Messier Objects Map for M105 and
  M95/M96 are switched make a note on the charts!

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M95
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Lake Hudson 3/17-18/2007Last Men Standing at Dawn
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• Questions
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