Re: Messier Marathoning
From: Sketcher (sketcher_at_strangeweb.net)
Date: 02/28/05
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Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2005 20:40:03 -0700
In answer to my own questions:
>Who plans on bagging as many Messier objects as they can this month?
Count me in -- if I can manage to stay awake!
>What instrument(s) do you plan on using?
My primary instrument will be a 13cm f/6 refractor. 25x100 binoculars
may be used for those objects that hide behind trees, etc. from where
the refractor is set up.
>At what magnification(s)?
A 30x eyepiece providing a 2.1 degree true field will be in the scope
for most, if not all of the session.
>>From what location (sky darkness, elevation, latitude)?
I'll most likely make the attempt from my rural backyard (somewhere in
the neighborhood of magnitude 6.0) at an elevation of 3,000 feet. My
latitude is approximately 45 degrees north.
>On what date(s)?
Next weekend with the following two weekends as backups. Earlier
clear evenings will be used to 'get the hang of' bagging those first
few troublesome Messiers. If I get ambitious I'll even try for some
morning preview sessions!
>Alone or with others?
As with most sessions, I'll be observing alone.
>Have you attempted a Messier Marathon before? Outcome?
I can recall only one attempt that started out seriously. I don't
recall the year; but it wasn't too far back. IIRC, shortly after
checking off the Virgo galaxies a warm bed became too much to resist.
Sometimes the option of hitting different groups of objects on
different nights seems to be the more reasonable approach; but then it
wouldn't be a single, all-night marathon!
Sketcher
To sketch is to see.
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