NOVAC MESSIER MARATHON 2011
•CHARLES MESSIER (French, 1730-1817)
•COMET HUNTER, FOUND 20 IN HIS LIFETIME
•FIRST LIST OF FAINT CELESTIAL OBJECTS THAT WERE NOT COMETS
•1758 to 1782
•THE RECONSTRUCTED LIST INCLUDES 110 OBJECTS SUCH AS….
Tarus
NOVAC MESSIER MARATHON 2010
WHAT IS A MESSIER MARATHON?
IN MARCH – APRIL ALL 110 MESSIER OBJECTS ARE VISIBLE IN ONE NIGHT (EXCEPT FOR M30 AT THIS LATITUDE)
OBSERVE AS MANY MESSIER OBJECTS AS YOU CAN IN 1 NIGHT USING ONLY MEMORY AND STAR CHARTS TO LOCATE EACH OBJECT
OFFICIALLY NO GOTO BUT THIS IS FOR FUN SO USE YOUR OWN RULES!
LOCATION AND DATE :
NOVAC PUBLIC EVENT
CROCKETT PARK – MARCH 12 (RAIN DATE MARCH 26)
BUT THE MARATHON CAN BE DONE ANY WHERE
NEW MOON ON MARCH 5, MOS AT GREAT MEADOW
STRATEGIES
USE STAR CHARTS (ON WEB), RED DOT FINDER AND MAGNIFYING FINDERSCOPE TO LOCATE OBJECTS
(EXCEPT FOR SMALL WIDE FIELD REFRACTORS)
http://www.novac.com/messier/messier_marathoners.php
Mars
Saturn
M1
M31M32
M33M34
M35
M36M37
M38
M39
M40
M41
M42M43
M44M45
M46M47
M48
M50
M51
M52M63
M64
M65M66
M67
M74
M76
M77
M78
M79
M81M82
M84
M85
M86M87
M91
M93
M94
M95M96
M97
M98
M101
M102
M103
M105
M106
M108
M109
M110
0
1
2
3
4
5
>5
N
S
E W
messier.apd 3/8/2008 7:00 PM
NEW MOON
0.5°
EW
N
S
M74
M74 (The Phantom) Mag: 9.80 PosAngle: 25° Size: 10'x9.4' [Galaxy]
ID: M74 Name: The Phantom RA: 01h 36m 42s Dec: +15°47'12" FOV: 7.0°
ASTROPLANNER (FREE DOWNLOAD VERSION INCLUDES MESSIER CATALOG)
http://www.ilangainc.com/astroplanner/
Cartes du Ciel Sky Charts
http://www.stargazing.net/astropc/
STRATEGIES
VIRGO CLUSTER - MANY FAINT GALAXIES CLOSE TOGETHER
USE VIRGO CLUSTER STAR CHARTS A(ON WEB)
CHARTS ARE INTENDED TO BE USED WITH
LOW POWER WIDE FIELD TELESCOPE OR
FINDERSCOPE (10X 7-4 DEGREE FOV)
http://www.novac.com/messier/messier_marathoners.php
Mars
Saturn
M1
M3
M5
M10M12
M13
M14
M29
M35
M36
M37
M38
M39
M40
M44
M46M47
M48M49
M50
M51
M52
M53
M56
M57
M58M59M60
M61
M63
M64
M65M66
M67
M68
M76
M80
M81M82
M83
M84M85
M90
M92
M93
M94
M95
M97
M98
M101
M102
M103
M104
M106
M107
M108
M109
0
1
2
3
4
5
>5
N
S
E W
messier.apd 3/9/2008 1:00 AM
1°
EW
N
S
M49
M58M59
M60
M86M84
M89M87
M90
M88 M91
M98
M99
M100
M85
RA: 12h 29m 21s Dec: +12°58'45" FOV: 12.0°
virgo reverse horizontal.pdf
1°
E W
N
S
M49
M58M59
M60
M86M84
M89M87
M90
M88M91
M98
M99
M100
M85
RA: 12h 29m 21s Dec: +12°58'45" FOV: 12.0°
virgo.pdf
1°
EW
N
S
M49
M58M59
M60
M86M84
M89M87
M90
M88 M91
M98
M99
M100
M85
RA: 12h 29m 21s Dec: +12°58'45" FOV: 12.0°
virgo-reverse-horizontal-vertical.pdf
SAGITTARIUS
MANY MESSIER OBJECTS TO CLOSE TO CLEARLY SEEON A STAR CHART OF THE ENTIRE SKY
http://www.novac.com/messier/messier_marathoners.php
MercuryVenus
Jupiter
Neptune
Pluto
M2
M3
M4
M5
M6M7
M8
M9
M10M11
M12
M13
M14
M15
M16M17
M18
M19M20
M21M22
M26
M27
M28
M29
M30
M31M32
M34
M39
M40
M49
M51
M52
M53
M54M55
M56M57
M58
M59
M61
M62
M63
M64
M65M66
M69M70
M71
M72M73
M76
M80
M81M82
M83
M84
M85
M87
M92
M94
M97
M98
M101
M102
M103
M104
M105
M106
M107
M108
M109
M110
M75
0
1
2
3
4
5
>5
N
S
E W
messier.apd 3/9/2008 6:30 AM
SAGITTARIUS
2°
E W
N
S
M6
M7
M8
M9
M10
M11
M14
M16
M17
M18
M19
M20M21
M22
M23M24
M25
M26
M28
M54M55
M62
M69M70
Pluto
Name: From sky chart RA: 18h 18m 08s Dec: -20°02'56" FOV: 40.0°
SAGITTARIUS
STRATEGIES
GET THERE EARLY
READY TO OBSERVE AT DUSK
USE A LIST TO CHECK OFF OBJECTS IN PROPER ORDER (marathon-list-worksheet.pdf)
http://www.novac.com/messier/messier_marathoners.php
Mars
Saturn
M1
M31M32
M33M34
M35
M36M37
M38
M39
M40
M41
M42M43
M44M45
M46M47
M48
M50
M51
M52M63
M64
M65M66
M67
M74
M76
M77
M78
M79
M81M82
M84
M85
M86M87
M91
M93
M94
M95M96
M97
M98
M101
M102
M103
M105
M106
M108
M109
M110
0
1
2
3
4
5
>5
N
S
E W
messier.apd 3/8/2008 7:00 PM
NEW MOON
My Messier Marathon===================
Date: ___. ____ _____ Observer: ______________
Location: ____________ Lat: _____ Long: ______ Time Zone: ______
Instruments used: _______________________________________________________
General Comments: _______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
The Object List:================
No. M# NGC# Con Type Your# Time Comments
1. M77 1068 Cet G S _____ __:__ ________________________________
2. M74 628 Psc G S _____ __:__ ________________________________
3. M33 598 Tri G S _____ __:__ ________________________________
STRATEGIES
WHAT TO BRING?
WARM CLOTHING (DO NOT FORGET THE FEET-INSULATED BOOTS )
ALARM CLOCK
PROVISIONS