2005 Messier Marathon

[tfwthom]

March 11th & 12th Messier Marathon Weekend (if we ever see any stars again) 109 objects possible<br /><br />http://www.seds.org/messier/xtra/marathon/marathon.html <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1" color="#3366ff">www.siriuslookers.org</font> </div>

 

[tfwthom]

Just a reminder to get out this weekend and try a Messier Marathon. <br /><br />Check with your local clubs to see if they are hosting one. The SEDS website was down so not every club listed theirs. (I was unable to list our clubs)<br /><br />http://www.seds.org/messier/xtra/marathon/mm2005.html <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1" color="#3366ff">www.siriuslookers.org</font> </div>

 

[scomil39]

Our club "Lipan Astronomy and Space Society"<br />http://lipan.net/~rradd/ is meeting tommorow night<br />for a Marathon. Last year I bagged about 25 objects between dusk and midnight. And I was using the old chart and star hop method. Had help on a few of them from some "goto" folks <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <br /><br />Good Luck

 

[tfwthom]

I personally don't marathon, I use my LX90's computer to help others confirm their finds. I think it's unfair to use the computer to find the objects (if you have aligned the scope right how can miss) I set up the FS128 for people to get great views of whatever planets are out (Saturn and Jupiter should be fun) I will set up the TV85 for someone that doesn't have a scope and wants to use it.<br /><br />For me it's a social thing, just getting out, no astrophotography this weekend. Looks like we are finally going to have some nice weather here. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1" color="#3366ff">www.siriuslookers.org</font> </div>

 

[scomil39]

The LX90 is an 8" Mead?<br />I have a Celestron C8 / CG5 mount<br />The TV85 is a Televue?<br />FS128 ? 5" Refractor?<br /><br />Ditto on the weather. We 've had a run of bad weather the last few months.<br /><br /><br /><br />

 

[tfwthom]

Right<br /><br />The LX90 is an 8" SCT Meade<br />The TV85 is a TeleVue refractor (Gibralter mount or LXD55 depends on what I feel like))<br />The FS128 is Takahashi refractor (G11 mount) <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1" color="#3366ff">www.siriuslookers.org</font> </div>

 

[tfwthom]

Well did anyone get a chance to marathon?<br /><br />We had about 30 people show up to our clubs event outside Sedona Arizona. This included 5 visitors from Michigan (Lansing area) and 3 Canadians (RCAS Toronto Centre) that were visiting. Tony Horvatin (RCAS Toronto Centre) ended up using my TV85 but he arrived a bit late so just socialized/observed and didn't marathon.<br /><br />The skies ended up clear but the seeing wasn't the best. (Friday night was actually better) I used my LX-90 to help most find M-74 because of the Moon. (couldn't see enought stars to starhop)<br /><br />A good time was had by all. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1" color="#3366ff">www.siriuslookers.org</font> </div>

 

[nevers]

Hi Thom - <br /><br />Nope, I didn't do the Marathon. I did finally get out though and went to Valley of Fire: the horizons there do not permit enough of a view to get all the Messier objects. I just worked on my 13th magnitude galaxies: I found about 50 new ones I hadn't seen before. My "best" find was a planetary nebula in Hercules - NGC 6058. I'd been searching for it for over a year.

 

[scomil39]

We had about 10 people at our get together. I wound up helping some beginners get started and then got really tired later in the night about 1:00 a.m. so I didnt do alot of marathoning. Our club president logged 100 of 109 Messier objects.