Planning a messier Marathon

Just wondering if anyone has done this in Ireland, and if there are any peculiarities in terms of the suggested order of targtets. Would we be ok to start with M74 and 77. we are planning to do the marathon on paddys weekend.
Thanks

Hi Trevor,

Have a look at Mark Stronge's report of the East Antrim Astronomical Society's Messier Marathon in 2006. It's at www.eaas.co.uk/news/20060303_mm.html

I think about 100 objects is the best you'll get from here. I put up some MM software in the FILES section a good while ago but have forgotten where! It's a little program called messmara.zip (might be able to Google it) which calculates the number of Messier objects visible on a particular night from your selected location.

The SEDS web page at www.seds.org/messier/xtra/marathon/marathon.html has tons of information for Marathoner's.

Your plan to start with M74/M77 is ideal as they'll disappear quickly into the twilight. The SEDS pages give the sequence to follow but I'd also recommend Harvard Pennington's Messier Marathon book. I'll bring it down to Cosmos if you plan to be there and let you have a look through it.

Clear skies!

John

Thanks John

As always a fountain of knowledge. I just ran that programme and it seems that on 18march we should be able to get 100. That programme also is using astronomical twilight as the cut off point so maybe a few more might be possible.

It also says that from 10th to 16th april 104 may be possible. However new moon occurs on 17th April, so another opportunity presents itself then.

No problem Trevor.

You've got me tempted now to do a Marathon though all my plans came to naught in Turkey (that's more because of the great sessions in the pub near the Hillside Su!!!)

I never got around to dropping you a note about navigating the Virgo Cluster. Some good hints and links at www.seds.org/messier/more/virgo.html The best chart however that I've come across is that in Eric Karkoschka's "Observer's Sky Atlas". The star sizes are nice and small and the chart proved a breeze to use when star hopping with the 22x100s a year ago (until I kicked the tripod and lost the field!)

John

Hi John

I think Virgo will be a head wrecker for me, I hope to at east have some practice at it before the night. I am also thinking about what instrument to use for the Marathon. I was thinking about using the 20X80's or the 90mm refractor for navigating virgo purely because I will not see as much as with the 8". What do you think.

Hi Trevor

I think the binos will be ideal, I observed the entire Messier catalogue with 25x100s and from a clear site all will be visible.

What's the focal length of the 90mm?

Paul