[AZ-Observing] 2005 MESSIER MARATHON INFO

Here it is in a nutshell courtesy of our friend from the Southern Regions,
Andrew Cooper. Thanks Andrew!

2005 All Arizona Messier Marathon
March 12, 2005 - Arizona City

It is time again for our yearly exercise in speed observing, a Messier
Marathon!  Maybe finding all of the Messier objects in one night is a
little crazy, but it is also a lot of fun.  A great exercise for old and
new observers.  This allows you to practice skills such as learning the
sky, recognizing magnitudes, starhopping and using your equipment.

It looks like it will be possible to do 108 or 109 objects this year
with the tough ones being M77, M74, M39 and M29 with M30 being next to
impossible.  Since the new moon is early in Messier season this year the
evening objects should be well up at twilight, but a setting moon will
increase the challenge.

    Sunset    6:37pm
    Twilight    7:55pm
    Moonset    9:19pm and is 2.68 days old
    Twilight    5:18am
    Sunrise    6:36am

If you don't want to MM, and only about half the participants do,  it is
still a great start party with good company, dark skies and lots of
scopes.  Either way come and join us at the Farnsworth Ranch south of
Arizona City.  I suspect that with all of the recent rains the site will
be less dusty that normal.

Directions...   (32d27'45.2"N  111d43'53.2"N)
    1) Take I-10 to Exit 200, Sunland Gin Road
    2) Turn south after exiting the freeway
    3) After about 15 miles the road turns sharply to the west
    4) After another four miles the road will turn south just after the
"Silverbell Estates" signs
    5) Three miles past the signs, the road will veer off to the west
    6) Continue on the main road for another five miles, where it passes
through an open gate
    7) Take an immediate left after the gate and continue for 0.7 miles
    8) Take the next right onto a road that leads into an 'abandoned' field

Complete information and map at
http://www.saguaroastro.org/content/messier.htm.  Site information and
directions can also be found at
http://www.siowl.com/ObservingSites/html/obsarizonacity.html

I enjoy reading Charles Messier's original descriptions of these objects
and comparing them to the view in my own scope as I go.  Even a small
modern scope (like my MM veteran 6" RFT newtonian) will put shame to the
descriptions.  The text of Messier's original article as published in
1784 (with the additions) can be found at
http://www.seds.org/messier/xtra/history/m-cat.html.  Print them out,
its only a few pages, and bring them with you.

See you there!

Andrew

Jack Jones
Public Events Coordinator
Saguaro Astronomy Club
Phoenix AZ
Telescoper@xxxxxxx
www.saguaroastro.org


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