[AZ-Observing] A Messier Marathon!!!
- From: Andrew Cooper <acooper@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: AZ-Observing <az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, TAAA Forum <taaaforum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 13 Mar 2005 15:24:38 -0700
Carter and I marathoned together at Arizona City, often racing on
objects and comparing scores through the night. I had meant to quietly
work on H400 galaxies in Virgo, but Carter sucked me into marathoning
with him. Great night with good transparency and for once this winter
and sping, NO clouds. Seeing was great at sunset with wonderful views
of Saturn while we waited for full dark. The seeing deteriorated badly
after dark with cool and warm breezes warring over the site. But
transparency is what you want for a perfect marathon which is what we got.
I managed to stay ahead of Carter most of the night using my 18" while
he was using a 10". Acually parts of the marathon are much harder with
a big scope, particularly the Virgo cluster where a big scope sees all
of the dimmer galaxies and not just the M's you want. I used the
setting circles only to confirm objects a few times, so both of us ran
this one manually. We ran on purist rules, Telrad and charts are the
only tools allowed! No GOTO!
Later in the night Carter found my weakness, the 18" could not depress
below 5 degrees elevation, so he could get objects coming over the
horizon before I did, after that he was ahead most of the time. Except
a few occasions when guile won out against youthful enthusiasm and
young, sharp eyesight.
In the end we both scored a 109, the best that was possible with M30
being impossible. We had to work on M74, M73 and M72 together to be
sure, but the spottings were confirmed by both of us.
All in all a great marathon!!!
Andrew
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