Planning is underway for the 2012 KAS Messier Marathon. This is a great opportunity to view all the objects catalogued by Charles Messier 1771 – 1773 that took him 24 years to observe. Messier catalogued objects that he originally thought were comets, but could not confirm them as such. Basically these objects appeared to him as “faint fuzzies” but unlike comets, they never moved. Basically, his list of 110 objects were considered a hinderance by him.
Today, this list of objects are the most accessible and easiest to view objects in and around our galaxy. About 10 of them can be spotted with the naked eye, and the rest are al findable with even a fairly modest telescope. Every year during the new moon dark window in March, all but a few of these great objects is observable in just one night. The window this year runs roughly between March 19th and March 28th. It takes the entire night to see them all, and we here in the upstate NY area can see all but 1-2 objects that rest on the extreme southern skyline.
The objective here would be that the KAS gather on the first clear night during that window at Kopernik Observatory & Science Center. So far there is interest with at least 5-6 KAS members. This will be a Kopernik Astronomical Society ONLY event.
Here is a list of references for preparing, planning and executing a Messier Marathon:
- Introduction to Messier Marathons (Richard Bell)
- Messier Checklist (SEDS)
- Star Hopping Guide to the Messier Marathong Text (Rob Hawley)
- Star Hopping Guide to the Messier Marathon Charts (Rob Hawley)
NOTE: If you are interested in joining the KAS please email us kas’AT’kopernikastro.org
Here is a great list of all the objects that can be viewed in the marathon night:
No. | M# | NGC# | Con | Type |
1 | M77 | 1068 | Cet | G S |
2 | M74 | 628 | Psc | G S |
3 | M33 | 598 | Tri | G S |
4 | M31 | 224 | And | G S |
5 | M32 | 221 | And | G E |
6 | M110 | 205 | And | G E |
7 | M52 | 7654 | Cas | OCl |
8 | M103 | 581 | Cas | OCl |
9 | M76 | 650 | Per | Pl |
10 | M34 | 1039 | Per | OCl |
11 | M45 | – | Tau | OCl |
12 | M79 | 1904 | Lep | Gl |
13 | M42 | 1976 | ori | DN |
14 | M43 | 1982 | Ori | DN |
15 | M78 | 2068 | Ori | DN |
16 | M1 | 1952 | Tau | SNR |
17 | M35 | 2168 | Gem | OCl |
18 | M37 | 2099 | Aur | OCl |
19 | M36 | 1960 | Aur | OCl |
20 | M38 | 1922 | Aur | OCl |
21 | M41 | 2287 | CMa | OCl |
22 | M93 | 2447 | Pup | OCl |
23 | M47 | 2422 | Pup | OCl |
24 | M46 | 2437 | Pup | OCl |
25 | M50 | 2323 | Mon | OCl |
26 | M48 | 2548 | Hya | OCl |
27 | M44 | 2632 | Cnc | OCl |
28 | M67 | 2628 | Cnc | OCl |
29 | M95 | 3351 | Leo | G S |
30 | M96 | 3368 | Leo | G S |
31 | M105 | 3379 | Leo | G E |
32 | M65 | 3623 | Leo | G S |
33 | M66 | 3627 | Leo | G S |
34 | M81 | 3031 | UMa | G S |
35 | M82 | 3034 | UMa | GIr |
36 | M97 | 3587 | UMa | Pl |
37 | M108 | 3556 | UMa | G S |
38 | M109 | 3992 | UMa | G S |
39 | M40 | – | UMa | 2St |
40 | M106 | 4258 | CVn | G S |
41 | M94 | 4736 | CVn | G S |
42 | M63 | 5055 | CVn | G S |
43 | M51 | 5194 | CVn | G S |
44 | M101 | 5457 | UMa | G S |
45 | M102? | 5866 | Dra | GS0 |
46 | M53 | 5024 | Com | Gl |
47 | M64 | 4826 | Com | G S |
48 | M3 | 5272 | CVn | Gl |
49 | M98 | 4192 | Com | G S |
50 | M99 | 4254 | Com | G S |
51 | M100 | 4321 | Com | G S |
52 | M85 | 4382 | Com | GS0 |
53 | M84 | 4374 | Vir | GS0 |
54 | M86 | 4406 | Vir | GS0 |
55 | M87 | 4486 | Vir | G E |
56 | M89 | 4552 | Vir | G E |
57 | M90 | 4569 | Vir | G S |
58 | M88 | 4501 | Com | G S |
59 | M91 | 4548 | Com | G S |
60 | M58 | 4579 | Vir | G S |
61 | M59 | 4621 | Vir | G E |
62 | M60 | 4649 | Vir | G E |
63 | M49 | 4472 | Vir | G E |
64 | M61 | 4303 | Vir | G S |
65 | M104 | 4594 | Vir | G S |
66 | M68 | 4590 | Hya | Gl |
67 | M83 | 5236 | Hya | G S |
68 | M5 | 5904 | Ser | Gl |
69 | M13 | 6205 | Her | Gl |
70 | M92 | 6341 | Her | Gl |
71 | M57 | 6720 | Lyr | Pl |
72 | M56 | 6779 | Lyr | Gl |
73 | M29 | 6913 | Cyg | OCl |
74 | M39 | 7092 | Cyg | OCl |
75 | M27 | 6853 | Vul | Pl |
76 | M71 | 6838 | Sge | Gl |
77 | M107 | 6171 | Oph | Gl |
78 | M12 | 6218 | Oph | Gl |
79 | M10 | 6254 | Oph | Gl |
80 | M14 | 6402 | Oph | Gl |
81 | M9 | 6333 | Oph | Gl |
82 | M4 | 6121 | Sco | Gl |
83 | M80 | 6093 | Sco | Gl |
84 | M19 | 6273 | Oph | Gl |
85 | M62 | 6266 | Oph | Gl |
86 | M6 | 6405 | Sco | OCl |
87 | M7 | 6475 | Sco | OCl |
88 | M11 | 6705 | Sct | OCl |
89 | M26 | 6694 | Sct | OCl |
90 | M16 | 6611 | Ser | OCl |
91 | M17 | 6618 | Sgr | DN |
92 | M18 | 6613 | Sgr | OCl |
93 | M24 | >6603 | Sgr | OCl |
94 | M25 | I4725 | Sgr | OCl |
95 | M23 | 6494 | Sgr | OCl |
96 | M21 | 6531 | Sgr | OCl |
97 | M20 | 6514 | Sgr | DN |
98 | M8 | 6523 | Sgr | DN |
99 | M28 | 6626 | Sgr | Gl |
100 | M22 | 6656 | Sgr | Gl |
101 | M69 | 6637 | Sgr | Gl |
102 | M70 | 6681 | Sgr | Gl |
103 | M54 | 6715 | Sgr | Gl |
104 | M55 | 6809 | Sgr | Gl |
105 | M75 | 6864 | Sgr | Gl |
106 | M15 | 7078 | Peg | Gl |
107 | M2 | 7089 | Aqr | Gl |
108 | M72 | 6981 | Aqr | Gl |
109 | M73 | 6994 | Aqr | 4St |
110 | M30 | 7099 | Cap | Gl |
Type Key: OCl=Open Cluster Gl=Globular Cluster Pl=Planetary Nebula DN=Diffuse Nebula G S=Spiral Galaxy G E=Elliptical Galaxy GIr= Irregular Galaxy GS0=Lenticular Galaxy SNR=Super Nova Remnant 2St=Binary Star 4St=4 Star System
Thanks to the member of the KAS for the information for this post: Frank, George, Art, Keith, etc…