Messier marathon
Encyclopedia
A Messier marathon is an attempt, usually organized by amateur
astronomer
s, to find as many Messier objects as possible during one night. The Messier catalogue was compiled by French astronomer Charles Messier
during the late 18th century and consists of 110 relatively bright deep sky objects (galaxies
, nebula
e, and star cluster
s).
, not all of the Messier objects are visible from the southern hemisphere. In particular, M81
, M82
, M52
, and M103
make southern-hemisphere Messier marathons difficult because they are all located at a declination of 60° north or greater. Although a Messier marathon can be attempted from any northern latitude, low northern latitudes are best. In particular, a latitude of around 25° north
lends the best possibility to complete a Messier marathon at the right time of year.
, it is possible to observe all Messier objects in one night during a window of a few weeks from mid-March to early April. In that period the dark nights around the time of the new moon are best for a Messier Marathon.
and the Milky Way's galactic center
) can prove to be challenging to an observer as well, and a Messier marathon will generally budget time for these regions accordingly.
as a special type of star party
. These are usually attempted at least once every year. Some clubs issue certificates either for participation or for achieving a set number of objects.
Amateur
An amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training....
astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
s, to find as many Messier objects as possible during one night. The Messier catalogue was compiled by French astronomer Charles Messier
Charles Messier
Charles Messier was a French astronomer most notable for publishing an astronomical catalogue consisting of deep sky objects such as nebulae and star clusters that came to be known as the 110 "Messier objects"...
during the late 18th century and consists of 110 relatively bright deep sky objects (galaxies
Galaxy
A galaxy is a massive, gravitationally bound system that consists of stars and stellar remnants, an interstellar medium of gas and dust, and an important but poorly understood component tentatively dubbed dark matter. The word galaxy is derived from the Greek galaxias , literally "milky", a...
, nebula
Nebula
A nebula is an interstellar cloud of dust, hydrogen gas, helium gas and other ionized gases...
e, and star cluster
Star cluster
Star clusters or star clouds are groups of stars. Two types of star clusters can be distinguished: globular clusters are tight groups of hundreds of thousands of very old stars which are gravitationally bound, while open clusters, more loosely clustered groups of stars, generally contain less than...
s).
When and Where a Marathon is Possible
The number of Messier objects visible in any one night varies depending on a few factors, including the location of the observer, the duration of daylight/nighttime, and the season (the positions of the Messier objects relative to the sun varies with the season).Location
Because Messier compiled his catalog from a northern latitudeLatitude
In geography, the latitude of a location on the Earth is the angular distance of that location south or north of the Equator. The latitude is an angle, and is usually measured in degrees . The equator has a latitude of 0°, the North pole has a latitude of 90° north , and the South pole has a...
, not all of the Messier objects are visible from the southern hemisphere. In particular, M81
Messier 81
Messier 81 is a spiral galaxy about 12 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major. Due to its proximity to Earth, large size and active galactic nucleus Messier 81 (also known as NGC 3031 or Bode's Galaxy) is a spiral galaxy about 12 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa...
, M82
Messier 82
Messier 82 is the prototype nearby starburst galaxy about 12 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major...
, M52
Messier 52
Messier 52 is an open cluster in the Cassiopeia constellation. It was discovered by Charles Messier in 1774. M52 can be seen from Earth with binoculars....
, and M103
Messier 103
Messier 103 is an open cluster where a few thousand stars formed in the constellation Cassiopeia. This open cluster was discovered in 1781 by Charles Messier’s friend and collaborator Pierre Méchain. It is one of the most distant open clusters, with distances of 8,000 to 9,500 light years from the...
make southern-hemisphere Messier marathons difficult because they are all located at a declination of 60° north or greater. Although a Messier marathon can be attempted from any northern latitude, low northern latitudes are best. In particular, a latitude of around 25° north
25th parallel north
The 25th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 25 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Africa, Asia, the Indian Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, North America and the Atlantic Ocean....
lends the best possibility to complete a Messier marathon at the right time of year.
Season
At low northern latitudes, particularly around latitude 25° north25th parallel north
The 25th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 25 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Africa, Asia, the Indian Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, North America and the Atlantic Ocean....
, it is possible to observe all Messier objects in one night during a window of a few weeks from mid-March to early April. In that period the dark nights around the time of the new moon are best for a Messier Marathon.
Other Times of Year
Less complete Messier Marathons can be undertaken at other times of the year, with the actual percentage of Messier objects seen depending upon season and location. In particular, there is a short period around the autumnal equinox when most of the objects can be seen.The Marathon
Typically an observer attempting a Messier marathon begins observing at sundown and will observe through the night until sunrise in order to see all 110 objects. An observer starts with objects low in the western sky at sunset, hoping to view them before they dip out of view, then works eastward across the sky. By sunrise, the successful observer will be observing the last few objects low on the eastern horizon, hoping to see them before the sky becomes too bright due to the rising sun. The evening can be a test of stamina and willpower depending on weather conditions and the physical fitness of the observer. Particularly crowded regions of the sky (namely, the Virgo ClusterVirgo Cluster
The Virgo Cluster is a cluster of galaxies whose center is 53.8 ± 0.3 Mly away in the constellation Virgo. Comprising approximately 1300 member galaxies, the cluster forms the heart of the larger Local Supercluster, of which the Local Group is an outlying member...
and the Milky Way's galactic center
Galactic Center
The Galactic Center is the rotational center of the Milky Way galaxy. It is located at a distance of 8.33±0.35 kpc from the Earth in the direction of the constellations Sagittarius, Ophiuchus, and Scorpius where the Milky Way appears brightest...
) can prove to be challenging to an observer as well, and a Messier marathon will generally budget time for these regions accordingly.
Organized Marathons
Marathons are typically organized by a local astronomy organization or astronomical societyAstronomical society
There are numerous groups devoted to promoting astronomy research and education. See, for example:* Amateur Astronomers Association Delhi * Amateur Astronomers Association of New York * Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh...
as a special type of star party
Star party
A star party is a gathering of amateur astronomers for the purpose of observing the sky. Local star parties may be one night affairs, but larger events can last up to a week or longer and attract hundreds or even thousands of participants. Many regional star parties are now held annually and are an...
. These are usually attempted at least once every year. Some clubs issue certificates either for participation or for achieving a set number of objects.
External links
- http://www.seds.org/messier/xtra/marathon/marathon.html
- http://www.astras-stargate.com/holdm.htm
- Peoria Astronomical Society's tips for participating in a Messier Marathon. Includes tips for preparations as well as for difficult portions of the marathon.
- Clickable table of Messier objects
- Short biography of Charles Messier and history of the Messier Object Catalog
- Iran Messier Marathon on NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day