From: Fred Rains Date: Tue Apr 4, 2017 Subject: Messier Marathon results BAS We had a great time last Saturday night. Our primary date the previous Saturday was rained out but this weekend was great. Clear and temps in the low 50's. 17 folks showed up and survived the coffee and delicious but not exactly health-wise snacks. We had two members who found 108 out of the 110. One of them using a 6 inch newtonian and the other an 8 inch newtonian. Also on the field were 12 and 14 inch dobs, a 4 inch APO, a 10 inch Meade LX200, a smattering of other 8 inch dobs and SCTs, and the clubs C14 A week old moon in Taurus made M1 a little more challenging than usual but other than an occasional cloud or two we didn't have much to complain about. I split my time between helping newcomers and helping some of the other club members get our two new scopes going. And the new C14 gave some great views of Jupiter as well as the Messier objects. We also took in comet 41P T-G-K in Draco's tail. Nice large faint glow. I ended up with a little over 50 objects and the rest did a little better and a little worse. Those of us who stayed till sunup were disappointed as M30 hid behind low clouds on the horizon. To show that God has a mean sense of humor - those clouds dissipated just before sunrise. Waiting on next year, Fred