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Bill Ferris: Cosmic Voyage - Messier Marathon Search Sequence

Messier Marathon

by Bill Ferris

Observing List

I observed all 110 Messier objects on back-to-back nights, March 23-24 and 24-25, 2001, at the All-Arizona Messier Marathon. The observations were made between 7:30pm and 5:10am both nights, including a break for a nap. Adjusting for the nap, that's an average of one object every five minutes. I mention this to illustrate the fact that a well-ordered observing list is essential to a successful Messier Marathon.

A Messier Marathon is a sprint from object to object. You won't have a lot of time to enjoy them. This kind of observing is often not very fun and you're not required to participate. But marathoning does offer some benefits to those who participate. It challenges you as an observer, develops your star hopping technique and your familiarity with the night sky. When you're done, you will have observed most--possibly every--Messier object. Some amateur astronomers never get that far, even after years in the hobby. Finally, a Messier Marathon can be a great social activity. There's nothing like an all-night observing session with a hundred backyard observers to cement a lifelong interest in the hobby.

A well thought out observing list is essential to a well-run marathon. It will allow you to observe all or part of the night. If you want to break for a snack, to chat with some friends or simply to gaze at the stars with the unaided eye, you can easily rejoin the hunt at any place on your list. Additionally, your observing list can be used any clear night of the year. I keep mine always at the ready with my other charts. There's nothing better than observing a few bright Messier objects to recharge the batteries after hunting down 13th magnitude galaxies all night.

My list is a combination of one published in Don Machholz's Messier Marathon Observer's Guide and another published in the March 1994 issue of Astronomy magazine. It should be suitable for any observer located between 30 degrees and 40 degrees north latitude. The list is divided into seven sections or stages according to the time of night each group of objects is best observed. My list also includes a scheduled nap break.

Stage 1: The Evening Objects (7:45pm to 8:30pm)

Order   Messier  Const.   RA        Dec.    Type  Mag.   Size
  #       #                 (2000.0)              (V)  (arc min)
  1      M45      Tau   3h 47.0m   24 07'   OC   1.2     110
  2      M42      Ori   5h 35.4m   -5 27'   DN   ---    66x60
  3      M43      Ori   5h 35.6m   -5 16'   DN   ---    20x15
  4      M103     Cas   1h 33.2m   60 42'   OC   7.4      6
  5      M52      Cas  23h 24.2m   61 35'   OC   6.9     13
  6      M76      Per   1h 42.4m   51 34'   PN  12.2P     1
  7      M34      Per   2h 42.0m   42 47'   OC   5.2     35
  8      M31      And   0h 42.7m   41 16'  Gal   3.5   178x63
  9      M32      And   0h 42.7m   40 52'  Gal   8.2     8x6
 10      M110     And   0h 40.4m   41 41'  Gal   8.0    17x10
 11      M33      Tri   1h 33.9m   30 39'  Gal   5.7    62x39
 12      M77      Cet   2h 42.7m   -0 01'  Gal   8.8     7x6
 13      M74      Psc   1h 36.7m   15 47'  Gal   9.2    10x10
My evening sequence is unconventional and a bit risky. It is based on the order in which the Messier objects emerge through the darkening sky. This sequence has worked well for me during past marathons. However, getting hung up on any of the first ten objects could result in M74 and M77 slipping below the horizon before you get to them. First-time marathoners, observers at sites with an obstructed northwest horizon, and late-season marathoners may be better served by a more traditional sequence.

The Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS) Messier Marathon section includes links to pages with more traditional search orders. Check these out and see which one works best for you.

Stage 2: The Winter Objects (8:30pm to 9:30pm)

Order   Messier  Const.   RA        Dec.    Type  Mag.   Size
  #       #                 (2000.0)              (V)  (arc min)
 14      M79      Lep   5h 24.5m  -24 33'   GC   8.0      9
 15      M78      Ori   5h 46.7m    0 03'   DN   ---     8x6
 16      M1       Tau   5h 34.5m   22 01'   DN   ---     6x4
 17      M35      Gem   6h 08.9m   24 20'   OC   5.1     28
 18      M38      Aur   5h 28.7m   35 50'   OC   6.4     21
 19      M36      Aur   5h 36.1m   34 08'   OC   6.0     12
 20      M37      Aur   5h 52.4m   32 33'   OC   5.6     24
 21      M41      CMa   6h 47.0m  -20 44'   OC   4.5     38
 22      M93      Pup   7h 44.6m  -23 52'   OC   6.2     22
 23      M50      Mon   7h 03.2m   -8 20'   OC   5.9     16
 24      M47      Pup   7h 36.6m  -14 30'   OC   4.4     30
 25      M46      Pup   7h 41.8m  -14 49'   OC   6.1     27
 26      M48      Hya   8h 13.8m   -5 48'   OC   5.8     54
 27      M44      Cnc   8h 40.1m   19 59'   OC   3.1     95
 28      M67      Cnc   8h 50.4m   11 49'   OC   6.9     30

Stage 3: The Spring Objects (9:30pm to 11:00pm)

Order   Messier  Const.   RA        Dec.    Type  Mag.   Size
  #       #                 (2000.0)              (V)  (arc min)
 29      M95      Leo  10h 44.0m   11 42'   Gal  9.7     7x5
 30      M96      Leo  10h 46.8m   11 49'   Gal  9.2     7x5
 31      M105     Leo  10h 47.8m   12 35'   Gal  9.3     5x4
 32      M65      Leo  11h 18.9m   13 05'   Gal  9.3    10x3
 33      M66      Leo  11h 20.2m   12 59'   Gal  9.0     9x4
 34      M81      UMa   9h 55.6m   69 04'   Gal  6.9    26x14
 35      M82      UMa   9h 55.8m   69 41'   Gal  8.4    11x5
 36      M108     UMa  11h 11.5m   55 40'   Gal 10.1     8x3
 37      M97      UMa  11h 14.8m   55 01'   PN  12.0P     3
 38      M109     UMa  11h 57.6m   53 23'   Gal  9.8     8x5
 39      M40      UMa  12h 22.4m   58 05'   DS   8.0      1
 40      M106     CVn  12h 19.0m   47 18'   Gal  8.3    18x8
 41      M94      CVn  12h 50.9m   41 07'   Gal  8.2    11x9
 42      M63      CVn  13h 15.8m   42 02'   Gal  8.6    12x8
 43      M101     UMa  14h 03.2m   54 21'   Gal  7.7    27x26
 44      M51      CVn  13h 29.9m   47 12'   Gal  8.4    11x8
 45      M102     UMa  15h 06.5m   55 46'   Gal  9.8     5x2
 46      M53      Com  13h 12.9m   18 10'   GC   7.7     13
 47      M64      Com  12h 56.7m   21 41'   Gal  8.5     9x5
 48      M3       Com  12h 40.0m  -11 37'   Gal  8.3     9x4

Stage 4: The Virgo Cluster (11:00pm to 12:00am)

Order   Messier  Const.   RA        Dec.    Type  Mag.   Size
  #       #                 (2000.0)              (V)  (arc min)
 49      M98      Com  12h 13.8m   14 54'   Gal 10.1    10x3
 50      M99      Com  12h 18.8m   14 25'   Gal  9.8     5x5
 51      M100     Com  12h 22.9m   15 49'   Gal  9.4     7x6
 52      M85      Com  12h 25.4m   18 11'   Gal  9.2     7x5
 53      M84      Vir  12h 25.1m   12 53'   Gal  9.3     5x4
 54      M86      Vir  12h 26.2m   12 57'   Gal  9.2     7x6
 55      M87      Vir  12h 30.8m   12 24'   Gal  8.6     7x7
 56      M89      Vir  12h 35.7m   12 33'   Gal  9.8     4x4
 57      M90      Vir  12h 36.8m   13 10'   Gal  9.5    10x5
 58      M88      Com  12h 32.0m   14 25'   Gal  9.5     7x4
 59      M91      Com  12h 35.4m   14 30'   Gal 10.2     5x4
 60      M58      Vir  12h 37.7m   11 49'   Gal  9.8     5x4
 61      M59      Vir  12h 42.0m   11 39'   Gal  9.8     5x3
 61      M60      Vir  12h 43.7m   11 33'   Gal  8.8     7x6
 63      M49      Vir  12h 29.8m    8 00'   Gal  8.4     9x7
 64      M61      Vir  12h 21.9m    4 28'   Gal  9.7     6x6
 65      M104     Vir  12h 40.0m  -11 37'   Gal  8.0     8x3
 66      M68      Hya  12h 39.5m  -26 45'    GC  8.2     12
 67      M83      Hya  13h 37.0m  -29 52'   Gal  8.0    11x10

Stage 5: Nap Time (12:00am to 2:00am)

Stage 6: The Summer Objects (2:00am to 4:00am)

Order   Messier  Const.   RA        Dec.    Type  Mag.   Size
  #       #                 (2000.0)              (V)  (arc min)
 68      M5       Ser  15h 18.6m    2 05'   GC   5.8     17
 69      M13      Her  16h 41.7m   36 28'   GC   5.9     17
 70      M92      Her  17h 17.1m   43 08'   GC   6.5     11
 71      M57      Lyr  18h 53.6m   33 02'   PN   9.7P     1
 72      M56      Lyr  19h 16.6m   30 11'   GC   8.3      7
 73      M29      Cyg  20h 23.9m   38 32'   OC   6.6      8
 74      M39      Cyg  21h 32.2m   48 26'   OC   4.6     32
 75      M27      Vul  19h 59.6m   22 43'   PN   7.6P     6
 76      M71      Sge  19h 53.8m   18 47'   GC   8.3      7
 77      M107     Oph  16h 32.5m  -13 03'   GC   8.1     10
 78      M12      Oph  16h 47.2m   -1 57'   GC   6.6     15
 79      M10      Oph  16h 57.1m   -4 06'   GC   6.6     15
 80      M14      Oph  17h 37.6m   -3 15'   GC   7.6     12
 81      M4       Sco  16h 23.6m  -26 32'   GC   5.9     26
 82      M80      Sco  16h 17.0m  -22 59'   GC   7.2      9
 83      M9       Oph  17h 19.2m  -18 31'   GC   7.9      9
 84      M19      Oph  17h 02.6m  -26 16'   GC   7.2     14
 85      M62      Oph  17h 01.2m  -30 07'   GC   6.6     14
 86      M7       Sco  17h 53.9m  -34 49'   OC   3.3     80
 87      M6       Sco  17h 40.1m  -32 13'   OC   4.2     15
 88      M11      Sct  18h 51.1m   -6 16'   OC   5.8     14
 89      M26      Sct  18h 45.2m   -9 24'   OC   8.0     15
 90      M16      Ser  18h 18.8m  -13 47'   DN   ---    35x28
 91      M17      Sgr  18h 20.8m  -16 11'   DN   ---    46x37
 92      M18      Sgr  18h 19.9m  -17 08'   OC   6.9      9
 93      M24      Sgr  18h 16.9m  -18 29'   OC   4.5   120x40
 94      M25      Sgr  18h 31.6m  -19 15'   OC   4.6     32
 95      M23      Sgr  17h 56.8m  -19 01'   OC   5.5     27
 96      M21      Sgr  18h 04.6m  -22 30'   OC   5.9     13
 97      M20      Sgr  18h 02.6m  -23 02'   DN   ---    29x27
 98      M8       Sgr  18h 03.8m  -24 23'   DN   ---    90x40
 99      M28      Sgr  18h 24.5m  -24 52'   GC   6.9     11
100      M22      Sgr  18h 36.4m  -23 54'   GC   5.1     24
101      M69      Sgr  18h 31.4m  -32 21'   GC   7.7      4
102      M70      Sgr  18h 43.2m  -32 18'   GC   8.1      8
103      M54      Sgr  18h 55.1m  -30 29'   GC   7.7      9
104      M55      Sgr  19h 40.0m  -30 51'   GC   7.0     19
105      M75      Sgr  20h 06.1m  -21 55'   GC   8.6      6

Stage 7: The Morning Objects (4:00am to Sunrise)

Order   Messier  Const.   RA        Dec.    Type  Mag.   Size
  #       #                 (2000.0)              (V)  (arc min)
106      M15      Peg  21h 30.0m   12 10'   GC   6.4     12
107      M2       Aqr  21h 33.5m   -0 49'   GC   6.5     13
108      M72      Aqr  20h 53.5m  -12 32'   GC   9.4      6
109      M73      Aqr  20h 59.0m  -12 38'   OC   8.9P     3
110      M30      Cap  21h 40.4m  -23 11'   GC   7.5     11
Tom Polakis, a regular contributor to Astronomy magazine, suggests a somewhat altered order in his Morning Sequence. Tom suggests observers at higher latitudes consider moving M15 ahead of the Sagittarius objects. M15 is at a much higher declination than the Sagittarius objects. This makes M15 attainable earlier than the southern-most Messiers in Sagittarius. Also, Tom suggests you consider moving M55 closer to the end. His order places this globular cluster next to last, right before M30. M55 is at a southerly declination and is a difficult morning object for observers at latitudes of 40 degrees north or higher.


Layout, design & revisions © W.D. Ferris
Revised: March 29, 2002 [WDF]


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