From: "Dave Moses" Newsgroups: sci.astro.amateur Subject: mini messier and northern lights Date: Sun, 2 Apr 2000 13:38:35 -0700 april 1-2 2000 emyvale, prince edward island, canada transperency var.fair-good seeing 6/10 things started out without much promise for my first messier marathon. it was cold and overcast for most of the day, and plans with the local astronomy club were cancelled. i headed out to the country anyway. and was glad i did. the skies cleared about 9pm... too late for M74, M77 and Andromeda & Co, from my location... but between 9 and midnight I was able to make my way through 64 of the 110 objects before cloud came in and closed me down. the bonus for the night was the display of northern lights. Covering about 45 degrees of the northern skies and rising as high as about 60 degrees by times. they went through many variations during the evening... first a low green curtain with a couple of high spikes then a wide band of green curtain, tinged with red at the top...finally around midnight a thick intense band of green about five degrees thick close to the northern horizon with a less intense but wider dancing curtain of lights above. i have to say that i'm glad the marathon season comes only once a year. it's great to get out their with friends and test yourself, but it isn't really my idea of a relaxing evening under the stars. that said, i can't wait to better my record next year. dave moses