Date: Thu, 2 Apr 1998 04:56:21 -0700 From: Hartmut Frommert Subject: Failed Messier Marathon Report My first personal attempt to run a Messier Marathon lately on March 31, 1998 from Konstanz/Germany failed infamously in horizon haze and upcoming fog which prevented me from observing any objects near horizon, and made it difficult to get even brighter objects at increasing altitudes as time proceded. Having the equipment (6-inch refractor f/10, for our purpose equipped with a 60-mm eyepiece giving a great view, normally, even for objects like M33, plus a 3.5-inch refractor f/6; also had a 10x50 binoculars handy, as usual) up timely, on the roof of our university, I was able to observe the Lunar terminator going over the Moon crater Messier, which then appeared to be a good introduction to the intended Messier Marathon, just around and after sunset (occurring at 19:44 local [summer] time). Considerations of a possible additional planetary marathon were the first thing that ended in the horizon haze which made it impossible to observe any objects below about 4 degrees altitude, as I could not get Mercury, Mars, Saturn here. Also I later lost M74, 77, and 33 in that haze. First deepsky object visible was the Hyades (in the binoculars) at 20:26, shortly after the first stars got visible as dusk proceded, with apparently the Moon just heading for them to occult them a night later. The first Messier object to glimpse was the Pleiades M45, and I used the binoculars for a quick sidestep to the Alpha Persei Moving Cluster, and the Double Cluster, h&Chi Persei, all before 21:00. Around that time, I located M31 first with the binoculars, then with the refractors. Perhaps I lost too much time to try also M33, and finally it was difficult to see M32 when I returned to the Andromeda Galaxy around 21:25, while I got only a suggestion of M110. I proceded to M76, which was faint but clearly visible, end quickly took splendid M34, small but easy M103, and M52 - oh those faint stars there ! M52 was difficult under the conditions given, a first sign that trouble might come up for the marathon session. M79 was plainly hopeless - I had lost too much time so that the haze had eaten the globular. For that northern latitude, it should be taken earlier in the sequence ! Great and easy, of course, M42 ! The Trapezium was clearly resolved, and much structure in this great splendor visible, and faint M43 at its side .. M78 was tough, as viewing conditions turned worse. M41, again, was really difficult now; it is usually one of the most impressive open clusters but this evening was not going to become one of THESE nights. I feared for M1, but the Crab Nebula was quite an easy execise again. Perhaps the greatest of this evening, M35 ! What a view, with NGC 2158 well resolved and visible in the same field ! I hurried on to the Auriga clusters, M37, 36, and 38: all fine and easy. Returning to Sirius and M41, conditions turned worse and worse, and M93, again, was impossible to be seen in the haze and fog. Limiting mag had turned to as bad as about 3rd magnitude when I finally managed to star-hop to M47 and M46 - M47 is easy with its brighter stars, but M46 was again difficult - nevertheless a nicely scattered showpiece - of course, no planetary this time. I finally gave up on M50 and M48, and took a last quick look with the binoculars for the fine opens in Cancer, M44: of course very impressive, M67: small but nice in the binoculars. Because of the uncomfortable viewing conditions I didn't try to procede to any of the galaxies to come now (meanwhile 22:45), but infamously gave up this my first personal Marathon attempt, with a scanty poor score of 20-21 Messiers [count 110 or not], far less than one of those summer-evening sessions with Virgo Cluster or Galactic Center region in the sky, even with a pair binoculars alone in the latter case - just unlucky with the weather this time. Lessons learned: Take M79 earlier in the sequence, and don't lose too much time with M33 if it is impossible. Will try again next year .. - hartmut