Date: Sat, 28 Mar 1998 22:03:53 -0500
From: Penny Fischer
To: astro
Subject: [ASTRO] Obj: Mini Messier Marathon - Inst: Orion 8 inch DSE, 10 x 50 Nikon Lookout Binos


Observer: Penny Fischer
Your skills: Intermediate (some years)
Date/time of observation: 7-9:30 p.m. ET
Location of site: Central NJ USA (Lat 40 N, Elev )
Site classification: Suburban
Sky darkness: 4.5 <Limiting magnitude>
Seeing: 7 <1-10 Seeing Scale (10 best)>
Moon presence: None - moon not in sky
Instrument: Orion 8 inch DSE, 10 x 50 Nikon Lookout Binos
Magnification: 47X and 94 X  {2X barlow}
Filter(s):
Object(s): Mini Messier Marathon
Category: Other
Class:
Constellation: Many
Data: mag   size
Position: RA :  DEC :
Description:
Started my mini Messier at sunset. As I am not going to do it all night (as
some astronomers do late in March!) I wanted to list what I did see in two
and a half hours of observing.

Skies were exceptionally clear tonight.  I was hoping to get to our dark
sky site for our regular observing, but had to stay here in my very
surburban backyard.  Still, the conditions were quite clear, no moon, and
very little upper level turbulence.

Objects seen in order were: M42, 43, 44, 45, 35, 36, 37, 38, 103, 41, 78,
50,1,46, 47, 81, 82.

A few footnotes here...I tried and tried for M33 32 and 31.  Conditions
were so soupy and twilight washed in that area that in this surburban site
with trees it was impossible as was a stab at M74 and M79.  Also, could not
locate M51 tonight with my Dob but have found this galaxy impossible and
have not found it at all since moving here over a year ago.

However, would like to note that MANY of the above mentioned objects were
found with binoculars, using close to the same power that Messier probably
did as well as Mechain on their discovery sessions...M81 and 82 were found
using a bit of imagination with binoculars and then confirmed
telescopically...M1 was found
using binoculars only as this nebula gets very washed out under scope
views.

Also seen although not Messier was the Rosette Nebula and Christmas tree
cluster.  Also, the large open cluster of Coma Berenices.  I would say the
prettiest object tonight was M50.

Also of note (and I promise this is it!) was the fact that there was a lot
of nebulosity surrounding almost all major stars in the constellation Orion
tonight.

Anyone else trying for this Marathon?  Mine was just a mini, would love to
hear about other ones.

Happy spring everyone :)

Penny