NJAA 2018 Members Only Messier Marathon

Following up on the fun we’ve had at our other observing nights, the NJAA will hold a Messier Marathon this year at the observatory.  Come out and try to bag all the Messier objects in a single night!

The date will be: starting Saturday evening March 17, going through Sunday morning March 18.

Unfortunately there is no great rain-out date this year so if the weather is bad it will have to be a no-go. Lets hope that the weather is better this year than it has been in recent years.

All are welcome, any skill level, as are all types of equipment from binoculars to dobs, to go-tos, to scopes you borrow from the club, to NJAA's 26-inch!

It will take all night, dusk till dawn, to see the most Messier objects, but you can stay for just the beginning, up to the ~2 AM break, or until morning twilight.

The observatory will be open all night for coffee, resting, naps, and to get warm.

Of course you can just wing it, but to see the most objects it would be best to do some studying first.
http://messier.seds.org/xtra/marathon/marathon.html is an excellent resource to get yourself ready. 

Below are 3 PDF resources that you can click to download.
1. Messier Marathon Complete List
2. Messier Marathon Mini Early Bird List
3. Messier Marathon Binocular List

They are the recommended search sequence from Don Machholz's "Messier Marathon Observers Guide", as well as other Messier lists; pick the one that suits you most to bring to the marathon. Bob has used the spiral bound "Messier Marathon Observers Guide" since NJAA's first marathon in 1995. If you can still get it, he highly recommends it. In any case, there are lots of tips (Dress warmly! Make sure all your equipment is working!) and also alternative search sequences on the web site above. It is a wealth of information.

Clear skies, 
Bob Cava
Dave Nelson
Liz Seibel