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Messier Marathon 2005

  • Click HERE to read about the Messier Marathon
  • Click HERE to View the Messier Marathon List
  • Click HERE to review Doug Kniffen's alternate list
  • Click HERE to download the Messier Marathon PDF file

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Messier Marathon Object List
Messier Marathon Alternate List

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Messier Marathon Object List
Messier Marathon Alternate List

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AL Messier LogoMessier Marathon 2005
Maps and Recording Sheets

Based on the
Messier Marathon Observer’s Guide
by Don Machholz

Primary Date: March 11-12, 2005

Doug Kniffen's Messier Marathon 
Alternate Observing Order

If you want to post it and share it with the other club members, the re-arranged list I use is attached. This version is most expedient for observers who use Sky Atlas 2000. I recently acquired a pair of 20X80's that are being used for Messier hunting. M76 is pretty iffy, but everything else that's up more than ten degrees before 11:00 p.m. has been easy. M74 and M77 were not much of a problem three weeks ago, but they're hopeless now. The list could probably use some revision for other observers sites (trees, hills, latitude). 

Don't know if I'll be able to pull an "all nighter" come new Moon, last time I tried, the attempt left me feeling "hung over" for four days. So I probably won't try the full marathon (again) this year. Maybe I'm just getting too old, or it could be the fact that it's necessary to get up before 6:00am every day of the year. 

The list works well for the evening objects if using S.A. 2000. The object coordinates have been truncated because I don't use setting circles or computers to locate, and the shorter number sequence is also easier to read at very low (green!) light levels.

Doug Kniffen, AAAA
dk@usmo.com

The Messier Marathon Search Sequence 
for 20X80 mm Binoculars

====================================

M# NGC# Con Chart# R.A. Dec. B.Mag. Size Type Dist. K ly
M74 628 Psc 10 01:36 +15:47 8.5 10'x9' 6 32000
M77 1068 Cet 10 02:42 -00:01 8.9 7'x6' 6 47000
M31 224 And 4 00:42 +41:16 3.4 180'x60' 6 2300
M32 221 And 4 00:42 +40:52 8.2 8'x6' 8 2300
M110 205 And 4 00:40 +41:41 8.0 21'x11' 7 2300
M33 598 Tri 4 01:33 +30:39 5.7 71'x42' 6 2300
M34 1039 Per 4 02:42 +42:45 5.2 25' 1 1.45
M45 - Tau 4 03:47 +24:06 1.5 120' 1 0.407
M79 1904 Lep 19 05:24 -24:31 7.7 6' 2 43
M41 2287 CMa 19 06:46 -20:45.3 4.5 40' 1 2
M93 2447 Pup 19 07:44 -23:51 6.2 10' 1 3.6
M52 7654 Cas 3 23:24 +61:36 6.9 16' 1 5.1
M103 581 Cas 1 01:33 +60:39 7.4 6' 1 8.13
M76 650 Per 1 01:42 +51:34 10.1 67" 3 3.9
M42 1976 Ori 11 05:35.3 -05:23 3.7 90'x60' E 1.5
M43 1982 Ori 11 05:35.6 -05:16 6.8 20'x15' 4 1.5
M78 2068 Ori 11 05:46.7 +00:03 8.0 8'x6' 5 1.63
M1 1952 Tau 5 05:34.5 +22:01 8.0 6'x4' H 6.5
M35 2168 Gem 5 06:09.0 +24:21 5.1 25' 1 2.8
M37 2099 Aur 5 05:52.3 +32:33 5.6 15' 1 4.4
M36 1960 Aur 5 05:36.3 +34:08 6.0 10' 1 4.1
M38 1922 Aur 5 05:28.7 +35:51 6.4 15' 1 4.2
M47 2422 Pup 12 07:36 -14:29 5.7 25' 1 5.5
M46 2437 Pup 12 07:41 -14:49 6.1 20' 1 5.3
M50 2323 Mon 12 07:02 -08:23 5.9 15' 1 3.3
M48 2548 Hya 12 08:13 -05:45 5.8 30' 1 2.0
M44 2632 Cnc 12 08:40 +19:40 3.1 72' 1 0.515
M67 2682 Cnc 12 08:51 +11:49 6.0 25' 1 2.6
M95 3351 Leo 13 10:44 +11:42 9.7 7'x5' 11 26500
M96 3368 Leo 13 10:46 +11:49 9.2 7'x5' 6 26500
M105 3379 Leo 13 10:47 +12:35 9.3 5'x4' 7 26000
M65 3623 Leo 13 11:18 +13:05 8.8 9'x2' 6 24000
M66 3627 Leo 13 11:20 +12:59 9.0 9'x4' 6 21500
M81 3031 UMa 2 09:55 +69:04 6.9 26'x14' 6 45000
M82 3034 UMa 2 09:55 +69:41 8.4 11'x4' 9 17000
M97 3587 UMa 2 11:14 +55:01 9.9 17' 3 1.63
M108 3556 UMa 2 11:11 +55:40 10.0 8'x2' 6 46000
M109 3992 Uma 2 11:57 +53:23 9.8 7'x4' 11 55000
M40 Win4 UMa 2 12:22 +58:05 9.0/9.6 0.8* C 0.51*
M101 5457 UMa 2 14:03 +54:21 7.9 28'x26' 6 17.500
M102* 5866 Dra 2 15:06 +55:46 10.0 5'x2' D 40000
M106 4258 CVn 7 12:19 +47:18 8.3 18'x7' 6 22000
M94 4736 CVn 7 12:50 +41:07 8.2 11'x9' 6 14000
M63 5055 CVn 7 13:15 +42:02 8.6 12'x7' 6 23500
M51 5194 CVn 7 13:29 +47:12 8.4 11'x6' 6 15000
M64 4826 Com 7 12:56 +21:41 8.5 10'x5' 6 13500
M3 5272 CVn 7 13:42 +28:22 5.9 19' 2 32.0
M98 4192 Com 14 12:13 +14:54 10.1 9'x2' 6 55000
M99 4254 Com 14 12:18 +14:25 9.9 5'x4' 6 55000
M100 4321 Com 14 12:22 +15:49 9.3 7'x6' 655000
M85 4382 Com 14 12:25 +18:11 9.1 7'x5' 10 55000
M84 4374 Vir 14 12:25 +12:53 9.1 6'x5' 7 55000
M86 4406 Vir 14 12:26 +12:57 8.9 8'x5' 7 55000
M87 4486 Vir 14 12:30 +12:24 8.6 8'x6' 7 55000
M89 4552 Vir 14 12:35 +12:33 9.7 5'x4' 7 55000
M90 4569 Vir 14 12:36 +13:10 9.5 9'x4' 6 55000
M88 4501 Com 14 12:32 +14:25 9.6 6'x3' 6 55000
M91 4548 Com 14 12:35 +14:30 10.1 5'x4' 11 55000
M58 4579 Vir 14 12:37 +11:49 9.6 5'x4' 11 55000
M59 4621 Vir 14 12:42 +11:39 9.6 5'x3' 7 55000
M60 4649 Vir 14 12:43 +11:33 8.8 7'x6' 7 55000
M49 4472 Vir 14 12:29 +08:00 8.4 10'x8' 7 55000
M61 4303 Vir 14 12:21 +04:28 9.6 6'x5' 6 55000
M53 5024 Com 14 13:12 +18:10 7.7 13' 2 56.0
M104 4594 Vir 14 12:40 -11:37 8.0 8'x3' 6 65000
M68 4590 Hya 21 12:39 -26:45 7.6 11' 2 31.3
M83 5236 Hya 21 13:37 -29:52 7.5 12'x11' 6 15000
M13 6205 Her 8 16:41 +36:27 5.3 21' 2 23.4
M92 6341 Her 8 17:17 +43:08 6.5 14' 2 25.4
M57 6720 Lyr 8 18:53 +33:02 8.8 76" 3 1.14
M56 6779 Lyr 8 19:16 +30:11 8.4 7' 2 31.0
M27 6853 Vul 8 19:59 +22:43 7.3 8'x5' 3 0.815
M71 6838 Sge 8 19:53 +18:47 8.0 7' 2 13.0
M29 6913 Cyg 9 20:24 +38:29 6.6 10' 1 4.4
M39 7092 Cyg 9 21:32 +48:26 4.6 30' 1 0.950
M5 5904 Ser 15 15:18 +02:04 5.7 22' 2 25.0
M107 6171 Oph 15 16:32 -13:03 7.8 13' 2 19.2
M12 6218 Oph 15 16:47 -01:56 6.8 14' 2 18.0
M10 6254 Oph 15 16:57 -04:05 6.6 19' 2 14.3
M14 6402 Oph 15 17:37 -03:14 7.6 11' 2 33.3
M9 6333 Oph 15 17:19 -18:31 7.8 11' 2 22.5
M23 6494 Sgr 15 17:56 -19:01 5.5 30' 1 2.1
M11 6705 Sct 16 18:51 -06:16 5.3 13' 2 5.46
M26 6694 Sct 16 18:45 -09:23 8.0 8' 1 5.0
M16 6611 Ser 16 18:18 -13:48 6.0 6' E 9.0
M17 6618 Sgr 16 18:21 -16:11 6.0 25' E 4.89
M18 6613 Sgr 16 18:20 -17:05 6.9 5' 1 4.0
M24 6603 Sgr 16 18:17 -18:36 2.5 7' B 9.4
M25 I4725 Sgr 16 18:31 -19:07 4.6 30' 1 2.3
M4 6121 Sco 22 16:23 -26:31 5.4 25' 2 6.8
M80 6093 Sco 22 16:17 -22:59 7.3 9' 2 27.0
M19 6273 Oph 22 17:02 -26:16 6.8 14' 2 34.5
M62 6266 Oph 22 17:01 -30:07 6.7 11' 2 19.56
M6 6405 Sco 22 17:40 -32:15 4.2 20' 1 1.585
M7 6475 Sco 22 17:53 -34:47 2.8 80' 1 0.780
M21 6531 Sgr 22 18:04 -22:30 5.9 15' 1 4.1
M20 6514 Sgr 22 18:02 -23:02 6.3 28' G 5.0
M8 6523 Sgr 22 18:03 -24:23 3.0 14' F 5.2
M28 6626 Sgr 22 18:24 -24:52 6.9 10' 2 20.0
M22 6656 Sgr 22 18:36 -23:54 5.2 33' 2 10.1
M69 6637 Sgr 22 18:31 -32:21 7.4 10' 2 33.6
M70 6681 Sgr 22 18:43 -32:18 7.8 8' 2 35.2
M54 6715 Sgr 22 18:55 -30:28 7.2 12' 2 70.0
M55 6809 Sgr 22 19:40 -30:57 6.3 19' 2 17.0
M756864 Sgr 22 20:06 -21:55 8.6 7' 2 57.3
M15 7078 Peg 17 21:30 +12:10 6.0 18' 2 30.6
M2 7089 Aqr 17 21:33 -00:49 6.3 16' 2 37.0
M72 6981 Aqr 17 20:53 -12:32 9.2 6' 2 56.4
M73 6994 Aqr 17 20:58 -12:38 8.9 14' A ????
M30 7099 Cap 23 21:40 -23:10 6.9 12' 2 26.7
Key:
1=Open Cluster A=Asterism?
2=Globular Cluster B=Star Cloud (M24) and Open Cluster(NGC6603)
3=Planetary Nebula C=Double Star
4=Emission Nebula D=Multiple Star System
5=Diffuse Nebula E=Open Cluster and Emission Nebula
6=Spiral Galaxy F=Diffuse Nebula and Open Cluster
7=Elliptical Galaxy G=Nebula and Cluster
8=Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy H=Super Nova Remnant
9=Irrgeular Galaxy
10= Lenticular Galaxy
11=Barred Spiral Galaxy

Click HERE to download the Messier Marathon PDF file

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