4 - Other Marathons
from Part 1 - Handbook
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 August 2012
Summary
This happens every year. It is Marathon morning. You have observed the maximum number of Messier Objects from your location. You ask: ‘What's next?’ You could wait until the following year and work the Messier Marathon again. Many amateur astronomers do this, and find it becomes easier each year. You can also wait until October or November and see nearly all the Messier Objects in one night (see Chapter 3). You can also go out the next night and do the Messier Marathon all over again with some variation.
Ideas for different Messier Marathons
Photographic or CCD Marathon
How about photographing or obtaining a CCD image of each object? You could image about as many objects as you can see.
Photographs for most objects would require fast film and one or two minutes exposure per photograph. Due to the way the Objects are grouped, the 110 Messier Objects would require about ninety-one photographs, if your field of view were three degrees. You can photograph through the telescope or mount the camera piggyback on a guiding scope and use a telephoto lens.
ACCD, or charged coupled device, is an ‘electronic’ camera attached to your telescope. The image is transformed into electronic impulses that are sent to your computer.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Observing Guide to the Messier MarathonA Handbook and Atlas, pp. 79 - 89Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2002