Observing Reports by Knuck

All Arizona Messier Marathon, March 13 -14, 2010

M51 - The Whirlpool

I kicked off the 2010 Star Party season by attending the All Arizona Messier Marathon. The star party is held on a ranch near Arizona City, at a moderately dark site. It is named for the Messier Catalog of celestial objects that are not stars or comets. Charles Messier was an 18th Century French astronomer.

He was primarily interested in comets. In his research, he compiled a list of objects that he had determined were not comets, though they initially appeared so. That list became the Messier Catalog The Catalog has 109 or 110 objects, there is a continuing debate, and includes things like nebulas, galaxies, globular clusters and open clusters. At the New Moon in March, many astronomers try to observe the entire Catalog in a single night. I’m told it can be done.

For my part, I was just grateful that it gave the Saguaro and East Valley astronomy clubs a good excuse to throw a star party in the Springtime desert. I was able to attend because generous friends that I met online, through Cloudy Nights,  were gracious hosts. They picked me up and drove me to and from the Star Party. They let me use their telescopes and in general made sure I enjoyed myself. I want to express my gratitude to all of them.  (A link to the Cloudy Nights website is at the right.)

In addition to the conviviality of my friends, the highlights of the All Arizona Messier Marathon, for me,  were the opportunity to observe Omega Centauri. I also got my  first view of the “Owl” open cluster. I also made a sketch of M51 (object number 51 recorded in Messier’s catalog). Compare this sketch to the ones attached to earlier observing reports. I think I’m getting a bit better.

AAMM Observing Report