News / Education
Messier Marathon - Free, Live and Online
Starting March 28 0100 GMT (7pm MDT on March 27)
To astronomers around the world, March marks the start of a brief season where you can possibly view all or most of the Messier objects in a single night, from a single location.Global Rent-A-Scope has installed a new video camera system, which will see first public light as part of Astronomy.FM's March Madness Messier Marathon to be held LIVE starting at dusk on March 27, 2010 - 7pm MDT (9PM EDT, March 28 at 0100 GMT) - and will continue until dawn.
To join others in viewing as many of the Messier objects as possible during the night of March 27/28, click the link at Astronomy.FM to watch the streaming images from Global Rent-A-Scope's G-14 telescope in new Mexico. This event is free and open to the public.
Along with the broadcast live view, photos will be taken using using the GRAS G-3 telescope. SkyGuides and Guest Astronomers - Jeff and Becca Setzer, Dr. Marleen Bryan, Nick Evetts, Tony Farkas, and Tavi Greiner & Rob Keown from A Sky Full of Stars - will be on hand to comment on the views and answer your questions via chat and Twitter.
The Messier catalog was compiled by French astronomer Charles Messier during the late 18th century, and consists of 103 (and eventually 110) relatively bright deep sky objects (galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters). His purpose was not really to search for these objects. His goal was really to help observers, in particular comet hunters like himself, by documenting permanent objects that could possibly be mistaken for comets. Having this reference allowed astronomical observers to more easily recognize transient objects in the sky.You can read more about Messier, Messier Marathons, and Messier objects in the Charles Messier & His List skylog post.
Astronomy.FM , an amateur astronomy focused organization, has as its mission "to explore, enjoy, and promote astronomy and space science; to encourage and facilitate the growth of astronomy science to professionals, amateurs, and students, and to bring awareness to the public; to educate and inspire humanity to 'look skyward' and learn." Membership is free and without obligation. Members and the public can listen to broadcasts using links at Astronomy.FM.
