TheSkySearchers

Presenting the official rules for the Messier Observing Program at The Sky Searchers forum!

The Messier Observing Program at TSS is broken down into three tiers:

Tier 1: Observe 35 Messier Objects
Tier 2: Observe 35 more Messier Objects, for a total of 70
Tier 3: Observe 40 more Messier Objects, for a total of 110**

To get started, simply create a thread in the Messier Visual Reports subforum viewforum.php?f=89 with a subject prefix of Messier 35 (or the applicable tier that you are going for). You may then post your progress as you work through your list of objects spread out over many nights, or post them all at once at the completion of your journey. *

Upon completion of a tier, please post your log file to the thread as well. This may be a spreadsheet, CSV file, text file, Word document, or PDF. Once that is accomplished, please notify any member of the admin team with a link to your thread. You will then be awarded a badge (the Icon displays on your post headers and your profile page) along with a suitable for framing certificate of accomplishment.




The main rules to keep in mind are:

1. Any telescope or binocular will do. Either manual star hopping, setting circles, or GOTO is acceptable.

2. You must log the date of the observation, equipment used, and general location.

3. Provide a brief description of the object through the eyepiece.

4. Most importantly, have fun!

That’s all there is to it!

*Historical log entries are acceptable. In other words, if you have logged the requisite number of objects in the past, you may utilize these for the TSS award purposes.

**For the purposes of completing the observing program at TSS, NGC 5866 may be used as Messier 102 due to the ambiguity surrounding this identity of this object.

Attached is a handy Messier logging spreadsheet if anyone has the need.

That's great! Thanks guys. I am thinking of doing it over, maybe with 80ED this time.

I am planning on redoing mine with the C80.

On that note, if anyone would like to "transfer" their awards from the other forum here, it is most certainly possible. Ideally, we'd like to see a posting of the logsheets as a thread here in the Messier reports subforum, but if that is not possible a simple screenshot of your awards from that forum here will suffice.

Looks like I'll be doing it over. Great reason for getting out!

I may try to replicate the M110 with the 6" frac. I have the original M110 PDF file of 10" Dob observations somewhere on the old forum, I'll see if I can retrieve it. It's great that the program is being resurrected again.