TheSkySearchers

Here is my first submission towards a Messier Award.

I've decided not to use historical observations and reacquaint myself with the
whole set of Messier objects observable from this latitude using my 18 inch reflector.

Only 97 objects are observable from my latitude and some of those are marginal a few degrees above the north horizon. I need to set up my scope outside my property on the "street" to see low in the north. I won't exactly be dodging traffic. The street here is a large dead end patch of grass.

To qualify for my Messier 35, this first instalment of 37 objects were all observed last night in a 4 hour Messier "Half Marathon."
I had not observed some of these objects for a couple of decades. cheers

Joe Cali


@Graeme1858 @helicon

That's an awesome achievement for one night!

You put quite a bit of work into the spreadsheet too with all those hyperlinks!

Profile Flair M35 Award Badge added.

Regards

Graeme

Graeme1858 wrote: ↑Sat Aug 14, 2021 7:17 am That's an awesome achievement for one night!

You put quite a bit of work into the spreadsheet too with all those hyperlinks!

Profile Flair M35 Award Badge added.

Regards

Graeme

Hi Graeme,
Thanks but the links are not mine.

Wikipedia put a lot of work into the Messier table with all those links.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messier_object

I copied it from them and edited it into a spreadsheet to make the logging sheet.

Observations are definitely mine, have the bags under my eyes to prove it

Joe

Thanks for the submission Joe and congrats on nabbing the 37 objects that you saw. Now I know why I started getting bags under my eyes a couple of years back when I was doing the M110.

very nice joe,nice aperture too .

yobbo89 wrote: ↑Sat Aug 14, 2021 5:50 pm very nice joe,nice aperture too .

Hi Rob,
yes it makes up for middle aged eyes and then some.
Joe

This is my second submission for the messier award. My first submission included 36 of the southern hemisphere winter objects around the galactic core. This submission of 50 objects combines some observations made in early September, late December, and most of them during a long night three nights ago on Feb 6/7. All observations made from my dark sky home, "34 south," located near young NSW [148E, 34S] Transparency was probably about 6/10. Not the greatest night out here and many of the galaxies observed at lower altitudes were nothing more than smudges.

My backyard has a considerable slope which limits the location of the 18" dob. When observing from the "lowlands" of my backyard, I have a shed and some trees blocking my SW to North.

This now leaves 10-11 possible objects, a couple that I simply missed, most of which are at declinations of 42 -50 degrees north that I will mop up during favourable short observing windows this year.

Great progress Joe!

That is awesome Joe!

I can't imagine what you can see from your dark location with that 18" reflector. Bravo!!!

Well done Joe. I applaud your efforts at the Messier objects from down there.