With just about one month to go, I need some information to make sure everything will be set up okay.

Do you plan to stay overnight? And do you have a tent to bring and sleep in if you do stay overnight?
I have a a large tent with 4 separate rooms that will sleep 10 people comfortably. So I need to know if I should bring it with me and set up for people to use.

Do you have charts available to you that will help you in quest to locate all the objects? Bob has already said he will set up a computer in a small tent for people to use for charts if need be. If I need to, I can go to local libraries and check out Astronomical charts to help everyone.

Will you want a copy of blank logs to fill out during the marathon? This should only take about 20 seconds to jot each object's details down. I will be passing my completed logs around at the meeting as an example. You need just 70 objects for a Regulars Certificate and 109/110 for a Honors Certificate.

Your answers will help me plan our Messier Marathon accordingly. Thank you and if you have any questions, please email me at texasjagsfan@cox.net.

Thanks again,
Jon

Everyone knows I work nights,however I've thought about it & I'll think I'll be there,I'll have to arrive after midnite,so, I'll call Jon first to see how the parking is,since I'll be arriving without lites be nice to know how crowded it is.I want be chasing many messier objects,so.I think I'll just do some imaging,should be fun.

Sorry I will not be able to attend the Messier Marathon. My daughter has bought
a house and is in the process of moving this month from the house she is in to the
one she bought. Of course, you know who has to help with this move (ME). She is
doing most of the moving with my pickup truck. Since the truck is a stick-shift and
she does not know how to drive a stick-shift, my wife and I are having to be there
to drive the truck. I will be helping with the move during the M.M. (of which I would
much rather attend, since that would be a whole lot more fun than hauling, lifting,
etc.). Good Luck on having a good turnout for this event!
Chuck

Assuming Jeannie is well enough for me to make it, I'll be there. At least for part of the night anyway.

I won't need a tent, I will need some charts, and I could use a log to help me keep track of all the Messier objects I plan to find.

See ya there

Ed

Even though I earned my Messier Honorary Certification back in 1987, I still have a tough time locating most of the ones that we don't regularly view virtually every time we go out. This marathon isn't something I want to do as a personal goal, but I'm glad so many people are saying that they plan to be there and also plan to log their observations. So at the very least, I'll probably get to reacquaint myself with a few old friends in the cosmos.

We will have charts available for anyone to use. We have sets of charts to use at the eyepiece, and we have several charting programs that do localized charts of varying degrees of quality. The best among these BY FAR, is the MegaStar5. As mentioned in earlier posts on this topic, I'll setup my tent and we'll have the club laptop inside for anyone to use for printing off charts of almost any kind you choose. I'll setup one of our printers along side the laptop to allow you to print off your charts as well.

The laptop also has all the club log sheets included so that everyone who wishes can simply print off their own set of sheets to record all your observations. If you plan to try for your own Messier Certification, you'll need these log sheets.

Everyone should have a great time next Saturday night, March 17th. Come up around 12:00 noon and take part in the work party. Come around 4:00-4:30 pm and enjoy a cookout before the darkness falls. And of course, you may also choose to just come up at sunset and simply partake in the Messier Marathon. Any way you choose to participate, I sincerely hope every club member and anyone who has ever wanted to look through a telescope for the first time will come and join us. We'll do our best in every way to make the experience a FUN ONE!

Hi everyone -

I'm sorry, but I will not be able to make it due to another function we have already committed to (with a registraton fee to the tune of $350.) I would very much like to attend, but we just have too many things on our plate.

Jon - you sent me your completed Messier Logs a while back. Could you IM me and remind me what we were planning to do with them?

Thanks

Gerald and I aren't sure yet if we will be able to make it. We have a lot of things going on. If we do get to attend, we will not need a tent.

For those who might be interested in completing their own Messier Logs, Jon Stone has graciously provided his logs as an example. You can download and view his logs in the File Downloads section.

I am going to try to show up but doubt I will stay past midnight. I will probably bring my trusty old dog-eared, coffee-stained Edmund Mag 6 star atlas.

Dale