This column was provided by San Benito resident and amateur astronomer David Baumgartner as part of a local series on astronomy.
I’ve received a few inquiries of late on repeating a past article on the all-night marathon searching for the Messier objects. Wanting to know all the need-to-knows such as where, when, and just what are we searching? It is interesting because not many people, let alone amateur astronomers, have ever attempted the 10-hour feat.
Just for your information, you can always look up past articles on the BenitoLink archives.
Astronomer Charles Messier (1730-1817) devoted much of his life searching the heavens for comets. In doing so he would come across many objects that at first he thought were comets. What they turned out to be were stationary objects such as nebulas, galaxies, clusters and double stars.
Comets were moving objects running around the sun like the planets. His love was finding comets and had less interest in these other confusing objects that would just get in his way. So he published his findings so other astronomers wouldn’t have to go through what he did when looking for comets.
He started out with some 45 objects and they came to be called “The Messier objects.” It was odd that he would later become more famous for his Messier objects than for his comet findings. As time went on others were added to the list by astronomers. Today we have a total of 109. Most of these deep-sky-objects can be seen with binoculars or small telescopes.
Two centuries later, backyard observers still consider many of these splendid “M” objects the jewels of the night sky. Each month, as the skies slowly change, due to the rotation of the Earth and not the movement of the sky, new objects show up until by the end of the year you have seen them all.
But there is one way you can see them all in one long evening.
Each spring amateur astronomers around the world run a Messier marathon, a visual race through the sky to get a glimpse of all the 109 Messier objects in a single night- from dusk to dawn. If you are lucky enough to catch 50 to 70 objects consider that a good night. The key here, of course, is getting away from the city lights; you will need all the darkness you can muster.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t be successful from your own back yard. Plus, that makes it nice to know that your own warm bed is only a few steps away should you decide to give it up early.
In our area we are lucky to have South County. What a wonderful place to see these great wonders. But you just can’t stop wherever you want down there and set up your gear. You need to know someone who lives in South County and is be nice enough to let you use a small patch of their dirt one night for about 12 hours.
And that best night this year would be around March 2 and April 1. No moon (New Moon) to get in the way on those days.
It just so happens that I have a friend who owns property in South San Benito County and is nice enough to let us use a small portion of it. She also appreciates that we clean up after ourselves when we are through.
A few months ago a handful of us went down to south county to do some star gazing, and what a beautiful night it was. We saw at least three times the number of stars than we would have seen here in the city. It made it a lot easier to pick up more of the harder-to-see Messier objects.
We plan to go down on the 5th, weather permitting, and see if we can survive the nightlong marathon.
If anyone is interested in going with us, just leave your name and number with BenitoLink and I will get back to you.
We do have room for a couple more rough and eager would-be amateur astronomers that think they can deal with the lack of sleep for a few hours. If not, hope you can have your own marathon in your back yard.
If you do give it a try, be sure to be well equipped, with items such as warm clothing, binoculars, telescope (if you have one), star charts, red flashlight, chair, table, maybe a sleeping bag. And for heaven sake don’t forget some good munchies, and some hot coffee or chocolate, especially if you come with us. I have friends who won’t come if they know there is not going to be any food of some kind. And you know who you are.
The Messier marathon is an athletic event of sorts: Participants race around the sky like maniacs for a whole night only to end up where they started. The Messier marathon does prove something very important: Astronomy is fun.
So, get on your mark, get set, go!
Clear skies
Events for first half of March:
Mar 02: Mercury passes 0.7° south of Saturn
Mar 02: New Moon
Mar 07: Jupiter passes 0.8° south of Uranus
Mar 09: Moon passes 0.3° south of Ceres
Mar 10: First Quarter Moon
Mar 10: Moon is at apogee (251,200 miles from Earth)
Mar 12: Venus passes 4° north of Mars