It is safe to say this year's event was an
OH WOW! For starters the weather, as forecasted by the Clear
Sky Clocks of Canada wasn’t good at all. The morning
of the event had cloudy skies till 3:00am MST Sunday. By noon
it was reporting clear skies about midnight and, when I left
for the site at about 2:00pm, it was to be clear by 10:00pm.
But two hours later the clearing was predicted for 8:00pm.
Yet by twilight it was clear enough to be of no problem at
all.
Next were those in attendance. From counts by
Jennifer Polakis we had 85 vehicles, 140 people and one dog,
Rascal Polakis, the best astro-dog ever. Out of staters came
from California, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Indiana, Illinois,
Michigan, Virginia and North Carolina. I hope I’ve got
all of them listed. To that add two observers from Mexico
and a visitor from India. The Border Patrol came by, as well
as the landowner Ray Farnsworth. Remember that without Ray’s
co-operation and support we would not have access to this
site. So a big thanks, again, goes to Ray. So many people,
so little time.
As far as marathoners, there were 61 lists turned
in a new record for the event. This surpasses the 56 from
2001, where all 110 were available.
Here are some highlights that stand out in my
mind that were garnered from e-mail messages and notes on
the checklists that were turned in.
From the final results, published elsewhere,
only one person bagged all 110, Frank Pino, a member of the
East Valley Astronomy Club (EVAC) located in the eastern suburbs
of Phoenix, AZ. Butch Miller also found M30. Unfortunately
he missed M74, which was buried in the bright glow of the
Zodiacal Light, stretching upwards to the Pleiades, and Venus.
Speaking of M30 there were several others that
found M30, but didn’t participate in the marathon. They
were Tom and Jennifer Polakis, Frank Kraljic and Paul Lind,
in a 10” f5.6 Dobsonian and Bernie Sanden in a 12.5”
Dobsonian. Elsewhere several participants were discussing
its visibility when they realized they only saw the 5th magnitude
star 41 Capricorni, just 23 arc-minutes to its east, instead
of the globular cluster. Leaving them with a count of 109
instead of the anticipated 110.
George Robinson, from Auburn, California, and
I understand a friend of Don Machholz, did the marathon by
memory. He had no Go-to, no push to, no digital setting circles,
no analog setting circles and no star chart. Just his mind
the telescope and a dark sky. Great job George!
Jim Jackson, from Eugene, Oregon, recorded an
SQM reading of 21.59 at 5:00AM Sunday morning. Peter Argenziano
got a reading of 21.65 around midnight and his pervious nights
readings averaged out to 21.49. Not bad for a mediocre Arizona
observing site.
This year we seemed to have marathoners of all
ages. They ranged from Ken Sikes’ son Clay and his grandsons,
11-year-old Ryan and 8-year-old Jacob. Not to be out done
was Melvin Harrison’s 12-year-old grandson Daniel Butters.
To that add 17-year-old Kevin LeGore. Great job all!
Needing mention is SAC member Al Stiewing who
not only observed 109 objects, but also managed to image 108.
He missed M103 as it was behind his campers pop-up and M30.
He is still reviewing his images and promises to do better
in a future marathon.
Jack Jones was busy doing a booming business
selling 2007 All Arizona Messier Marathon t-shirts. Who said
the economy wasn’t doing so well?
We also appreciate the support from EVAC. The
president Claude Haynes setup their tent and offered midnight
snacks for any and all that wanted to show up. Claude said
he didn’t know how many took part because he was so
busy finding 106 objects. Thank you Claude and EVAC.
As for myself, I bagged no Messier objects.
I slept through almost all of the marathon observing. Wasn't
sick. Wasn't tired. For some reason it just felt good sleeping
out under the stars.
As I said, “OH WOW!” What a marathon.
AJ Crayon
Saguaro Astronomy Club
| Num |
Name |
Scope |
Organizitation |
Missed or Comments |
| 110 |
Frank
Pino |
CPC1100 |
EVAC |
|
| 109 |
Bruce
Anderson |
LX200 |
EVAC |
M30 |
| 109 |
Peter
Argenziano |
25"
DOB |
SAC/EVAC |
M30 |
| 109 |
James
Delia Brix |
16"
DOB |
(1) |
M30 |
| 109 |
Chris
Brownewell |
120ED
Ref |
(2) |
M30 |
| 109 |
Michael
Evans |
C8 |
(3) |
M30 |
| 109 |
Jack
Jones |
20"f5
DOB |
SAC |
M30 |
| 109 |
Kevin
Jones |
8"
SCT |
TAAA |
M30 |
| 109 |
Scott
Leach |
LX200
GPS |
(4) |
M30 |
| 109 |
Paul
Lind |
14.5"
f5 DOB |
SAC |
M30 |
| 109 |
Butch
Miller |
LX90 |
EVAC |
M74
yes he found M30! |
| 109 |
John
Moschinger |
8" |
n/a |
M30 |
| 109 |
Richard
Payne |
6"
f3.3 Tak |
SAC |
M30 |
| 109 |
Marty
Pieczonka |
140mm
Ref |
EVAC |
M30 |
| 109 |
Jimmy
Ray |
CGE1100 |
SAC |
M30 |
| 109 |
George
Robinson |
10"
f4.7 DOB |
(5) |
M30
and all by memory! |
| 109 |
Rick
Rotramel |
12.5"
f4.9 New |
SAC |
M30 |
| 109 |
Al
Stiewing |
C8 |
SAC |
M30 |
| 109 |
Julie
& Jeff Trogan |
LX200
8" GPS |
EVAC |
M30 |
| 109 |
Alonzo
Villarreal |
LX200 |
EVAC |
M30 |
| 108 |
Salvador
Aguirre |
8"
SCT |
(6) |
M74
M30 |
| 108 |
Bob
Christ |
9.25"
SCT |
SAC |
M74
M30 |
| 108 |
Gary
Gardner |
24"
DOB |
TAAA |
M74
M30 |
| 108 |
Brent
Jacobs |
10"
DOB |
EVAC |
M74
M30 |
| 108 |
Dan
Gruber |
18"
f4.5 DOB |
SAC |
M74
M30 |
| 108 |
Jim
Jackson |
16x70
binos |
(7) |
M74
M30 SQM = 21.59 @ 5 |
| 108 |
Raul
Madero |
8"
SCT |
(6) |
M74
M30 |
| 108 |
Ken
Shaver |
16"
f4.5 DOB |
TAAA |
M74
M30 |
| 108 |
Ken
Sikes |
10"
SCT |
EVAC |
M74
M30 son & grandson |
| 108 |
Wayne
Thomas |
11"
SCT |
EVAC/SAC |
M74
M30 |
| 108 |
Shane
Tillotson |
CPC800 |
EVAC |
M74
M30 |
| 108 |
Dave
Trogan |
LX200
8" GPS |
EVAC |
M74
M30 |
| 108 |
Christopher
Vedeler |
12"
DOB |
n/a |
M74
M30 |
| 107 |
Melvin
L Harrison |
10"
DOB |
EVAC |
M74
M76 M30 |
| 106 |
Larry
Arbeiter |
unknown |
(8) |
M2
M72 M73 M30 |
| 106 |
Ed
Beggy |
CPC1100 |
(9) |
M74
M108 M9 M30 |
| 106 |
Claude
Haynes |
10"
DOB |
EVAC |
M27
M72 M73 M30 |
| 105 |
John
Evelan |
20"
f4 DOB |
EVAC |
M33
M103 M72 M73 M30 |
| 104 |
Bill
Lofquist |
12.5"
DOB |
TAAA |
M77
M74 M2 M72 M73 M30 |
| 104 |
Scott
Kroeppler |
Ori
ST80 |
(10) |
M74
M75 M2 M72 M73 M30 |
| 102 |
Darrell
Edwards |
8"
SCT |
EVAC |
M74
M33 M32 M110 M76 M7 |
| 102 |
Thomas
Watson |
8"
Eq SVP |
TAAA |
M74
M55 M75 M15 M2 M72 |
| 100 |
Joan
McGue |
8"
f6 DOB |
SAC |
M77
M74 M32 M55 M75 M15 |
| 99 |
John
Matthews |
LX200 |
EVAC |
|
| 91 |
Tim
Jones |
6"
f6 DOB |
SAC |
|
| 87 |
Rick
Avery |
10"
f5.6 DOB |
SAC |
|
| 87 |
Christy
Edwards |
8"
SCT |
EVAC |
|
| 87 |
Cindy
Wood |
8"
SCT |
EVAC |
|
| 86 |
Sheryl
Gambardella |
8"
f6 DOB |
(11) |
|
| 68 |
Linda
Henneberg |
10"
Goto SCT |
(12) |
|
| 68 |
Bryce
McFarland |
10"
Goto SCT |
(12) |
|
| 68 |
Kevin
LeGore |
10"
DOB |
n/a |
|
| 66 |
Daniel
Butters |
10"
DOB |
EVAC |
Grandson
of Melvin Harr |
| 62 |
James
Larson |
unknown |
(13) |
|
| 62 |
Ques
Zelaya |
unknown |
(13) |
|
| 57 |
Clayton
Sikes |
8"
f7 DOB |
n/a |
Son |
| 57 |
Ryan
Sikes |
8"
f7 DOB |
n/a |
Grandson |
| 57 |
Jacob
Sikes |
8"
f7 DOB |
n/a |
Grandson |
| 47 |
Trent
Gutterdum |
unknown |
n/a |
|
| 23 |
Beverly
McCune |
9x63
binox |
TAAA |
|
| 1 |
Julie
Brozio |
baby
green eye |
s! |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Notes -
1 - Rio Rico, AZ
2 - Calumet Astronomical Society, Griffith, IN
3 - Coconino Astronomical Society
4 - Colorado Springs Astronomical Society
5 - Auburn, CA; Astronomical League - Member at Large
6 - Sociedad Astronomica de Sonora Carl Sagan, MEXICO
7 - Eugene Astronomical Society; Eugene, OR
8 - Flossmoor, IL
9 - Tucson, AZ
10 - Astronomical League - Member at Large
11 - Tucumcari, NM
12 - Northern Arizona University Astronomy Club, Flagstaff,
AZ
13 - McLean, VA
See the following site http://www.seds.org/messier/xtra/marathon/results.html
for more information about this, other marathon events
and Charles Messier. |
|
