So, yawn, the 2022 Messier Marathon is soon. This Saturday. March 5. At the HAS Dark Site. No big deal. If it doesn't work out—after all, it has been raining and cloudy—there's always next month. Or next year.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shhh! Have we appeased the weather gods by not wanting it too much? Yes? … Yes! Click read more for details
Then let's get ready! Binoculars? Check. Scope? Check. Eyepieces? Check. Log sheet in marathon sequence order? Check out the Messier Marathon Resources page on the website or the files section of the HAS Facebook Group. Don't forget chairs, tables, books, laptops, power cords, and all the other visual or astrophotography paraphernalia you need. Make sure you have all your red stuff to cover screens and read charts.
Sunset is at 6:30 p.m. so get to the Dark Site early enough to set up and schmooze. Speaking of setting up, we will be running a multi-track marathon: star hop and GoTo, telescope and binocular, astrophotography and electronically assisted. We'll even have sections of the field flagged for these groups.
Your point persons are the HAS Special Interest Group Coordinators: Visual SIG (Stephen Jones), EAA SIG (Carlos Arieu), and Binocular SIG (Craig Lamison). The point person for the AP SIG is Simon Tan. I know zero about astrophotography but Simon picked up the gauntlet when I challenged the HAS Facebook Group with the idea of doing an imaging marathon. Good luck everyone!
If you’re new, feel free to look around—just keep moving if you see heads down. Consider visiting Craig at the Binocular SIG and Carlos at the EAA SIG. They’re each looking forward to engaging with members interested in what they’re doing with their specialty.
We'll also be running the Dob Shed Café all night long and into the morning. After all, if you fall asleep in your zero gravity chair, you'll need a cup for the trip home.
