Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Messier Marathon

NASA ^ | May 27, 2011 | (see photo credit)

[SunkenCiv]

[Image Credit & Copyright: Babak Tafreshi (TWAN)] Explanation: In this action scene, red night vision lights, green laser pointers, tripods and telescopes in faint silhouette surround intrepid sky gazers embarked on the 10th annual Iran Messier Marathon. Completing the marathon requires viewing all 110 objects in 18th century French astronomer Charles Messier's catalog in one glorious dusk-to-dawn observing run. As daunting as it sounds, there are often favorable weekend dates for northern hemisphere marathoners to complete the task that fall on nearly moonless nights near the spring equinox. With the Milky Way as a backdrop, this group of about 150 astronomy enthusiasts conducted their 2011 marathon on such a night in April from the desert area of Seh Qaleh, in eastern Iran. Placing your cursor over the image will map the stunning night sky above their remote and very dark observing site. Follow the green laser pointer toward the Messier catalog objects (for example, M8) near the galactic center. Astronomer and former Messier Marathon organizer Babak Tafreshi also composed Sky Gazers, a time-lapse movie of this year's event.

[SunkenCiv]

Space is Messier than once thought. [rimshot!]

[SunkenCiv]

join or quit list APoD 'blog post new APoD topic Astronomy Picture of the Day topic & keyword Astronomy Chat, Bloggers & keyword Science Chat, Bloggers & keyword NASA's APoD archive Calendar 1995-present APoD on your desktop

[bigheadfred]

http://www.twanight.org/newtwan/photos.asp?ID=3003232&Sort=Site

[bigheadfred]

There are some cool pics on that site.

[SatinDoll]

They should be careful pointing those lasers. Someone out there could misunderstand the intentions, and fry the whole gathering.

:-D

[KoRn]

That’s pretty awesome!!

[Thrownatbirth]

Entrants not completing the marathon were beheaded.

[bigheadfred]

The link on post 3 is a time-lapse video of the event shot by one of the attendees.

Some cool photos in the Regions links on the left of the page.

[brytlea]

Really! It looks pretty Star Warsy!

[TheOldLady]

Thanks, Fred. Great link!

[TheOldLady]

Excellent. A goldmine of information about the Messier Marathon.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks!

[JoeProBono]

[bigheadfred]

Love ya Joe. Just soes ya know that first. ;-))

Pretty Fly

[JoeProBono]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rog8ou-ZepE

[bigheadfred]

yucca

[JoeProBono]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ke1dV_IpSKA

[bigheadfred]

You win

[SunkenCiv]

LOLOLOL!

[SunkenCiv]

And, the Revolutionary Guard were shooting stars. Wait, I think I messed that up.