Messier Object Catalog completed! - 21 months - lessons learned

[AstralFields]

Back in August 2022 I got my first telescope and of course started observing my first Messier objects. Soon after that, I got my hands on the entire catalog, printed a nice A3 sheet and started planning and observing them.

Why did it take 21 months if some of you can do it in a single night during the Messier marathon? Let me break down some of the lessons learned to help others on the same journey:

• Time flexibility - With two pre-school kids and a job, I couldn't pick and choose the times/dates of when I could observe. There were limited days/nights when I could go out for hours at a time. Some of these are visible only at certain months of the year, so planning was a must. It also didn't help that half of this time my telescope was at our summer house where we would go only once a month. 
•  
• Location, location, location - Before we even discuss equipment, the location you are in will determine IF you will cover all the Messier objects.. and IF you do, it will also determine HOW FAST you can locate/observe them. There were times with bad transparency in the freezing cold where it would take me half an hour for a single galaxy.. This would take a lot faster if I was at a lower latitude (the galaxy would be higher in the sky there) with less light pollution and warmer climate. Some of these objects are very low at the horizon and are visible only for few hours at specific months of the year. I live in a city of half a million and taking a 15 minute drive to the outskirts, allowed for locations where even the faintest Messier objects are doable.. I'd say Bortle 4-5 is doable.The lower you can get, the better it gets of course. It is recommended to drive south.. but I live in the north of the city so it was much closer to drive North. This however compromised the objects low on the southern horizon. The very last object I did was a star cluster, M19. Magnitude 5.59, easily visible but over the big city at an altitude of 8 degrees with a bit of clouds at the horizon.. it was tough! but I did it an wrapped it up last night.
•  
• Weather, weather, weather - Where I live, it is quite normal this year to have a whole month of cloudy weather. Your average joe may say the weather outside is nice and clear but to hunt down some of these faint galaxies, you need to have really clear skies. Some of these high altitude clouds, visible only on radar and the charts on Meteoblue or Clearoutside can really wreck an entire night of observing and dramatically increase the difficulty of observing some of the faint galaxies.
•  
• The Moon! - Once the top three points align, the Moon must not be in the sky, otherwise again it becomes very difficult observing some of the faint galaxies or nebulas. So having all these four points align has been quite the challenge and I was more then happy when they finally did.
•  
• Telescope - I had an 8" manual DOB and I would say it was the bare minimum that I needed to observe the catalog under my conditions. If you can get under a dark enough/clear enough sky, I am pretty sure it is doable with a 4"-6" as well.
•  
• Eyepieces & Filters - The key to my observing were a 2" 70degree 40mm and 32mm for the initial location of the target and then a nice 68 degree 15mm. For the galaxies, the Zoom eyepiece was really crucial. I could fine tune the magnification where the faint fuzzy was most visible. The UHC filters helped quite a lot on some of the Nebulas which were not easily visible without it.
•  
• Starhopping - I did the whole catalog fully manual. The whole process was simplified by having three key pieces of equipment:
  • Stellarium Plus - I did 90% of the catalog with the regular version before I bought the plus. The Plus is so much better that it can simulate the eyepiece view allowing for quick recognition of where one is.
  • Cheap inclinometer for like 10$ - I would get the altitude of the object from Stellarium, get the telescope to the right altitude and then just sweep left and right in the general vicinity of where the object is in the constellation. 
  • I would quickly point the telescope in the general vicinity with a laser finder.. and if there were aircraft in the vicinity, I could use the RDF. I have a combo finder. The optical finder has been dismounted for over a year from my telescope as it was literally just dead weight.
  •  
• EXPERIENCE - Observing is definitely a skill. Had I begun with the Virgo cluster of galaxies as my first objects I would have surely failed, especially in the freezing cold when they are most visible around here. With experience one is able to know what to roughly look for just by looking at the size and magnitude of the object in stellarium. An inexperienced observer could have the galaxy right in the middle of the eyepiece and would see absolutely nothing. Experience really helped me locate and observe some of the faintest Messier objects, especially under not ideal conditions with a bit of high altitude clouds dimming them even further.

It was really a great experience and some of these objects will stay in my mind forever. Apart from the famous well known ones like M13, M92, M31, M51, Orion etc.. The one that made the most lasting impression on me, and clearly underrated in my view was the Leo Triplet in my 26,32mm 2" eyepiece. I could look at these beautiful three galaxies, fitting in the same view for an hour if it wasn't for the freezing cold. 

This is just my opinion but I really think observing the entire Messier catalog visually is the best the whole of Astronomy has to offer. It is both a trip down the history of Astronomy as it is in visual splendor. It has definitely brought me the most life lasting impressions. I will be taking a bit of break now from tough DSOs and focusing on building my EQ platform and doing some simple imaging of the Moon and Sun from the comfort outside of my apartment under much better weather conditions with an occasional look at the most beautiful DSOs easily visible even from the Bortle 6 where we sit. 

Edited April 3 by AstralFields

[domstar]

Very nice. It's one of the things I'm most proud of and it's nice to share it here on the forum. Congratulations- it really is something (especially some of the lower globular cluster) and it's very difficult to share the achievement with non stargazers.

[AstralFields]

21 minutes ago, domstar said:

Very nice. It's one of the things I'm most proud of and it's nice to share it here on the forum. Congratulations- it really is something (especially some of the lower globular cluster) and it's very difficult to share the achievement with non stargazers.

If they are not very interested, impossible to share :). I brought the telescope last summer to one of my close friends' place who claimed was very interested in Astronomy and buying his own telescope. I showed him the Dumbbell Nebula, it was really nicely visible and quite high. His comment:

"That's it? A puff of smoke?"

At least he spent the night observing Jupiter. DSO work is really not for everybody, even people who otherwise enjoy the Moon and the Planets :). He still hasn't bought one.

[josefk]

I enjoyed your account there @AstralFields - I imagine it to be very satisfying indeed. 👍

[SuburbanMak]

Great report thank you & inspiring -  I have 11 left to crack, all either very feint or very southern.  

 

[Zermelo]

On 03/04/2024 at 13:29, AstralFields said:

observing the entire Messier catalog visually is the best the whole of Astronomy has to offer.

I'm sure this point has been made previously in these pages, but there's an enormous irony in so many people using, as a prime observing list, a set of objects that was created specifically for the opposite purpose.

I've previously thought that this would make a good quiz question (Only Connect?) if I could only think up two or three other examples of "things that were being widely used for a purpose diametrically opposed to their originator's intentions".

[Tiny Clanger]

48 minutes ago, Zermelo said:

I'm sure this point has been made previously in these pages, but there's an enormous irony in so many people using, as a prime observing list, a set of objects that was created specifically for the opposite purpose.

I've previously thought that this would make a good quiz question (Only Connect?) if I could only think up two or three other examples of "things that were being widely used for a purpose diametrically opposed to their originator's intentions".

OK, how about post-it notes (accidental discovery of weak re-positionable adhesive by 3M researcher trying to formulate a strong glue), umbrellas (originating as parasols to create shade)  and that famous pill, intended for blood pressure lowering and anti-angina medication use, Viagra ? 

[Zermelo]

19 minutes ago, Tiny Clanger said:

OK, how about post-it notes (accidental discovery of weak re-positionable adhesive by 3M researcher trying to formulate a strong glue), umbrellas (originating as parasols to create shade)  and that famous pill, intended for blood pressure lowering and anti-angina medication use, Viagra ? 

Very good, Heather.

[AstralFields]

1 hour ago, Zermelo said:

I'm sure this point has been made previously in these pages, but there's an enormous irony in so many people using, as a prime observing list, a set of objects that was created specifically for the opposite purpose.

I've previously thought that this would make a good quiz question (Only Connect?) if I could only think up two or three other examples of "things that were being widely used for a purpose diametrically opposed to their originator's intentions".

While the list began as one of objects to avoid when hunting for comets, it evolved quite a bit over the history of Astronomy. Regardless of its original intention it is still an amazing list.

Out of the 110 Messier objects, 41 are Messier’s observations. The first edition of the catalog came out in 1774, containing only 45 objects. Successive editions expanded the list, with another edition appearing in 1781 bringing the total to 103 objects. Astronomy writer Camille Flammarion – also a Frenchman – added object number 104 from Messier’s notes. Finally, some astronomers published a revised version in 1967, bringing the total up to 110 Messier objects.

Edited April 4 by AstralFields

[josefk]

It was a positive list of discovery (versus a negative list of things to avoid) even in Messier's lifetime even if that wasn't entirely Messier's intention due the the generally prevailing at the time, and Messier's in particular, fascination with comet discovery as a route to astronomy fame and acclaim. William Herschel would use Messier's publications when they came out and would enthusiastically follow up new objects Messier had discovered even if out of respect for Messier he (Herschel) avoided including Messier's listed objects in his own catalogues (except for one or two inadvertent inclusions created by positional errors by one or the other of the two men).

i haven't completed the list (i don't try very hard) but i like it because when you've spent a night frustratingly not seeing what you have been trying to see you can normally rely on a (typically brighter) Messier object to cheer yourself up and finish a session on a high note. M45, M44, M37, M13 take a bow...

 

 

[DirkSteele]

Great report and congratulations on the achievement.

 

[SCANS]

Way to go AstralFields! I'm down to two : M49 and M61. With a bit of luck, I might find them this weekend 🤞

 

[DAT]

Nice work! I have managed 4 in a few limited [by the weather mainly] sessions over a month and I am super happy. The whole catalogue must be thrilling!

Edited April 4 by DAT
cannot spell weather

[Whistlin Bob]

Excellent work- that's a really great achievement. I got stuck on 91- the remainder aren't viewable from home- so I need to get myself to a dark site!

Have to say, I'm all for taking your time over this- many of these objects are so much more rewarding with a looking look.

And I completely agree about the Leo triplet 👍

[AstralFields]

35 minutes ago, Whistlin Bob said:

Excellent work- that's a really great achievement. I got stuck on 91- the remainder aren't viewable from home- so I need to get myself to a dark site!

Have to say, I'm all for taking your time over this- many of these objects are so much more rewarding with a looking look.

And I completely agree about the Leo triplet 👍

Not sure if you mean a 91 total seen or M91 but this reminded me of M91. It is a very cool one with a bit of history. It was the first on the list of my last session with the last 12 objects. Right next to it there is an NGC 4571 galaxy, very clearly and easily visible that it confused me in the first moments and I did not know which is which. Due to some bug also in Stellarium on my phone it was not immediately clear what is the galaxy next to M91.

Apparently, before the age of Stellarium, with only paper charts and notes the NGC 4571 was frequently confused with M91 and this is one of the reasons it never got its own Messier number. 

https://www.jthommes.com/Astro/M91.htm (not my photo but a great one)

Edited April 4 by AstralFields

[Whistlin Bob]

I meant stuck on a total of 91, although m91 eluded me for a while! Finally saw it 3 years ago, although it was one of those averted vision smudges. Must go back and have another look as it's the right time of year.

[Simon Pepper]

On 03/04/2024 at 13:29, AstralFields said:

Back in August 2022 I got my first telescope and of course started observing my first Messier objects. Soon after that, I got my hands on the entire catalog, printed a nice A3 sheet and started planning and observing them.

Why did it take 21 months if some of you can do it in a single night during the Messier marathon? Let me break down some of the lessons learned to help others on the same journey:

• Time flexibility - With two pre-school kids and a job, I couldn't pick and choose the times/dates of when I could observe. There were limited days/nights when I could go out for hours at a time. Some of these are visible only at certain months of the year, so planning was a must. It also didn't help that half of this time my telescope was at our summer house where we would go only once a month. 
•  
• Location, location, location - Before we even discuss equipment, the location you are in will determine IF you will cover all the Messier objects.. and IF you do, it will also determine HOW FAST you can locate/observe them. There were times with bad transparency in the freezing cold where it would take me half an hour for a single galaxy.. This would take a lot faster if I was at a lower latitude (the galaxy would be higher in the sky there) with less light pollution and warmer climate. Some of these objects are very low at the horizon and are visible only for few hours at specific months of the year. I live in a city of half a million and taking a 15 minute drive to the outskirts, allowed for locations where even the faintest Messier objects are doable.. I'd say Bortle 4-5 is doable.The lower you can get, the better it gets of course. It is recommended to drive south.. but I live in the north of the city so it was much closer to drive North. This however compromised the objects low on the southern horizon. The very last object I did was a star cluster, M19. Magnitude 5.59, easily visible but over the big city at an altitude of 8 degrees with a bit of clouds at the horizon.. it was tough! but I did it an wrapped it up last night.
•  
• Weather, weather, weather - Where I live, it is quite normal this year to have a whole month of cloudy weather. Your average joe may say the weather outside is nice and clear but to hunt down some of these faint galaxies, you need to have really clear skies. Some of these high altitude clouds, visible only on radar and the charts on Meteoblue or Clearoutside can really wreck an entire night of observing and dramatically increase the difficulty of observing some of the faint galaxies.
•  
• The Moon! - Once the top three points align, the Moon must not be in the sky, otherwise again it becomes very difficult observing some of the faint galaxies or nebulas. So having all these four points align has been quite the challenge and I was more then happy when they finally did.
•  
• Telescope - I had an 8" manual DOB and I would say it was the bare minimum that I needed to observe the catalog under my conditions. If you can get under a dark enough/clear enough sky, I am pretty sure it is doable with a 4"-6" as well.
•  
• Eyepieces & Filters - The key to my observing were a 2" 70degree 40mm and 32mm for the initial location of the target and then a nice 68 degree 15mm. For the galaxies, the Zoom eyepiece was really crucial. I could fine tune the magnification where the faint fuzzy was most visible. The UHC filters helped quite a lot on some of the Nebulas which were not easily visible without it.
•  
• Starhopping - I did the whole catalog fully manual. The whole process was simplified by having three key pieces of equipment:
  • Stellarium Plus - I did 90% of the catalog with the regular version before I bought the plus. The Plus is so much better that it can simulate the eyepiece view allowing for quick recognition of where one is.
  • Cheap inclinometer for like 10$ - I would get the altitude of the object from Stellarium, get the telescope to the right altitude and then just sweep left and right in the general vicinity of where the object is in the constellation. 
  • I would quickly point the telescope in the general vicinity with a laser finder.. and if there were aircraft in the vicinity, I could use the RDF. I have a combo finder. The optical finder has been dismounted for over a year from my telescope as it was literally just dead weight.
  •  
• EXPERIENCE - Observing is definitely a skill. Had I begun with the Virgo cluster of galaxies as my first objects I would have surely failed, especially in the freezing cold when they are most visible around here. With experience one is able to know what to roughly look for just by looking at the size and magnitude of the object in stellarium. An inexperienced observer could have the galaxy right in the middle of the eyepiece and would see absolutely nothing. Experience really helped me locate and observe some of the faintest Messier objects, especially under not ideal conditions with a bit of high altitude clouds dimming them even further.

It was really a great experience and some of these objects will stay in my mind forever. Apart from the famous well known ones like M13, M92, M31, M51, Orion etc.. The one that made the most lasting impression on me, and clearly underrated in my view was the Leo Triplet in my 26,32mm 2" eyepiece. I could look at these beautiful three galaxies, fitting in the same view for an hour if it wasn't for the freezing cold. 

This is just my opinion but I really think observing the entire Messier catalog visually is the best the whole of Astronomy has to offer. It is both a trip down the history of Astronomy as it is in visual splendor. It has definitely brought me the most life lasting impressions. I will be taking a bit of break now from tough DSOs and focusing on building my EQ platform and doing some simple imaging of the Moon and Sun from the comfort outside of my apartment under much better weather conditions with an occasional look at the most beautiful DSOs easily visible even from the Bortle 6 where we sit. 

This is awesome! Where did you obtain the print out from? Thanks 

[AstralFields]

14 minutes ago, Simon Pepper said:

This is awesome! Where did you obtain the print out from? Thanks 

Here:

messier-objects (lowell.edu)

The top row is missing the checkmark boxes though

[Jonathan_Shields]

Pretty good achievement. I have seen many of these EAA style with a 6 inch goto dob but visually i just don't have the skies or the patience (even with my 8 inch manual dob which has a diy azimuth scale and an inclinometer).  Its very hard to find something manually you can barely see even with Stellarium etc so its a great achievement to take your time and see all these properly.

I've never understood the "see them all in one night" Messier Marathons ...sounds pretty stressful and the exact opposite of why I look at this stuff.

[Paz]

Congratulations on completing this list. I've been observing for over 10 years and I've not seen all the Messier objects. I've been slowly picking through my notes to work out which ones I have  not seen and then aim to pick them off. Give me another decade and hopefully have done them all and I can join the club!

[bosun21]

On 04/04/2024 at 21:22, josefk said:

i haven't completed the list (i don't try very hard) but i like it because when you've spent a night frustratingly not seeing what you have been trying to see you can normally rely on a (typically brighter) Messier object to cheer yourself up and finish a session on a high note. M45, M44, M37, M13 take a bow...

I have lost count the number of times your statement has applied to the end of many of my observing sessions. I also tip my hat to your short list of possible targets with redeeming qualities.

[Jules Tohpipi]

Thanks and congratulations for a very interesting and useful write up @AstralFields  Out of curiosity which inclinometer are you using - do you have a photo or link possibly?

[AstralFields]

19 hours ago, Jules Tohpipi said:

Thanks and congratulations for a very interesting and useful write up @AstralFields  Out of curiosity which inclinometer are you using - do you have a photo or link possibly?

This one .. very accurate

Just found this amazing item on AliExpress. Check it out! 
US $9.39  50%OFF | Digital Display Inclination Box Precision Measurement with Backlight Magnetic Suction Protractor Inclinometer Angle Meter 1PC
https://a.aliexpress.com/_EzyJ7NR

[Simon Pepper]

@AstralFields thanks for this mine turned up today And better than I expected so will be making a start on this!