Messier Marathon 2002

This year, there will be a considerably good chance to combine the Messier marathon with an all-planet marathon, i.e. you can observe all solar-system planets during this night, though Neptune and Venus might be difficult. Some comets brighter than about mag 14.0 will be visible; we list them below, based on the JPL List of Currently Visible Comets (also note Gary Kronk's list of current comets and the Fachgruppe Kometen list):

Comet		   	      RA  (2000.0)  Dec  mag    RA  (2000.0)  Dec  mag
			  	  March 17, 2002            April 11, 2002

C/2002 F1 (Utsunomiya)                                  00 08.2  +28 29     6.1
C/2000 SV74 (LINEAR)          23 48.32 +60 34.5  12.9   00 22.94 +66 24.7  13.3
C/2002 C1 (Ikeya-Zhang)       01 26.88 +16 58.8   3.3   23 25.60 +57 20.7   3.8
19P/Borelly                   12 06.57 +53 09.6  14.1   11 37.12 +49 27.7  16.0
7P/Pons-Winnecke              17 44.97 +02 27.9  12.5   19 09.93 -00 45.9  11.5
C/2002 E2 (Snyder-Murakami)   19 19.12 +04 42.2  10.0   19 22.19 +34 33.4  10.3
C/2000 WM1 (LINEAR)           19 20.49 -09 50.0   7.4   19 01.95 +09 57.9   8.6
29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1    20 42.90 -20 04.0  15.7   21 00.09 -18 43.0  15.6  (has outbursts)
C/2001 OG108 (LONEOS)         21 38.74 +52 20.8  10.1   07 27    +85 29.2   9.5

The list is RA ordered and thus in the sequence the comets might be observed from evening through midnight to morning. Note that occasionally comets become bright shortly (like Hyakutake in 1996), so check back for possible updates shortly before Marathon date.

This year 2002, two events may have occurred just in time for enriching the marathon: On January 29, 2002, Supernova 2002ap was discovered in M74; this will probably be still bright on the MM 2002 occasion, though difficult as this galaxy will be a difficult evening challenge anyway. Moreover, comet C/2002 C1 (Ikeya-Zhang) was discovered in Cetus at mag 9; it is to brighten to naked-eye visibility in March! But unfortunately, this comet will be close to the sun that month; perhaps better visible on the second marathon occasion in April.

Also, meteors from various showers may occur, and depending on your location, you may be able to observe the International Space Station, ISS.

• The 2002 All Arizona Messier Marathon will take place a little late this year, and is scheduled for April 13-14, 2002, again at the Arizona City Site.
• The High Deserst Astronomical Society will hold their 2002 Messier Marathon on March 9, 2002 in Apple Valley, CA.
• Klaus Schulze-Frerichs is planning to hold two Messier Marathons this spring, the "Mosborn Messier Marathon 2002", the first on March 16, and the second on April 13, 2002 from a rather dark site at about 50d N, 6d E. More info available by email.
• The AHO Astronomical Society of Central NY will host its first Messier Marathon 2002 . The event will be held the weekend of March 16-17, 2002. Info available by email.
• The Calumet Astronomical Society will be conducting a Messier marathon March 15-16 near Lake Village Indiana. Those desiring more information can contact Chris Brownewell, President CAS
• The San Bernardino Valley Amateur Astronomers will hold their 2002 Messier Marathon on March 16, 2002, near Barstow, CA. For more information see: http://www.sbvaa.org/ocstarparty.html, or email
• The Agroupacion Astronomica "MAGALLANES" are planning again this year to celebrate the messier marathon 2002 (they participate in the 2001 and 2000 messier marathon with a few objects...). The location is in Tavizna (Cadiz, Spain) and the date the 16th March. More information is available by email. -- Alberto Romero
• The South West Florida Astronomical Society will be running their second Messier Marathon on March 16-17, 2002 at a location known as the Fak. It is located Southeast of the city of Naples. They expect about 12 to 20 persons with instruments ranging from their eyes to a 12-inch SCT. More information is available from Frank J. Mraz.
• The San Diego Astronomy Association will be holding it's Messier Marathon again this year, at our Tierra Del Sol observing site. It will be hosted again by SDAA member Lloyd Duhon. More info can be found on their website.
• Girish Vaze, Swapneel Kore and Riyaz Amin from Mumbai, India are going to try a Messier Marathon this year on 15th and 16th March. They are currently using a 13.1" dobs; the mirror is from Coulter Optical, the rest of the OTA has been designed and built by themselves. More info is available by email from Girish Vaze.
• The San Jose Astronomical Association will be hosting their 2002 Messier Marathon (Don Machholz Messier Marathon) on March 16th at Henry Coe State Park Morgan Hill Ca.. -- Bob Havner
• The Sangamon Astronomical Society (Springfield, IL.), has scheduled a Messier Marathon for March 8 & 9. -- Ray Watt
• LVAAS.ORG will be running a MM at their Pulpit Rock observing site -- C. Roberts
• The Oklahoma City Astronomy Club will be hosting their 2002 Messier Marathon on Saturday night March the 16th, at their regular observing site 'The Crop Circle', 7 miles from the town of Hennessey, Oklahoma - Jeff Tibb

  Because of clouds at marathon night, this event had to be rescheduled, and is now to be run in the night of April 6-7, at the Crop Circle site. A secondary date for the case of a rain-out will be April 13-14, 2002.

• Russell Pinizzotto is considering to run a second Messier Marathon in April 2002 if anyone in far Northwest Missouri wants to join him. Email him
• The TUVA Astronomy Club and The Astronomy Club of Tulsa are planning to hold their 2002 Messier Marathon on April 13-14, 2002 after their first scheduled date on March 13 was clouded out. The site is a farm with a flat pasture for setting as many scopes as you could imagine just about 5 miles north of Checotah, Ok. or about 45 minutes southeast of Tulsa, OK. See their announce or visit their website for more information. - David Stine (Alias Comet- 1)
• The second Iranian Messier Marathon will be held April 11/12, 2002 in Semnan desert. - Babak Tafreshi (Editor at Nojum)

If you have undertaken, or participated in, a Messier Marathon, 2002 or earlier, if not already done so, please email me your or your group's results, or the link to your results page, for inclusion in our Messier Marathon Results page!

Hartmut Frommert
Christine Kronberg
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Last Modification: April 9, 2002