Date: Fri, 22 Mar 2002 08:27:55 -0600 From: TCPFA Subject: Messier Marathon The TUVA Astronomy Club and The Astronomy Club of Tulsa have been holding Messier Marathons since 1992. They were started by the TUVA Observatory owners Ron and Maura Wood. They honor the person finding the most objects by adding their name to a plaque that is kept in their observatory. I was the first person to win in 1992 finding 97 objects so they christianed the award as the Dave Stine Messier Marathon Award. Since then several other people have won including myself again in 1998. 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. The sky is very dark. Anyway we tried on March 16 but was clouded out. Now it has been rescheduled for April 13. From this location you can also pick up the Omega Cluster about 5 degrees above the south horizon, so it is always an added bonus and we have been lucky in the past to see auroras and several comets. This year Comets Ikeya-Zhang and WM1 Linear should be visible. We estimate approximately 35-50+ people from around the area will be setting up their scopes. TUVA has a website where more information can be found. They also have a 24" built Relector called BART for Big Astronomical Telescope. For more information go to www.tuvaclub.org. David Stine(Alias Comet- 1) Observing Chairman Astronomy Club of Tulsa