The Messier catalogue was compiled by French astronomer Charles Messier during the late 18th century and consists of 110 relatively bright deep sky objects (galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters). At northern latitudes, i.e. the United States, it is possible to observe all Messier objects in one night during a window of a few weeks from mid-March to early April.
The Mount Lemmon SkyCenter dares you to join the all-night event: Messier Marathon 2019. Beginning March 30 at 4:30, with a presentation of the sunset, until check-out at 11:00am March 31st. Spend the night under the stars with access to Arizona’s largest publicly available world-class telescopes: 32” Schulman and 24” Phillips, plus we’ll supply you with high-quality binoculars for use throughout the night. All participants will receive dinner and a light breakfast before check-out, snacks, refreshments, and lodging for the night. As well as a memorable keepsake: a personalized Certificate of Participation with your name, date and total number of successfully observed objects.
When: Saturday, March 30, 2019 beginning at 4:15pm MST, ending March 31, 2019 at 11am MST.
Where: Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter 9800 Ski Run Road Mt. Lemmon, AZ 85619
What: The Messier Marathon 2019
Cost: $140 adults, $120 for youth (minimum age of 7 is required.)
