When
Where
The Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter invites you to take part in one of Astronomy’s biggest challenges, the Messier Marathon! 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, it is possible to observe all Messier objects in one night during a window of a few weeks from mid-March to early April.
Guests are invited to use the 32” Schulman and 24” Phillips Telescopes in an attempt to accomplish this feat, over the course of one night! This all-night program begins two hours before sunset and ends just before dawn. Our expert Hosts will guide you through the heavens in search of Messier’s best and brightest deep sky objects.
Ticket price includes the use of our fantastic location, high-quality binoculars, and all-night access to the Schulman and Phillip's telescopes - Arizona’s largest publicly available telescopes! You also receive two meals (dinner and light breakfast the morning after), snacks, refreshments, and lodging. In addition, all participants will receive a personalized Certificate of Participation. This memorable keepsake will include the date of your Marathon attempt as well as the total number of successfully observed objects.
As the Messier Marathon is an all-night affair, some individuals choose to turn in early or take a ‘cat nap’ during the night. As such, your registration includes a double occupancy room inside one of our two Astronomer Dorm Room buildings. Please be sure to bring your own linens/sleeping bag, and pillow. Each building houses one central restroom/bathroom facility. Personal toiletry items are not provided.
Arrival/check-in time is 4:30 pm on March 30, 2019. You will be given your room and building number upon arrival. Check-out time is at 11:00 AM, March 31, 2019.