messier cert

Messier Certificate

RASC

Who? Why? What? When? How?

• Charles Messier (1730-1817)

• Comet hunter (13)

• Speculum metal mirror telescope

• 80 mm (3”) – 100 mm (4”) aperture

• Paris 48.8742° N


• Appreciation of traditional methods

• Sense of history

• Experience the sky

• Begin an observingprogram

• Learn to use yourequipment

• Get a nice certificate


• Well-known objects like:– Pleiades(M45)

– Andromeda Galaxy(M31)

– Orion Nebula(M42)

– Sagittarius Cluster(M22)


• And tougher ones like:– M89 5x5 arc minutes11th magnitude

– M595x4 arc minutes11th magnitude

(Pleiades 110 arc minutes 2nd magnitude)


• 110 fuzzy objects in total


• New Moon is best

• Mid-March to early-April (at 25° N) view all the objects in one night!

• Late September to view most of the objects over a night (43.6° N)

• Impossible to view all from any parts south of 30° S


• You need to be a member in good standing (paid-up membership, no parking tickets) over your observationtime and your submission time

• Tell a couple of members of RASC (in good standing) that you will need them to review your logs and activities, and witness your application


• At least 3” Telescope on (no binos) – an equatorial mount (best)– an alt azimuth mount (good)

• If mount is manual (you are applying for the traditional certificate)

• If computer-assisted (digital cert)• (using a calculator to take RA and decand turn it into alt az on a manual mount is “traditional”)


• Print out the 115-page Messier log and guide (or just the pages you need for the night you will be observing)

• Pick a few targets for your first night

• This time of year you could choose Orion (M42, M43, M78)


12

3

4

5


• Typical session (90 mins 6 Ms):– Preparation time (15 mins.)

• Printing, pencils, red lights, picking targets

– Telescope setup no GOTO – (15 mins.)• Align scope on North, Level setting circles

– Each object – (7½ mins.)• Star hop, align• Observe• Enter log data• Observe some more!

– Pack up (15 mins.)


• Typical duration:– Minimally 19 evenings at around 6 objects a night and 45 minutes at the scope

– About 3 months in the winter at any hour

– About 2 months in the late fall any hour

– About 11 months if you want to observe after sunset only


1. Show your log book to 2 members

2. Fill in the Affidavit

3. Have the members witness

4. Mail the Affidavit to the Observing Committee in Regina

5. Wait


• 309 Members throughout Canada

• Randy 2005 (at Toronto)

• Chris 1995 (at Toronto)

• NO RECIPIENTS AT THE MISSISSAUGA CENTER YET

• Why not be the first ?

messier cert

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