What a Mess(ier)!

By Aaron B. Clevenson, ALCor

”Space, the final frontier...
to boldly go where no one has gone before.”
- Jean Luc Picard

Welcome to the 8th article on Astronomical League Club certifications. This month we will tackle the two most popular certifications: The Messier Club and the Binocular Messier Club. Why do them together? Well everything you find in the Binocular certification will also count towards the Messier certification.

Messier, a pretty cool dude! His objective was to catalogue all those nasty little faint smudges that get in the way when you are comet hunting. It was a nice objective, but what a list. Originally published with only the first 103 objects, a couple of his students rounded it out to the current day 110. In this list is something for everybody: 40 galaxies (although he did not know that they were), 29 globular clusters, 28 open clusters, 5 planetary nebulas, 4 clusters with a nebula, 3 diffuse nebulas, and even 1 double star.

So what is a good way to tackle these guys? Well there is a rule to be aware of in the Messier Club certification: All observations must be done manually, through star hopping. Go-To Scopes, and even setting circles are not allowed. What I found to be very rewarding, as well as an opportunity to learn the sky, was to tackle the Binocular Messier first. This removes the issue of “manual” locating, since binoculars are manual tools. You have to find 50 of the 110 objects, so this starts you off well on your way to the Messier Club certification as well.

The Binocular Messier Club certification web page breaks the objects down into categories of how hard they are to find and see in binoculars. There are 42 easy ones (easy is good), 18 tough ones, and 16 challenge objects. This is a total of 76 objects that have been seen with an inexpensive pair of 7 x 35 binoculars. This seems pretty doable, since you only need 50. Warning: the other 44 are very difficult to impossible to see in binoculars. I have tried. Another warning: go back and look at these objects in your telescope; even if you use the “go-to functionality”. They are worth seeing and admiring. You need to record the normal information for each observation, and remember to sketch what you see.

Now we go on to the most popular certification; the Messier Club. Remember, you must do this manually. There are two ways to go. First you need to see at least 70 of them for the standard certification. If you did all of the observable Binocular Messier objects, then you already have 76. Then find the rest, all 110, and receive the Honorary Messier Certification. Again, record the usual information and be sure to sketch what you see.

These are among the most beautiful objects in the sky. To find them all is a most rewarding accomplishment. Join us next month for a quick look at Messier II, or better known as the Caldwell Club. Happy Hunting.