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Credit & Copyright: P. Gitto
Explanation:
Gripped by an
astronomical spring fever, this week
many amateur stargazers embark on
a Messier Marathon.
The Vernal Equinox
occurs Saturday, March 20, marking the
first day of Spring for the Northern Hemisphere.
It also marks a favorable celestial situation for
potentially viewing all the objects in 18th century French astronomer
Charles Messier's catalog
in one
glorious dusk to dawn observing run.
This year, interference from bright moonlight will be minimal as
the the moon is near its dark or new phase.
Astronomer Paul Gitto has created this
masterful Messier Marathon grid with 11 rows
and 10 columns of
Messier catalog objects.
In numerical order, the grid begins with
M1, the Crab Nebula,
at upper left and ends
with M110, a small elliptical galaxy in Andromeda
(lower right).
Gitto's images were made with a digital camera and a 10-inch diameter
reflecting telescope.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: equinox - Messier catalog
Publications with words: equinox - Messier catalog
See also:
- APOD: 2024 September 22 Á Chicagohenge: Equinox in an Aligned City
- Sunrise Shadows in the Sky
- APOD: 2024 March 19 Á A Picturesque Equinox Sunset
- APOD: 2023 March 19 Á Equinox at the Pyramid of the Feathered Serpent
- Equinox Sunrise Around the World
- September Sunrise Shadows
- A Picturesque Equinox Sunset