Well, the subject line says most of it. I've got my heart set on trying a
Messier Marathon this weekend, if the weather allows it, but I'm also dying
to go back to the Peak. Being an FPOA guy, I'm thinking of reserving myself
a spot at the Pads for Saturday. I love the Pads. I'm wondering how FP
would be for a marathon, horizon-wise. Anyone ever try one there?
Clearly, the SW Lot and Coulter Row would be problematic. Stuff would
definitely get blocked. But I'm thinking that the Pads might be decent.
Here are some qualifiers:
1) I'm not sweating 74 and 77. Bagged those last week. I'll give 'em a
shot, just for fun, but I'm not worried about logging them.
2) I'm not even sweating anything before Leo culminates. Logged it all last
night. Again, that stuff will be used as a fun warm-up.
3) I know that it's too early in March to get 30. Numbers 2, 72, and 73 may
be problematic in the dawn, too. I'm not too wigged about those, either.
Looking forward to getting them in the summer, and I've logged 'em over the
last few years anyway.
As I see it, the worst direction from the Pads is NE. Maybe that could be a
bit of an issue for things like 29, 39, and 15, but hard to say.
Seems to me that given all of those caveats, the Pads might suit my
purposes well. I guess I sort of answered my own question. Maybe I'll set
up my dob on a pad, do most of the objects, and then carry the ED80 up to
the top of the hill (the one east of the observatory) to greet the dawn
twilight.
Fingers crossed for clear skies,
Marek Cichanski
Received on Tue Mar 8 19:28:31 2005