Introduction:

Welcome to Decatur Area Astronomy Club's Caldwell Observing Program. While Charles Messier made a catalogue of faint fuzzy objects to be avoided when searching for comets, Sir Patrick Caldwell-Moore has made a catalogue of beautiful and interesting objects you should, literally, go out of your way to observe. Two of the obvious objects were never even given NGC designations. A letter from Sir Patrick (below) explains why and how he created the list at his home in Selsey, England, surrounded by his personal observatories.

The Caldwell List.

The 109 objects on the list range from magnitude 1 through 13, and Declination +85° to -80°, so some diligence will be required. The benefits far outweigh any inconvenience, however, as you will be treated to many wonderful new sights to behold in the night sky, and maybe even make some new international observing friends along the way.

The Caldwell List has been broken into two award categories; 70 objects, and the complete list of 109.

Rules and Regulations.

Observe at least 70 of the Caldwell objects and keep a record of your observations. Your notes must show:

  • Date of observation

  • Time of observation

  • Seeing conditions

  • Aperture size of telescope

  • Power used

  • A short note describing your observation of the object.

Have your notebook or record examined by the observing program committee. When is has been accomplished  you are eligible for your Caldwell Observation Program Certificate.

You must be a member of Decatur Area Astronomy Club to receive these certificates.

Target List

Observation Log

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A Letter from Sir Patrick Moore

SIR PATRICK MOORE CBE DSc (Hon) FRAS

Farthings
West Street
Selsey
England

The idea of the Caldwell Catalogue came to me one night, after I had been observing the Moon (my own subject) and had looked casually at the Perseus Sword-Handle. This has no Messier number. (Messier catalogued nebulae as 'objects to avoid' during his comet searches, and in any case limited himself to the northern part of the sky.) There are many Messier clubs. Why not draw up a catalogue of bright nebular objects omitted by Messier?

I did so - and more or less on the spur of the moment, sent it off to Sky and Telescope. To my surprise it caught on, and by now everyone seems to use the Caldwell numbers. I could not use M numbers, because Messier and Moore begin with M - but my proper name is hyphenated (Caldwell-Moore), so I used C.

All the Caldwell objects are within range of modest equipment. They are arranged in declinations, so that to survey them all means some travel - but that is not a problem nowadays.

Why not try a Caldwell competition? This is not a difficult matter - and here is the list; try it and see how many of the C objects you can locate. I wonder who will be the first observer to win a Caldwell Certificate?

I wish you luck, and clear skies!

PATRICK MOORE