All sky watchers should make it a goal to see each Messier object at some point in their observing career; however, some amateur astronomers take it a step further. Every year near the spring equinox, astronomy clubs around the world hold what they call a "Messier" marathon.

Like any marathon, it's a test of endurance because, at that time of the year, all 110 objects are above the horizon at some time between dusk and dawn, and so the goal is to find them all through a telescope in a single night of observing. The hardest objects to find are those that are setting at dusk or rising at dawn.