This Messier madness for me all started last October when Dennis Steele, a telescope maker
 of some years back (from Chabot fame) and coworker at Scope City said, “Here Ken, this will get you started,”
referring to Harvard Pennington’s Messier Marathon Field Guide. Well, on my all-nighter flights back from the Islands,
 I’d try to make something out of it. My view usually was spanning northeastern to southeastern sky from usually 35,000 feet at
latitude 22.7, longitude 154.3 heading usually 047 true and about 1500 UT with horizon to around 25 degrees.
Having now retired from United Airlines and realizing what an opportunity I had then I'm astounded.