Sufi Observing Competition is an international competition and like Messier marathon, but more difficult with various subjects.
Since 2006, Astronomical Society of Iran – Amateur Committee (ASIAC) holds an international observing competition in the memory of Azophi. The first competition was held in 2006 in the north of Semnan ProvinceAstronomical Society of Iran – Amateur Committee (ASIAC) and the 2nd SUFI observing competition was held in summer of 2008 in Ladiz near Zahedan. More than 100 observers from Iran and Iraq participated in this event.
Third Sufi Competition was held in Pasargadae, Fars province of Iran, at the enclosure of the historical tomb of Cyrus the Great on 17–20 August 2009. More than 120 amateur astronomers participated in this competition which held in 2 class of individuals and groups. Closing ceremony of 3rd Sufi Competition was held in Persepolis historical site splendidly which is in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Babak Amin Tafreshi, Pouria Nazemi, Kazem Kookaram and Mohammad H. Almasi are Iranian amateur astronomers who designed and manage this competition in their country until today.
Objects selected by the competition
Number Name of Object Object Type Constellation Recommended Instrument Object of Sufi1M7 Open cluster Sco Telescope - Binoculars *2M6 Open cluster ScoTelescope - Binoculars3Lagoon NebulaStar cluster with NebulaeSgrTelescope - Binoculars4Trifid NebulaStar cluster with NebulaeSgrTelescope - Binoculars5M22Globular clusterSgrTelescope - Binoculars6M62Globular clusterOphTelescope - Binoculars7M80Globular clusterScoTelescope - Binoculars8NGC 6231Open clusterScoTelescope - Binoculars9NGC 6281Open clusterScoTelescope - Binoculars 10NGC 6541Globular clusterCrATelescope - Binoculars 11NGC 6441Globular clusterScoTelescope - Binoculars12Black Eye GalaxyGalaxyComTelescope - Binoculars13Owl NebulaPlanetary nebulaUMaTelescope - Binoculars14M108GalaxyUMaTelescope - Binoculars 15M108GalaxyUMaTelescope - Binoculars16M109GalaxyUMaTelescope - Binoculars17 M106GalaxyCVnTelescope - Binoculars18M94GalaxyCVnTelescope - Binoculars19Sunflower GalaxyGalaxyCVnTelescope - Binoculars20Whirlpool GalaxyGalaxyCVnTelescope - Binoculars21Pinwheel GalaxyGalaxyUMaTelescope - Binoculars22M3Globular clusterCVnTelescope - Binoculars23M3Globular clusterCVnTelescope - Binoculars24M5Globular clusterSerTelescope - Binoculars25M81GalaxyUMaTelescope - Binoculars26M82GalaxyUMaTelescope - Binoculars27M102GalaxyDraTelescope - Binoculars28NGC 5907GalaxyDraTelescope - Binoculars29NGC 6946GalaxyCepTelescope - Binoculars30M39Open clusterCygTelescope - Binoculars31NGC 7243Open clusterLacTelescope - Binoculars32NGC 7331GalaxyPegTelescope - Binoculars33M12Globular clusterOphTelescope - Binoculars34M9Globular clusterOphTelescope - Binoculars35M28Globular clusterSgrTelescope - Binoculars36M54Globular clusterSgrTelescope - Binoculars37M55Globular clusterSgrTelescope - Binoculars38M23Open clusterSgrTelescope - Binoculars3916Open clusterSgrTelescope - Binoculars40Omega NebulaBright nebulaSgrTelescope - Binoculars41M25Open clusterSgrTelescope - Binoculars42asterism of Nu1 and Nu2asterismSgrTelescope - Binoculars*43NGC 6716Open clusterSgrTelescope - Binoculars44M14Globular clusterOphTelescope - Binoculars45IC 4665Open clusterOphBinoculars46IC 4756Open clusterSerBinoculars47Wild Duck ClusterOpen clusterSctTelescope - Binoculars48M26Open clusterSctTelescope - Binoculars49NGC 6712Globular clusterSctTelescope - Binoculars49M75Globular clusterSgrTelescope - Binoculars50Andromeda GalaxyGalaxyAndTelescope - Binoculars51M110Elliptical galaxyAndTelescope - Binoculars52NGC 185GalaxyCasTelescope - Binoculars53M52Open clusterCasTelescope - Binoculars54NGC 40planetary NebulaCepTelescope - 55NGC 7789Open clusterCasTelescope - Binoculars56NGC 129Open clusterCasTelescope - Binoculars57NGC 457Open clusterCasTelescope - Binoculars58NGC 663Open clusterCasTelescope - Binoculars59M13Globular clusterHerTelescope - Binoculars60M92Globular clusterHerTelescope - Binoculars61NGC 6229Globular clusterHerTelescope - Binoculars62NGC 6503GalaxyDraTelescope - Binoculars63M72Globular clusterAqrTelescope - Binoculars64NGC 7009Planetary NebulaAqrTelescope - 65M30Globular clusterCapTelescope - Binoculars66NGC 7293Planetary NebulaAqrTelescope - Binoculars67M74GalaxyPscTelescope - Binoculars68Triangulum GalaxyGalaxyTriTelescope - Binoculars69NGC 752Open clusterAndTelescope - Binoculars70Little Dumbbell NebulaPlanetary NebulaPerTelescope 71NGC 869 and NGC 884Open clustersPerTelescope - Binoculars*72NGC 891GalaxyAndTelescope - Binoculars73M34Open clusterPerTelescope - Binoculars74NGC 1023GalaxyPerTelescope - Binoculars75Brocchi's ClusterOpen clusterVulTelescope - Binoculars*76Messier 71Globular clusterSgeTelescope - Binoculars77Dumbbell NebulaPlanetary NebulaVulTelescope - Binoculars78NGC 6934Globular clusterDelTelescope - Binoculars79Ring NebulaPlanetary NebulaLyrTelescope 80M29Open clusterCygTelescope - Binoculars81NGC 7582GalaxyGruTelescope - Binoculars82NGC 55GalaxySclTelescope - Binoculars83NGC 300GalaxySclTelescope - Binoculars84NGC 7793GalaxySclTelescope - Binoculars85NGC 613GalaxySclTelescope - Binoculars86NGC 247GalaxyCetTelescope - Binoculars87NGC 253GalaxySclTelescope - Binoculars88NGC 288Globular clusterSclTelescope - Binoculars89Alpha Persei ClusterOpen clusterPerBinoculars90NGC 1342Open clusterPerTelescope - Binoculars91NGC 1502Open clusterCamTelescope - Binoculars92NGC 1528Open clusterPerTelescope - Binoculars93NGC 246Planetary NebulaCetTelescope - Binoculars94NGC 936GalaxyCetTelescope - Binoculars95M77GalaxyCetTelescope - Binoculars96PleiadesOpen clusterTauTelescope - Binoculars97NGC 1746Open clusterTauTelescope - Binoculars98NGC 1746Open clusterTauBinoculars99NGC 1907Open clusterAurTelescope - Binoculars100M38Open clusterAurTelescope - Binoculars101M36Open clusterAurTelescope - Binoculars102M37Open clusterAurTelescope - Binoculars103Crab NebulaSupernova remnantTauTelescope - Binoculars104M35Open clusterGemTelescope - Binoculars105NGC 2158Open clusterGemTelescope - Binoculars106NGC 2403GalaxyCamTelescope - Binoculars107M2Globular clusterAqrTelescope - Binoculars108M15Globular clusterPegTelescope - Binoculars109Orion NebulaNebulaOriTelescope - Binoculars110M78NebulaOriTelescope - Binoculars111NGC 2244Open clusterMonTelescope - Binoculars112NGC 2264Cluster with NebulaMonTelescope - Binoculars113NGC 1097GalaxyForTelescope - Binoculars114NGC 1360GalaxyForTelescope - Binoculars115NGC 1365GalaxyForTelescope - Binoculars116NGC 1316GalaxyForTelescope - Binoculars117NGC 1291GalaxyEriTelescope - Binoculars118M79Globular clusterLepTelescope - Binoculars119Eskimo NebulaPlanetary NebulaGemTelescope120M50Open clusterMonTelescope - Binoculars121M41Open clusterCmaTelescope - Binoculars122Beehive ClusterOpen clusterCncTelescope - Binoculars123M67?Open clusterCncTelescope - Binoculars124Asterism of lambdaOpen clusterOriTelescope - Binoculars*
See also Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi Messier marathon Star party
References
External links official weblog for SUFI Observing competition Astronomical Society of Iran – Amateur Committee (ASIAC) Time-lapse video of the Sufi Competition on The World at Night