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The Messier objects are a set of 110 astronomical objects catalogued by the French astronomer Charles Messier in his "Catalogue des Nébuleuses et des Amas d'Étoiles" ("Catalogue of Nebulae and Star Clusters"). A preliminary version first appeared in Memoirs of the French Academy of Sciences in 1771, and the last item was added in 1966 by Kenneth Glyn Jones, based on Messier's observations. The first version of Messier's catalogue contained 45 objects and was published in 1774 in the journal of the French Academy of Sciences in Paris. In addition to his own discoveries, this version included objects previously observed by other astronomers, with only 17 of the 45 objects being Messier’s. By 1780 the catalog had increased to 80 objects. The final version of the catalogue containing 103 objects was published in 1781 in the Connaissance des Temps for the year 1784. However, due to what was thought for a long time to be the incorrect addition of Messier 102, the total number remained 102. Other astronomers, using side notes in Messier's texts, eventually filled out the list up to 110 objects. The catalogue consists of a diverse range of astronomical objects, ranging from star clusters, nebula and galaxies. Messier 1 is the supernova remnant of Crab Nebula and the great spiral Andromeda Galaxy is M 31. Many further inclusions followed in the next century when the first addition came from Nicolas Camille Flammarion in 1921, who added Messier 104 after finding Messier’s side note in his 1781 edition exemplar of the catalogue. M105 to M107 were added by Helen Sawyer Hogg in 1947, M108 and M109 by Owen Gingerich in 1960, and M110 by Kenneth Glyn Jones in 1967. Because Messier was interested in finding only comets, he created a list of non-comet objects that frustrated his hunt for them. The compilation of this list, in collaboration with his assistant Pierre Méchain, is known as the Messier catalogue. This catalogue of objects is one of the most famous lists of astronomical objects, and many Messier objects are still referenced by their Messier number.
Open cluster Globular cluster Nebula Planetary nebula Supernova remnant Galaxy Other
Messier number | NGC/IC Number | Common name | Object type | Distance (kly) | Constellation | Apparent magnitude | Right Ascension | Declination |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
M1[1] | NGC 1952 | Crab Nebula | Supernova remnant | 4.9–8.1 | Taurus | 8.4 | 05h 34m 31.94s | +22° 00′ 52.2″ |
M2[2] | NGC 7089 | Cluster, globular | 33 | Aquarius | 6.3 | 21h 33m 27.02s | −00° 49′ 23.7″ | |
M3[3] | NGC 5272 | Cluster, globular | 33.9 | Canes Venatici | 6.2 | 13h 42m 11.62s | +28° 22′ 38.2″ | |
M4[4] | NGC 6121 | Cluster, globular | 7.2 | Scorpius | 5.9 | 16h 23m 35.22s | −26° 31′ 32.7″ | |
M5[5] | NGC 5904 | Cluster, globular | 24.5 | Serpens | 6.7 | 15h 18m 33.22s | +02° 04′ 51.7″ | |
M6[6] | NGC 6405 | Butterfly Cluster | Cluster, open | 1.6 | Scorpius | 4.2 | 17h 40.1m | −32° 13′ |
M7[7] | NGC 6475 | Ptolemy Cluster | Cluster, open | 0.65–1.31 | Scorpius | 3.3 | 17h 53m 51.2s | −34° 47′ 34″ |
M8[8] | NGC 6523 | Lagoon Nebula | Nebula with cluster | 4.1 | Sagittarius | 6.0 | 18h 03m 37s | −24° 23′ 12″ |
M9[9] | NGC 6333 | Cluster, globular | 25.8 | Ophiuchus | 8.4 | 17h 19m 11.78s | −18° 30′ 58.5″ | |
M10[10] | NGC 6254 | Cluster, globular | 14.3 | Ophiuchus | 6.4 | 16h 57m 8.92s | −04° 05′ 58.07″ | |
M11[11] | NGC 6705 | Wild Duck Cluster | Cluster, open | 6.2 | Scutum | 6.3 | 18h 51.1m | −06° 16′ |
M12[12] | NGC 6218 | Cluster, globular | 15.7 | Ophiuchus | 7.7 | 16h 47m 14.18s | −01° 56′ 54.7″ | |
M13[13] | NGC 6205 | Great Globular Cluster in Hercules | Cluster, globular | 22.2 | Hercules | 5.8 | 16h 41m 41.24s | +36° 27′ 35.5″ |
M14[14] | NGC 6402 | Cluster, globular | 30.3 | Ophiuchus | 8.3 | 17h 37m 36.15s | −03° 14′ 45.3″ | |
M15[15] | NGC 7078 | Cluster, globular | 33 | Pegasus | 6.2 | 21h 29m 58.33s | +12° 10′ 01.2″ | |
M16[16] | NGC 6611 | Eagle Nebula | Nebula, H II region with cluster | 7 | Serpens | 6.0 | 18h 18m 48s | −13° 49′ |
M17[17] | NGC 6618 | Omega, Swan, Horseshoe, or Lobster Nebula | Nebula, H II region with cluster | 5–6 | Sagittarius | 6.0 | 18h 20m 26s | −16° 10′ 36″ |
M18[18] | NGC 6613 | Cluster, open | 4.9 | Sagittarius | 7.5 | 18h 19.9m | −17° 08′ | |
M19[19] | NGC 6273 | Cluster, globular | 28.7 | Ophiuchus | 7.5 | 17h 02m 37.69s | −26° 16′ 04.6″ | |
M20[20] | NGC 6514 | Trifid Nebula | Nebula, H II region with cluster | 5.2 | Sagittarius | 6.3 | 18h 02m 23s | −23° 01′ 48″ |
M21[21] | NGC 6531 | Cluster, open | 4.25 | Sagittarius | 6.5 | 18h 04.6m | −22° 30′ | |
M22[22] | NGC 6656 | Sagittarius Cluster | Cluster, globular | 9.6–11.6 | Sagittarius | 5.1 | 18h 36m 23.94s | −23° 54′ 17.1″ |
M23[23] | NGC 6494 | Cluster, open | 2.15 | Sagittarius | 6.9 | 17h 56.8m | −19° 01′ | |
M24[24] | IC 4715 | Sagittarius Star Cloud | Milky Way star cloud | ~10 | Sagittarius | 4.6 | 18h 17m | −18° 29′ |
M25[25] | IC 4725 | Cluster, open | 2.0 | Sagittarius | 4.6 | 18h 31.6m | −19° 15′ | |
M26[26] | NGC 6694 | Cluster, open | 5.0 | Scutum | 8.0 | 18h 45.2m | −09° 24′ | |
M27[27] | NGC 6853 | Dumbbell Nebula | Nebula, planetary | 1.148–1.52 | Vulpecula | 7.5 | 19h 59m 36.340s | +22° 43′ 16.09″ |
M28[28] | NGC 6626 | Cluster, globular | 17.9 | Sagittarius | 7.7 | 18h 24m 32.89s | −24° 52′ 11.4″ | |
M29[29] | NGC 6913 | Cooling Tower | Cluster, open | 7.2 | Cygnus | 7.1 | 20h 23m 56s | +38° 31′ 24″ |
M30[30] | NGC 7099 | Cluster, globular | 27.8–31 | Capricornus | 7.7 | 21h 40m 22.12 | −23° 10′ 47.5″ | |
M31[31] | NGC 224 | Andromeda Galaxy | Galaxy, spiral | 2,430–2,650 | Andromeda | 3.4 | 00h 42m 44.3s | +41° 16′ 9″ |
M32[32] | NGC 221 | Galaxy, dwarf elliptical | 2,410–2,570 | Andromeda | 8.1 | 00h 42m 41.8s | +40° 51′ 55″ | |
M33[33] | NGC 598 | Triangulum Galaxy | Galaxy, spiral | 2,380–3,070 | Triangulum | 5.7 | 01h 33m 50.02s | +30° 39′ 36.7″ |
M34[34] | NGC 1039 | Cluster, open | 1.5 | Perseus | 5.5 | 02h 42.1m | +42° 46′ | |
M35[35] | NGC 2168 | Cluster, open | 2.8 | Gemini | 5.3 | 06h 09.1m | +24° 21′ | |
M36[36] | NGC 1960 | Cluster, open | 4.1 | Auriga | 6.3 | 05h 36m 12s | +34° 08′ 4″ | |
M37[37] | NGC 2099 | Cluster, open | 4.511 | Auriga | 6.2 | 05h 52m 18s | +32° 33′ 02″ | |
M38[38] | NGC 1912 | Cluster, open | 4.2 | Auriga | 7.4 | 05h 28m 42s | +35° 51′ 18″ | |
M39[39] | NGC 7092 | Cluster, open | 0.8244 | Cygnus | 5.5 | 21h 31m 42s | +48° 25′ ″ | |
M40[40] | Winnecke 4 | Double star WNC4 | 0.51 | Ursa Major | 9.7 | 12h 22m 12.5s | +58° 4' 59" | |
M41[41] | NGC 2287 | Cluster, open | 2.3 | Canis Major | 4.5 | 06h 46.0m | −20° 46′ | |
M42[42] | NGC 1976 | Orion Nebula | Nebula, H II region | 1.324–1.364 | Orion | 4.0 | 05h 35m 17.3 | −05° 23′ 28″ |
M43[43] | NGC 1982 | De Mairan's Nebula | Nebula, H II region (part of the Orion Nebula) |
1.6 | Orion | 9.0 | 05h 35.6m | −05° 16′ |
M44[44] | NGC 2632 | Beehive Cluster | Cluster, open | 0.577 | Cancer | 3.7 | 08h 40.4m | +19° 59′ |
M45[45] | Pleiades | Cluster, open | 0.39–0.46 | Taurus | 1.6 | 03h 47m 24s | +24° 07′ 00″ | |
M46[46] | NGC 2437 | Cluster, open | 5.4 | Puppis | 6.1 | 07h 41.8m | −14° 49′ | |
M47[47] | NGC 2422 | Cluster, open | 1.6 | Puppis | 4.2 | 07h 36.6m | −14° 30′ | |
M48[48] | NGC 2548 | Cluster, open | 1.5 | Hydra | 5.5 | 08h 13.7m | −05° 45′ | |
M49[49] | NGC 4472 | Galaxy, elliptical | 53,600–58,200 | Virgo | 9.4 | 12h 29m 46.7s | +08° 00′ 02″ | |
M50[50] | NGC 2323 | Cluster, open | 3.2 | Monoceros | 5.9 | 07h 03.2m | −08° 20′ | |
M51[51] | NGC 5194, NGC 5195 | Whirlpool Galaxy | Galaxy, spiral | 19,000–27,000 | Canes Venatici | 8.4 | 13h 29m 52.7s | +47° 11′ 43″ |
M52[52] | NGC 7654 | Cluster, open | 5.0 | Cassiopeia | 5.0 | 23h 24.2m | +61° 35′ | |
M53[53] | NGC 5024 | Cluster, globular | 58 | Coma Berenices | 8.3 | 13h 12m 55.25s | +18° 10′ 05.4″ | |
M54[54] | NGC 6715 | Cluster, globular | 87.4 | Sagittarius | 8.4 | 18h 55m 03.33s | −30° 28′ 47.5″ | |
M55[55] | NGC 6809 | Cluster, globular | 17.6 | Sagittarius | 7.4 | 19h 39m 59.71s | −30° 57′ 53.1″ | |
M56[56] | NGC 6779 | Cluster, globular | 32.9 | Lyra | 8.3 | 19h 16m 35.57s | +30° 11′ 00.5″ | |
M57[57] | NGC 6720 | Ring Nebula | Nebula, planetary | 1.6–3.8 | Lyra | 8.8 | 18h 53m 35.079s | +33° 01′ 45.03″ |
M58[58] | NGC 4579 | Galaxy, barred spiral | ~63,000 | Virgo | 10.5 | 12h 37m 43.5s | +11° 49′ 05″ | |
M59[59] | NGC 4621 | Galaxy, elliptical | 55,000–65,000 | Virgo | 10.6 | 12h 42m 02.3s | +11° 38′ 49″ | |
M60[60] | NGC 4649 | Galaxy, elliptical | 51,000–59,000 | Virgo | 9.8 | 12h 43m 39.6s | +11° 33′ 09″ | |
M61[61] | NGC 4303 | Galaxy, spiral | 50,200–54,800 | Virgo | 10.2 | 12h 21m 54.9s | +04° 28′ 25″ | |
M62[62] | NGC 6266 | Cluster, globular | 22.2 | Ophiuchus | 7.4 | 17h 01m 12.60s | −30° 06′ 44.5″ | |
M63[63] | NGC 5055 | Sunflower Galaxy | Galaxy, spiral | 37,000 | Canes Venatici | 9.3 | 13h 15m 49.3s | +42° 01′ 45″ |
M64[64] | NGC 4826 | Black Eye Galaxy | Galaxy, spiral | 22,000–26,000 | Coma Berenices | 9.4 | 12h 56m 43.7s | +21° 40′ 58″ |
M65[65] | NGC 3623 | Leo Triplet | Galaxy, barred spiral | 41,000–42,000 | Leo | 10.3 | 11h 18m 55.9s | +13° 05′ 32″ |
M66[66] | NGC 3627 | Leo Triplet | Galaxy, barred spiral | 31,000–41,000 | Leo | 8.9 | 11h 20m 15.0s | +12° 59′ 30″ |
M67[67] | NGC 2682 | Cluster, open | 2.61–2.93 | Cancer | 6.1 | 08h 51.3m | +11° 49′ | |
M68[68] | NGC 4590 | Cluster, globular | 33.6 | Hydra | 9.7 | 12h 39m 27.98s | −26° 44′ 38.6″ | |
M69[69] | NGC 6637 | Cluster, globular | 29.7 | Sagittarius | 8.3 | 18h 31m 23.10s | −32° 20′ 53.1″ | |
M70[70] | NGC 6681 | Cluster, globular | 29.4 | Sagittarius | 9.1 | 18h 43m 12.76s | −32° 17′ 31.6″ | |
M71[71] | NGC 6838 | Cluster, globular | 13.0 | Sagitta | 6.1 | 19h 53m 46.49s | +18° 46′ 45.1″ | |
M72[72] | NGC 6981 | Cluster, globular | 53.40–55.74 | Aquarius | 9.4 | 20h 53m 27.70s | −12° 32′ 14.3″ | |
M73[73] | NGC 6994 | Asterism | ~2.5 | Aquarius | 9.0 | 20h 58m 54s | −12° 38′ | |
M74[74] | NGC 628 | Galaxy, spiral | 24,000–36,000 | Pisces | 10.0 | 01h 36m 41.8s | +15° 47′ 01″ | |
M75[75] | NGC 6864 | Cluster, globular | 67.5 | Sagittarius | 9.2 | 20h 06m 04.75s | −21° 55′ 16.2″ | |
M76[76] | NGC 650, NGC 651 | Little Dumbbell Nebula | Nebula, planetary | 2.5 | Perseus | 10.1 | 01h 42.4m | +51° 34′ 31″ |
M77[77] | NGC 1068 | Cetus A | Galaxy, spiral | 47,000 | Cetus | 9.6 | 02h 42m 40.7s | −00° 00′ 48″ |
M78[78] | NGC 2068 | Nebula, diffuse | 1.6 | Orion | 8.3 | 05h 46m 46.7s | +00° 00′ 50″ | |
M79[79] | NGC 1904 | Cluster, globular | 41 | Lepus | 8.6 | 05h 24m 10.59s | −24° 31′ 27.3″ | |
M80[80] | NGC 6093 | Cluster, globular | 32.6 | Scorpius | 7.9 | 16h 17m 02.41s | −22° 58′ 33.9″ | |
M81[81] | NGC 3031 | Bode's Galaxy | Galaxy, spiral | 11,400–12,200 | Ursa Major | 6.9 | 09h 55m 33.2s | +69° 3′ 55″ |
M82[82] | NGC 3034 | Cigar Galaxy | Galaxy, starburst | 10,700–12,300 | Ursa Major | 8.4 | 09h 55m 52.2s | +69° 40′ 47″ |
M83[83] | NGC 5236 | Southern Pinwheel Galaxy | Galaxy, barred spiral | 14,700 | Hydra | 7.5 | 13h 37m 00.9s | −29° 51′ 57″ |
M84[84] | NGC 4374 | Galaxy, lenticular | 57,000–63,000 | Virgo | 10.1 | 12h 25m 03.7s | +12° 53′ 13″ | |
M85[85] | NGC 4382 | Galaxy, lenticular | 56,000–64,000 | Coma Berenices | 10.0 | 12h 25m 24.0s | +18° 11′ 28″ | |
M86[86] | NGC 4406 | Galaxy, lenticular | 49,000–55,000 | Virgo | 9.8 | 12h 26m 11.7s | +12° 56′ 46″ | |
M87[87] | NGC 4486 | Virgo A | Galaxy, elliptical | 51,870–55,130 | Virgo | 9.6 | 12h 30m 49.42338s | +12° 23′ 28.0439″ |
M88[88] | NGC 4501 | Galaxy, spiral | 39,000–56,000 | Coma Berenices | 10.4 | 12h 31m 59.2s | +14° 25′ 14″ | |
M89[89] | NGC 4552 | Galaxy, elliptical | 47,000–53,000 | Virgo | 10.7 | 12h 35m 39.8s | +12° 33′ 23″ | |
M90[90] | NGC 4569 | Galaxy, spiral | 55,900–61,500 | Virgo | 10.3 | 12h 36m 49.8s | +13° 09′ 46″ | |
M91[91] | NGC 4548 | Galaxy, barred spiral | 47,000–79,000 | Coma Berenices | 11.0 | 12h 35m 26.4s | +14° 29′ 47″ | |
M92[92] | NGC 6341 | Cluster, globular | 26.7 | Hercules | 6.3 | 17h 17m 07.39s | +43° 08′ 09.4″ | |
M93[93] | NGC 2447 | Cluster, open | 3.6 | Puppis | 6.0 | 07h 44.6m | −23° 52′ | |
M94[94] | NGC 4736 | Galaxy, spiral | 14,700–17,300 | Canes Venatici | 9.0 | 12h 50m 53.1s | +41° 07′ 14″ | |
M95[95] | NGC 3351 | Galaxy, barred spiral | 31,200–34,000 | Leo | 11.4 | 10h 43m 57.7s | +11° 42′ 14″ | |
M96[96] | NGC 3368 | Galaxy, spiral | 28,000–34,000 | Leo | 10.1 | 10h 46m 45.7s | +11° 49′ 12″ | |
M97[97] | NGC 3587 | Owl Nebula | Nebula, planetary | 2.03 | Ursa Major | 9.9 | 11h 14m 47.734s | +55° 01′ 08.50″ |
M98[98] | NGC 4192 | Galaxy, spiral | 44,400 | Coma Berenices | 11.0 | 12h 13m 48.292s | +14° 54′ 01.69″ | |
M99[99] | NGC 4254 | Galaxy, spiral | 44,700–55,700 | Coma Berenices | 10.4 | 12h 18m 49.6s | +14° 24′ 59″ | |
M100[100] | NGC 4321 | Galaxy, spiral | 55,000 | Coma Berenices | 10.1 | 12h 22m 54.9s | +15° 49′ 21″ | |
M101[101] | NGC 5457 | Pinwheel Galaxy | Galaxy, spiral | 19,100–22,400 | Ursa Major | 7.9 | 14h 03m 12.6s | +54° 20′ 57″ |
M102[102] | NGC 5866 | Spindle Galaxy | Galaxy, lenticular | 50,000 | Draco | 10.7 | 15h 06m 29.5s | +55° 45′ 48″ |
M103[103] | NGC 581 | Cluster, open | 10 | Cassiopeia | 7.4 | 01h 33.2m | +60° 42′ | |
M104[104] | NGC 4594 | Sombrero Galaxy | Galaxy, spiral | 28,700–30,900 | Virgo | 9.0 | 12h 39m 59.4s | −11° 37′ 23″ |
M105[105] | NGC 3379 | Galaxy, elliptical | 30,400–33,600 | Leo | 10.2 | 10h 47m 49.6s | +12° 34′ 54″ | |
M106[106] | NGC 4258 | Galaxy, spiral | 22,200–25,200 | Canes Venatici | 9.1 | 12h 18m 57.5s | +47° 18′ 14″ | |
M107[107] | NGC 6171 | Cluster, globular | 20.9 | Ophiuchus | 8.9 | 16h 32m 31.86s | −13° 03′ 13.6″ | |
M108[108] | NGC 3556 | Galaxy, barred spiral | 46,000 | Ursa Major | 10.7 | 11h 11m 31.0s | +55° 40′ 27″ | |
M109[109] | NGC 3992 | Galaxy, barred spiral | 59,500–107,500 | Ursa Major | 10.6 | 11h 57m 36.0s | +53° 22′ 28″ | |
M110[110] | NGC 205 | Galaxy, dwarf elliptical | 2,600–2,780 | Andromeda | 9.0 | 00h 40m 22.1s | +41° 41′ 07″ | |
Messier number | NGC Number | Common name | Object type | Distance (kly) | Constellation | Apparent magnitude | Right Ascension | Declination |