OJBs Web Site: Messier Catalog

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The Messier Catalog

The Messier catalog lists over 100 bright nebulae, clusters and galaxies. Charles Messier, a French observer of comets in the last century, compiled the catalog so that he wouldn't confuse nebulous objects with the comets he was searching for. It is ironic that now his name is mainly remembered for the catalog of objects that really just "got in the way" of his real targets! The original catalog contained some errors, that is why some of the numbers are missing.

The Catalog

The comments below are mainly based on my own observations of these objects using small amateur telescopes. In future I will provide a way to link to more extensive information on some of the more interesting objects. Remember that I observe from the southern hemisphere, the altitude and therefore appearance may be quite different for northern observers.

M	NGC	Type	Cons	Mag	Size	Comments
1	1952	gn	Tau	8.4	4	Easy oval hazy patch in 4".	M1...
2	7089	gn	Aqr	7.5	12	Easy in 30 cm scope, quite detailed.
3	5272	gc	CVn	7.0	2	Easy in binoculars.
4	6121	gc	Sco	7.5	2	Bright and easy in binoculars.	M4...
5	5904	gc	Ser	7.0	2	Visible in binocs using averted vision.
6	6405	oc	Sco	4.5	-	Very nice but needs wide field.	M6...
7	6475	oc	Sco	3.5	-	Probably better than M6.	M7...
8	6523	gn	Sgr	5.0	2	Easy with some detail in 12".	M8...
9	6333	gc	Oph	7.3	2	Bright and easy in binoculars.
10	6254	gc	Oph	7.2	2	Quite easy in binoculars.
11	6705	oc	Sct	7.0	-	Easy naked eye object. "Wild duck".
12	6218	gc	Oph	8.0	2	Close to M10, easy.
13	6205	gc	Her	6.0	2	Bright and easy in binoculars.
14	6402	gc	Oph	9.5	4	Found in 4".
15	7078	gc	Peg	7.5	12	Very easy and bright in 12".
16	6611	gn	Ser	6.5	2	Nice in binoculars. A cluster & nebula.	M16...
17	6618	gn	Sgr	7.0	2	Easy but no detail in 12", "Omega".	M17...
18	6613	oc	Sgr	8.0	2	Easy in binoculars if sky is good.
19	6273	gc	Oph	8.5	2	Difficult in binoculars.
20	6514	gn	Sgr	9.0	12	Difficult if sky is bright.	M20...
21	6531	oc	Sgr	7.0	2	Easy, near 6514 and 6523.
22	6656	gc	Sgr	6.5	12	Nice globular in 12" Newtonian.	M22...
23	6494	gc	Sgr	6.9	2	Large open cluster in binoculars.
24	6603	oc	Sgr	7.0	2	Easy in binoculars.
25	-	oc	Sgr	6.0	2	Easy in binoculars.
26	6694	oc	Sct	-	3	Small & quite bright. Location easy.
27	6853	pn	Vul	7.5	12	Easy and bright in 12" Newtonian.
28	6626	oc	Sgr	6.8	12	Small but reasonably bright.
29	-	oc	Cyg	-	-	-
30	7099	gc	Cap	8.5	2	Difficult in 7x50 binoculars.
31	224	eg	And	4.0	4	Bright but near horizon.
32	221	eg	And	8.7	-	-
33	598	eg	Tri	5.3	2	Not too bright but easy at culmination.
34	1039	oc	Per	5.9	-	-
35	2168	oc	Gem	5.3	2	Low in sky so difficult in 7x50
36	1960	oc	Aur	6.5	2	Easy in 7x50 at culmination
37	2099	oc	Aur	6.2	2	Easy. forms line with M36 M38
38	1912	oc	Aur	7.0	2	Needs averted vision in 7x50, low.
41	2287	oc	Cma	5.0	-	Excellent in 12", very fine.	M41...
42	1976	gn	Ori	4.0	-	Superb in 12" Newtonian.	M42...
43	1977	gn	Ori	4.0	4	Near M42, quite easy.
44	2632	oc	Cnc	4.5	-	Easy large naked eye object
45	-	oc	Tau	1.4	-	Easy, needs large field, "Pleiades".
46	2437	oc	Pup	6.5	2	Large & easy but not impressive.
47	2422	oc	Pup	4.5	2	Scattered and unspectacular.
48	2548	oc	Hya	5.5	2	Large but sparse cluster.
49	4472	eg	Vir	8.6	-	Should be easy.
50	2323	oc	Mon	6.5	2	Medium bright blur in 7x50.
51	5194	eg	CVn	8.1	-	-
52	7654	oc	Cas	-	-	-
53	5024	gc	Com	7.6	2	Easy object in good sky.
54	6715	gc	Sgr	7.3	2	Very small but bright.
55	6809	gc	Sgr	7.0	2	Visible in 7x50.	M55...
56	6779	gc	Lyr	8.2	4	Location easy but tricky in 4".
57	6720	pn	Lyr	9.5	4	Location easy near horizon, "Ring".
58	4579	eg	Vir	-	-	-
59	4621	eg	Vir	9.3	-	-
60	4649	eg	Vir	9.2	-	-
61	4303	eg	Vir	10.0	-	-
62	6266	gc	Pup	8.0	2	Visible in binoculars with averted vision.
63	5055	eg	CVn	10.0	-	-
64	4826	eg	Com	8.4	-	-
65	3623	eg	Leo	9.5	12	Location easy but quite faint.
66	3627	eg	Leo	8.8	12	Easier than 95. In same low power field.
67	2682	oc	Cnc	7.5	2	Easy open cluster near M44.
68	4590	gc	Hya	8.2	12	Easy but unspectacular.
69	6637	gc	Sgr	9.0	4	Easy object.
70	6681	gc	Sgr	9.0	4	Easy but quite small.
71	6838	gc	Sge	8.5	2	Difficult in 7x50.
72	6981	gc	Aqr	-	-	-
74	628	eg	Psc	10.0	-	-
75	6864	gc	Sgr	9.5	-	-
76	650	pn	Per	9.6	-	-
77	1068	eg	Cet	8.9	4	Small but easy in 4".
78	2068	gn	Ori	7.0	4	Easy in 4". 2 stars & nebula.
79	1904	gc	Lep	8.5	12	Easy in 12". Small nucleus.
80	6093	gc	Sco	8.5	2	Visible but no detail.	M80...
81	3031	eg	UMa	7.9	-	-
82	3034	eg	UMa	8.8	-	-
83	5236	eg	Hya	8.0	6	Easy & bright if the sky is good.
84	4374	eg	Vir	9.3	-	-
85	4382	eg	Vir	9.3	-	-
86	4406	eg	Vir	9.7	-	-
87	4486	eg	Vir	9.2	-	-
88	4501	eg	Com	-	-	-
89	4552	eg	Vir	9.5	-	-
90	4569	eg	Vir	10.0	-	-
92	6341	gc	Her	6.1	-	-
93	2447	oc	Pup	6.5	2	Easy in binoculars.
94	4736	eg	CVn	9.2	-	-
95	3351	eg	Leo	-	4	Low and tricky in 4".
96	3368	eg	Leo	9.0	4	Similar to M95.
97	3587	pn	UMa	9.5	-	-
98	4192	eg	Com	-	-	-
99	4254	eg	Com	-	-	-
100	4321	eg	Com	-	-	-
101	5457	eg	Uma	9.6	-	-
103	581	oc	Cas	7.4	-	-
104	4594	eg	Vir	7.9	5	Location easy but quite dim.	M104...
106	4258	eg	CVn	8.2	-	-
107	-	gc	Oph	-	-	-