Charles Messier (1730-1817) was a French astronomer with an interest in comet hunting. In his search, he cataloged many "nuisance" objects that might be confused with a comet, but unlike a comet remained fixed relative to background stars. These objects, which include galaxies, nebulas, and star clusters, are among the finest deep sky objects readily observable by amateur astronomers.
The Messier objects are designated by "M" followed by a
number from 1 to 110. They are listed in the following table,
with the "Con." column referring to the
constellation
the object is in.
Object | Alt. name | Con. | Object type | Common name |
M1 | NGC 1952 | Tau | Diffuse Nebula | Crab Nebula |
M2 | NGC 7089 | Aqr | Globular Cluster | |
M3 | NGC 5272 | CVn | Globular Cluster | |
M4 | NGC 6121 | Sco | Globular Cluster | |
M5 | NGC 5904 | Ser | Globular Cluster | |
M6 | NGC 6405 | Sco | Open Cluster | Butterfly Cluster |
M7 | NGC 6475 | Sco | Open Cluster | |
M8 | NGC 6523 | Sgr | Diffuse Nebula | Lagoon Nebula |
M9 | NGC 6333 | Oph | Globular Cluster | |
M10 | NGC 6254 | Oph | Globular Cluster | |
M11 | NGC 6705 | Sct | Open Cluster | Wild Duck Cluster |
M12 | NGC 6218 | Oph | Globular Cluster | |
M13 | NGC 6205 | Her | Globular Cluster | Hercules Cluster |
M14 | NGC 6402 | Oph | Globular Cluster | |
M15 | NGC 7078 | Peg | Globular Cluster | |
M16 | NGC 6611 | Ser | Diffuse Nebula | Eagle Nebula |
M17 | NGC 6618 | Sgr | Diffuse Nebula | Omega Nebula |
M18 | NGC 6613 | Sgr | Open Cluster | |
M19 | NGC 6273 | Oph | Globular Cluster | |
M20 | NGC 6514 | Sgr | Diffuse Nebula | Trifid Nebula |
M21 | NGC 6531 | Sgr | Open Cluster | |
M22 | NGC 6656 | Sgr | Globular Cluster | |
M23 | NGC 6494 | Sgr | Open Cluster | |
M24 | Sgr | Open Cluster | ||
M25 | IC 4725 | Sgr | Open Cluster | |
M26 | NGC 6694 | Sct | Open Cluster | |
M27 | NGC 6853 | Vul | Planetary Nebula | Dumbbell Nebula |
M28 | NGC 6626 | Sgr | Globular Cluster | |
M29 | NGC 6913 | Cyg | Open Cluster | |
M30 | NGC 7099 | Cap | Globular Cluster | |
M31 | NGC 224 | And | Spiral Galaxy | Andromeda Galaxy |
M32 | NGC 221 | And | Elliptical Galaxy | |
M33 | NGC 598 | Tri | Spiral Galaxy | Pinwheel Galaxy |
M34 | NGC 1039 | Per | Open Cluster | |
M35 | NGC 2168 | Gem | Open Cluster | |
M36 | NGC 1960 | Aur | Open Cluster | |
M37 | NGC 2099 | Aur | Open Cluster | |
M38 | NGC 1912 | Aur | Open Cluster | |
M39 | NGC 7092 | Cyg | Open Cluster | |
M40 | WNC 4 | UMa | Double Star | |
M41 | NGC 2287 | CMa | Open Cluster | |
M42 | NGC 1976 | Ori | Diffuse Nebula | Orion Nebula |
M43 | NGC 1982 | Ori | Diffuse Nebula | |
M44 | NGC 2632 | Cnc | Open Cluster | Beehive Cluster, Praesepe |
M45 | Tau | Open Cluster | Pleiades | |
M46 | NGC 2437 | Pup | Open Cluster | |
M47 | NGC 2422 | Pup | Open Cluster | |
M48 | NGC 2548 | Hya | Open Cluster | |
M49 | NGC 4472 | Vir | Elliptical Galaxy | |
M50 | NGC 2323 | Mon | Open Cluster | |
M51 | NGC 5194 | CVn | Spiral Galaxy | Whirlpool Galaxy |
M52 | NGC 7654 | Cas | Open Cluster | |
M53 | NGC 5024 | Com | Globular Cluster | |
M54 | NGC 6715 | Sgr | Globular Cluster | |
M55 | NGC 6809 | Sgr | Globular Cluster | |
M56 | NGC 6779 | Lyr | Globular Cluster | |
M57 | NGC 6720 | Lyr | Planetary Nebula | Ring Nebula |
M58 | NGC 4579 | Vir | Spiral Galaxy | |
M59 | NGC 4621 | Vir | Elliptical Galaxy | |
M60 | NGC 4649 | Vir | Elliptical Galaxy | |
M61 | NGC 4303 | Vir | Spiral Galaxy | |
M62 | NGC 6266 | Oph | Globular Cluster | |
M63 | NGC 5055 | CVn | Spiral Galaxy | |
M64 | NGC 4826 | Com | Spiral Galaxy | Black-Eye Galaxy |
M65 | NGC 3623 | Leo | Spiral Galaxy | |
M66 | NGC 3627 | Leo | Spiral Galaxy | |
M67 | NGC 2682 | Cnc | Open Cluster | |
M68 | NGC 4590 | Hya | Globular Cluster | |
M69 | NGC 6637 | Sgr | Globular Cluster | |
M70 | NGC 6681 | Sgr | Globular Cluster | |
M71 | NGC 6838 | Sge | Globular Cluster | |
M72 | NGC 6981 | Aqr | Globular Cluster | |
M73 | NGC 6994 | Aqr | Open Cluster | |
M74 | NGC 628 | Psc | Spiral Galaxy | |
M75 | NGC 6864 | Sgr | Globular Cluster | |
M76 | NGC 650 | Per | Planetary Nebula | Little Dumbell |
M77 | NGC 1068 | Cet | Spiral Galaxy | |
M78 | NGC 2068 | Ori | Diffuse Nebula | |
M79 | NGC 1904 | Lep | Globular Cluster | |
M80 | NGC 6093 | Sco | Globular Cluster | |
M81 | NGC 3031 | UMa | Spiral Galaxy | |
M82 | NGC 3034 | UMa | Irregular Galaxy | |
M83 | NGC 5236 | Hya | Spiral Galaxy | |
M84 | NGC 4374 | Vir | Elliptical Galaxy | |
M85 | NGC 4382 | Com | Spiral Galaxy | |
M86 | NGC 4406 | Vir | Elliptical Galaxy | |
M87 | NGC 4486 | Vir | Elliptical Galaxy | |
M88 | NGC 4501 | Com | Spiral Galaxy | |
M89 | NGC 4552 | Vir | Elliptical Galaxy | |
M90 | NGC 4569 | Vir | Spiral Galaxy | |
M91 | NGC 4548 | Com | Spiral Galaxy | |
M92 | NGC 6341 | Her | Globular Cluster | |
M93 | NGC 2447 | Pup | Open Cluster | |
M94 | NGC 4736 | CVn | Spiral Galaxy | |
M95 | NGC 3351 | Leo | Spiral Galaxy | |
M96 | NGC 3368 | Leo | Spiral Galaxy | |
M97 | NGC 3587 | UMa | Planetary Nebula | Owl Nebula |
M98 | NGC 4192 | Com | Spiral Galaxy | |
M99 | NGC 4254 | Com | Spiral Galaxy | |
M100 | NGC 4321 | Com | Spiral Galaxy | |
M101 | NGC 5457 | UMa | Spiral Galaxy | |
M102 | NGC 5866 | Dra | Spiral Galaxy | |
M103 | NGC 581 | Cas | Open Cluster | |
M104 | NGC 4594 | Vir | Spiral Galaxy | Sombrero Galaxy |
M105 | NGC 3379 | Leo | Elliptical Galaxy | |
M106 | NGC 4258 | CVn | Spiral Galaxy | |
M107 | NGC 6171 | Oph | Globular Cluster | |
M108 | NGC 3556 | UMa | Spiral Galaxy | |
M109 | NGC 3992 | UMa | Spiral Galaxy | |
M110 | NGC 205 | And | Elliptical Galaxy |
Some peculiar Messier objects:
M40 - double star
M73 - asterism of 3 to 4 stars
M91 - original identity uncertain, but usually associated with NGC 4548
M102 - probably an accidental relisting of M101,
but is now usually associated with NGC 5866