Messier List
The first Messier list of 45 objects was published in 1774 by the French astronomer Charles Messier, although a preliminary version had first appeared in 1771 and the last item was added in 1966 by Kenneth Glyn Jones, based on Messier's observations.
The list now contains 110 astronomical objects:
|
|
# |
Common Name |
Type |
Constellation |
Mag |
Highest |
| M | 1 | Crab Nebula | Supernova Remnant | Taurus | 8.4 | Dec-Jan |
| M | 2 | - | Globular Cluster | Aquarius | 6.5 | Aug-Oct |
| M | 3 | - | Globular Cluster | Canes Venatici | 6.2 | Apr-May |
| M | 4 | - | Globular Cluster | Scorpius | 5.6 | Jun-Jul |
| M | 5 | - | Globular Cluster | Serpens | 5.6 | Jun-Aug |
| M | 6 | Butterfly Cluster | Open Cluster | Scorpius | 5.3 | Jun-Jul |
| M | 7 | Ptolemy's Cluster | Open Cluster | Scorpius | 4.1 | Jun-Jul |
| M | 8 | Lagoon Nebula | Cluster with Nebula | Sagittarius | 6 | Jul-Aug |
| M | 9 | - | Globular Cluster | Ophiuchus | 7.7 | Jun-Jul |
| M | 10 | - | Globular Cluster | Ophiuchus | 6.6 | Jun-Jul |
| M | 11 | Wild Duck Cluster | Open Cluster | Scutum | 6.3 | Jul-Aug |
| M | 12 | - | Globular Cluster | Ophiuchus | 6.7 | Jun-Jul |
| M | 13 | Hercules Cluster | Globular Cluster | Hercules | 5.8 | Jun-Aug |
| M | 14 | - | Globular Cluster | Ophiuchus | 7.6 | Jun-Jul |
| M | 15 | - | Globular Cluster | Pegasus | 6.2 | Sep-Oct |
| M | 16 | Eagle Nebula | Cluster with Nebula | Serpens | 6.4 | Jun-Aug |
| M | 17 | Omega, Swan or Lobster Nebula | Cluster with Nebula | Sagittarius | 7 | Jul-Aug |
| M | 18 | - | Open Cluster | Sagittarius | 7.5 | Jul-Aug |
| M | 19 | - | Globular Cluster | Ophiuchus | 6.8 | Jun-Jul |
| M | 20 | Trifid Nebula | Cluster with Nebula | Sagittarius | 9 | Jul-Aug |
| M | 21 | - | Open Cluster | Sagittarius | 6.5 | Jul-Aug |
| M | 22 | Sagittarius Cluster | Globular Cluster | Sagittarius | 5.1 | Jul-Aug |
| M | 23 | - | Open Cluster | Sagittarius | 6.9 | Jul-Aug |
| M | 24 | Sagittarius Star Cloud | Open Cluster | Sagittarius | 4.6 | Jul-Aug |
| M | 25 | - | Open Cluster | Sagittarius | 6.5 | Jul-Aug |
| M | 26 | - | Open Cluster | Scutum | 8 | Jul-Aug |
| M | 27 | Dumbbell Nebula | Planetary Nebula | Vulpecula | 7.4 | Aug-Sep |
| M | 28 | - | Globular Cluster | Sagittarius | 6.8 | Jul-Aug |
| M | 29 | - | Open Cluster | Cygnus | 7.1 | Aug-Sep |
| M | 30 | - | Globular Cluster | Capricornus | 7.2 | Aug-Sep |
| M | 31 | Andromeda Galaxy | Galaxy | Andromeda | 3.4 | Oct-Nov |
| M | 32 | - | Galaxy | Andromeda | 8.1 | Oct-Nov |
| M | 33 | Triangulum Galaxy | Galaxy | Triangulum | 5.7 | Nov-Dec |
| M | 34 | - | Open Cluster | Perseus | 5.5 | Nov-Dec |
| M | 35 | - | Open Cluster | Gemini | 5.3 | Jan-Feb |
| M | 36 | - | Open Cluster | Auriga | 6.3 | Dec-Feb |
| M | 37 | - | Open Cluster | Auriga | 6.2 | Dec-Feb |
| M | 38 | - | Open Cluster | Auriga | 7.4 | Dec-Feb |
| M | 39 | - | Open Cluster | Cygnus | 4.6 | Aug-Sep |
| *M | 40 | Double Star WNC4 | Cluster | Ursa Major | 8.4 | Feb-May |
| M | 41 | - | Open Cluster | Canis Major | 4.6 | Jan-Feb |
| M | 42 | Orion Nebula | Diffuse Nebula | Orion | 4 | Dec-Jan |
| M | 43 | part of Orion Nebula | Diffuse Nebula | Orion | 9 | Dec-Jan |
| M | 44 | Beehive Cluster | Open Cluster | Cancer | 3.7 | Apr-May |
| M | 45 | Subaru, Pleiades, Seven Sisters | Open Cluster | Taurus | 1.6 | Dec-Jan |
| M | 46 | - | Open Cluster | Puppis | 6 | Jan-Feb |
| M | 47 | - | Open Cluster | Puppis | 5.2 | Jan-Feb |
| M | 48 | - | Open Cluster | Hydra | 5.5 | Feb-Jun |
| M | 49 | - | Galaxy | Virgo | 8.4 | Apr-Jun |
| M | 50 | - | Open Cluster | Monoceros | 6.3 | Jan-Feb |
| M | 51 | Whirlpool Galaxy | Galaxy | Canes Venatici | 8.4 | Apr-May |
| *M | 52 | - | Open Cluster | Cassiopeia | 7.3 | Oct-Dec |
| M | 53 | - | Globular Cluster | Coma Berenices | 7.6 | Apr-May |
| M | 54 | - | Globular Cluster | Sagittarius | 7.6 | Jul-Aug |
| M | 55 | - | Globular Cluster | Sagittarius | 6.3 | Jul-Aug |
| M | 56 | - | Globular Cluster | Lyra | 8.3 | Jul-Aug |
| M | 57 | Ring Nebula | Planetary Nebula | Lyra | 8.8 | Jul-Aug |
| M | 58 | - | Galaxy | Virgo | 9.7 | Apr-Jun |
| M | 59 | - | Galaxy | Virgo | 9.6 | Apr-Jun |
| M | 60 | - | Galaxy | Virgo | 8.8 | Apr-Jun |
| M | 61 | - | Galaxy | Virgo | 9.7 | Apr-Jun |
| M | 62 | - | Globular Cluster | Ophiuchus | 6.5 | Jun-Jul |
| M | 63 | Sunflower Galaxy | Galaxy | Canes Venatici | 8.6 | Apr-May |
| M | 64 | Blackeye Galaxy | Galaxy | Coma Berenices | 8.5 | Apr-May |
| M | 65 | Leo Triplet | Galaxy | Leo | 9.3 | Mar-Apr |
| M | 66 | - | Galaxy | Leo | 8.9 | Mar-Apr |
| M | 67 | - | Open Cluster | Cancer | 6.1 | Apr-May |
| M | 68 | - | Globular Cluster | Hydra | 7.8 | Feb-Jun |
| M | 69 | - | Globular Cluster | Sagittarius | 7.6 | Jul-Aug |
| M | 70 | - | Globular Cluster | Sagittarius | 7.9 | Jul-Aug |
| M | 71 | - | Globular Cluster | Sagitta | 8.2 | Aug |
| M | 72 | - | Globular Cluster | Aquarius | 9.3 | Aug-Oct |
| M | 73 | - | Spiral Galaxy | Aquarius | 9 | Aug-Oct |
| M | 74 | - | Galaxy | Pisces | 9.4 | Oct-Nov |
| M | 75 | - | Globular Cluster | Sagittarius | 8.5 | Jul-Aug |
| M | 76 | Little Dumbbell Nebula | Planetary Nebula | Perseus | 10.1 | Nov-Dec |
| M | 77 | - | Galaxy | Cetus | 8.9 | Oct-Dec |
| M | 78 | - | Diffuse Nebula | Orion | 8.3 | Dec-Jan |
| M | 79 | - | Globular Cluster | Lepus | 7.7 | Jan |
| M | 80 | - | Globular Cluster | Scorpius | 7.3 | Jun-Jul |
| *M | 81 | Bode's Galaxy | Galaxy | Ursa Major | 6.9 | Feb-May |
| *M | 82 | Cigar Galaxy | Galaxy | Ursa Major | 8.4 | Feb-May |
| M | 83 | Southern Pinwheel Galaxy | Galaxy | Hydra | 7.6 | Feb-Jun |
| M | 84 | - | Galaxy | Virgo | 9.1 | Apr-Jun |
| M | 85 | - | Galaxy | Coma Berenices | 9.1 | Apr-May |
| M | 86 | - | Galaxy | Virgo | 8.9 | Apr-Jun |
| M | 87 | Virgo A | Galaxy | Virgo | 8.6 | Apr-Jun |
| M | 88 | - | Galaxy | Coma Berenices | 9.6 | Apr-May |
| M | 89 | - | Galaxy | Virgo | 9.8 | Apr-Jun |
| M | 90 | - | Galaxy | Virgo | 9.5 | Apr-Jun |
| M | 91 | - | Galaxy | Coma Berenices | 10.2 | Apr-May |
| M | 92 | - | Globular Cluster | Hercules | 6.4 | Jun-Aug |
| M | 93 | - | Open Cluster | Puppis | 6 | Jan-Feb |
| M | 94 | - | Galaxy | Canes Venatici | 8.2 | Apr-May |
| M | 95 | - | Galaxy | Leo | 9.7 | Mar-Apr |
| M | 96 | - | Galaxy | Leo | 9.2 | Mar-Apr |
| *M | 97 | Owl Nebula | Planetary Nebula | Ursa Major | 9.9 | Feb-May |
| M | 98 | - | Galaxy | Coma Berenices | 10.1 | Apr-May |
| M | 99 | - | Galaxy | Coma Berenices | 9.9 | Apr-May |
| M | 100 | - | Galaxy | Coma Berenices | 9.3 | Apr-May |
| *M | 101 | Pinwheel Galaxy | Galaxy | Ursa Major | 7.9 | Feb-May |
| *M | 102 | Spindle Galaxy | Galaxy | Draco | 9.9 | Mar-Sep |
| *M | 103 | - | Open Cluster | Cassiopeia | 7.4 | Oct-Dec |
| M | 104 | Sombrero Galaxy | Galaxy | Virgo | 8 | Apr-Jun |
| M | 105 | - | Galaxy | Leo | 9.3 | Mar-Apr |
| M | 106 | - | Galaxy | Canes Venatici | 8.4 | Apr-May |
| M | 107 | - | Globular Cluster | Ophiuchus | 7.9 | Jun-Jul |
| *M | 108 | - | Galaxy | Ursa Major | 10 | Feb-May |
| *M | 109 | - | Galaxy | Ursa Major | 9.8 | Feb-May |
| M | 110 | - | Galaxy | Andromeda | 8.5 | Oct-Nov |
* These ten objects are not visible from the Macarthur latitude of 34° S, a more northerly location is required.