Messier Objects
Charles Messier was a French amateur comet hunter active in the mid 1700's. He began listing nebulous objects that looked like comets, but did not change their nightly position in the sky; therefore where not comets. This visually compiled listing from several comet hunters contains some of the very best (biggest, brightest) examples of almost all classes of objects visible from the Northern hemisphere. Check out The Messier Catalog online. Also see this translation of 'Charles Messier's Original Catalog of 1771'.
Click on thumbnail or name for information and image
M 1
M 20
M38
M 71
M 94
M 2
M 21
M 43
M 72
M 97
M 3
M22
M 46
M 73
M
100
M 4
M 23
M 48
M 74
M
101
M 5
M 25
M 50
M 76
M
102 (NGC 5866)
M 9
M 26
M 51
M 77
M 103
M 10
M 27
M 52
M 78
M
104
M 11
M 28
M 53
M 79
M
105 group
M 12
M
29
M 56
M 80
M
106
M 13
M 30
M 57
M 81
M
107
M 14
M 33
M 60
M 82
M108
M 15
M 34
M 63
M
84 and M 86
M
109
M16
M 35
M 64
M 85
M
110
M 17
M 36
M
65 & M 66
M 87
M 18
M 37
M 67
M 92