What is the Messier Catalogue?
The Messier Catalogue is one of the most iconic and widely used lists in amateur astronomy. Compiled in the 18th century by French astronomer Charles Messier, it originally served a very practical purpose: Messier was a comet hunter, and he kept accidentally stumbling upon fuzzy objects that weren’t comets. So he made a list of these “nuisances” — star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies — to avoid confusion. Ironically, this list of distractions has become a goldmine for amateur astronomers.
Today, the Messier Catalogue includes 110 deep-sky objects, ranging from bright nebulae like the Orion Nebula (M42) to distant galaxies like the Whirlpool Galaxy (M51). These objects are bright enough to be seen with small telescopes or even binoculars under good conditions, making the list perfect for beginners.
For many, working through the Messier Catalogue is a rite of passage — a structured and rewarding way to explore the night sky. It’s not just about collecting objects; it’s about learning the sky, understanding telescope use, and developing a deeper appreciation for what’s out there.
This is my own Messier list — follow me on my journey as I explore and photograph each of these cosmic treasures:
M1 – The Crab Nebula – Was formed by a supernova explosion observed in 1054 AD.
M2 – Globular Cluster in Aquarius – One of the oldest and densest globular clusters in the Milky Way.
M3 – Globular Cluster in Canes Venatici – Home to nearly half a million ancient stars. Here seen together with a comet!
M4 – Globular Cluster in Scorpius – The closest globular cluster to Earth at about 7,200 light-years away.
M5 – Globular Cluster in Serpens – A bright, dense cluster with stars over 13 billion years old.
M6 – The Butterfly Cluster – A young open cluster resembling butterfly wings in Scorpius.
M7 – Ptolemy’s Cluster – A bright open cluster near the tail of Scorpius, visible to the naked eye.
M8 – The Lagoon Nebula – A vast star-forming region glowing in hydrogen light.
M9 – Globular Cluster in Ophiuchus – Located near the galactic center, dense and ancient.
M10 – Globular Cluster in Ophiuchus – A bright summer cluster with a compact core.
M11 – The Wild Duck Cluster – A rich open cluster in Scutum shaped like a flying flock.
M12 – Globular Cluster in Ophiuchus – Loosely packed with fewer stars than other globulars.
M13 – The Hercules Globular Cluster – One of the brightest and most famous globular clusters.
M14 – Globular Cluster in Ophiuchus – A massive cluster hiding a suspected nova remnant.
M15 – Globular Cluster in Pegasus – Hosts a dense core and several pulsars.
M16 – The Eagle Nebula – Famous for the “Pillars of Creation” captured by Hubble.
M17 – The Omega (Swan) Nebula – A bright emission nebula rich in newborn stars.
M18 – Open Cluster in Sagittarius – A small cluster of young blue stars.
M19 – Globular Cluster in Ophiuchus – Appears slightly elongated due to its angle to Earth.
M20 – The Trifid Nebula – A striking mix of emission, reflection, and dark nebulae.
M21 – Open Cluster in Sagittarius – A tight group of young, hot stars near M20.
M22 – Globular Cluster in Sagittarius – One of the closest and brightest globulars.
M23 – Open Cluster in Sagittarius – A loose and rich star cluster around 2,000 light-years away.
M24 – Sagittarius Star Cloud – A dense section of the Milky Way teeming with stars.
M25 – Open Cluster in Sagittarius – Contains a red giant and variable stars.
M26 – Open Cluster in Scutum – Faint and compact, requiring dark skies to resolve.
M27 – The Dumbbell Nebula – The first planetary nebula ever discovered.
M28 – Globular Cluster in Sagittarius – Dense, round, and located near the galactic bulge.
M29 – Open Cluster in Cygnus – A small, X-shaped group near the Northern Cross.
M30 – Globular Cluster in Capricornus – A tightly packed cluster with a collapsed core.
M31 – The Andromeda Galaxy – Our nearest spiral galaxy and on a collision course with the Milky Way.
M32 – Dwarf Galaxy near Andromeda – A compact elliptical satellite of M31.
M33 – The Triangulum Galaxy – A beautiful spiral seen nearly face-on, part of the Local Group.
M34 – Open Cluster in Perseus – Bright and easily observed through binoculars.
M35 – Open Cluster in Gemini – A large, rich cluster best seen in wide-field views.
M36 – Open Cluster in Auriga – Part of a trio of open clusters in the charioteer’s constellation.
M37 – Open Cluster in Auriga – The richest and brightest of the Auriga clusters.
M38 – Open Cluster in Auriga – Features a loose „cross“ shape of stars.
M39 – Open Cluster in Cygnus – A large, nearby cluster best viewed with binoculars.
M40 – Dubhe’s Double Star – A visual double star mistakenly cataloged as a nebula.
M41 – Open Cluster in Canis Major – A bright cluster just south of Sirius.
M42 – The Orion Nebula – The closest and most spectacular stellar nursery.
M43 – De Mairan’s Nebula – A bright knot of gas just north of M42.
M44 – The Beehive Cluster (Praesepe) – One of the nearest and best-known open clusters.
M45 – The Pleiades – A stunning cluster of hot, blue stars shrouded in reflection nebulae.
M46 – Open Cluster in Puppis – Overlaps visually with a planetary nebula (NGC 2438).
M47 – Open Cluster in Puppis – Bright but sparse, neighboring M46 in the sky.
M48 – Open Cluster in Hydra – A large, loose cluster visible to the naked eye in dark skies.
M49 – Elliptical Galaxy in Virgo – The brightest galaxy in the Virgo Cluster.
M50 – Open Cluster in Monoceros – A heart-shaped cluster near Sirius.
M51 – The Whirlpool Galaxy – A textbook spiral galaxy with a prominent companion.
M52 – Open Cluster in Cassiopeia – Lies in a rich star field near a bubble nebula.
M53 – Globular Cluster in Coma Berenices – A remote and compact globular cluster.
M54 – Globular Cluster in Sagittarius – Once thought to belong to the Milky Way but is part of the Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy.
M55 – Globular Cluster in Sagittarius – Large and bright, but with a loose appearance.
M56 – Globular Cluster in Lyra – Faint and compact, often overlooked near the Ring Nebula.
M57 – The Ring Nebula – A classic planetary nebula shaped like a glowing doughnut.
M58 – Spiral Galaxy in Virgo – One of the few barred spirals in the Messier list.
M59 – Elliptical Galaxy in Virgo – A round, compact galaxy in the Virgo Cluster.
M60 – Elliptical Galaxy in Virgo – Home to one of the largest known black holes.
M61 – Spiral Galaxy in Virgo – A beautiful face-on spiral with active star formation.
M62 – Globular Cluster in Ophiuchus – Appears distorted due to tidal interactions.
M63 – The Sunflower Galaxy – A spiral galaxy with delicate arm structures.
M64 – The Black Eye Galaxy – Named for the dark dust band across its bright core.
M65 – Spiral Galaxy in Leo – A serene spiral galaxy, part of the Leo Triplet.
M66 – Spiral Galaxy in Leo – More warped than M65, also part of the Leo Triplet.
M67 – Open Cluster in Cancer – One of the oldest known open clusters.
M68 – Globular Cluster in Hydra – A distant and sparsely populated globular.
M69 – Globular Cluster in Sagittarius – Compact and faint, near the galactic center.
M70 – Globular Cluster in Sagittarius – Spherical and bright with a tight core.
M71 – Globular Cluster in Sagitta – Appears more like a rich open cluster.
M72 – Globular Cluster in Aquarius – Faint and loosely packed, needs dark skies.
M73 – Asterism in Aquarius – Not a true cluster, just a chance alignment of stars.
M74 – Spiral Galaxy in Pisces – A perfect face-on spiral, though faint and hard to observe.
M75 – Globular Cluster in Sagittarius – Extremely compact and symmetric.
M76 – The Little Dumbbell Nebula – A small, bipolar planetary nebula in Perseus.
M77 – Seyfert Galaxy in Cetus – A spiral galaxy with an active galactic nucleus.
M78 – Reflection Nebula in Orion – A dusty patch glowing with reflected starlight.
M79 – Globular Cluster in Lepus – One of the few globulars visible in winter.
M80 – Globular Cluster in Scorpius – Densely packed and easily resolved in medium scopes.
M81 – Bode’s Galaxy – A grand spiral galaxy near the bowl of the Big Dipper.
M82 – The Cigar Galaxy – An edge-on starburst galaxy glowing with activity.
M83 – The Southern Pinwheel Galaxy – A beautifully symmetric spiral in Hydra.
M84 – Elliptical Galaxy in Virgo – Round, bright, and part of the Virgo Cluster.
M85 – Elliptical Galaxy in Coma Berenices – Shows signs of recent galactic interaction.
M86 – Lenticular Galaxy in Virgo – One of the fastest-moving galaxies relative to us.
M87 – Giant Elliptical in Virgo – Home to a supermassive black hole imaged in 2019.
M88 – Spiral Galaxy in Virgo – A classic spiral with tightly wound arms.
M89 – Elliptical Galaxy in Virgo – Nearly perfectly spherical and dust-free.
M90 – Spiral Galaxy in Virgo – Appears featureless, moving toward us — rare for galaxies.
M91 – Barred Spiral in Coma Berenices – Hard to find, faint, but photogenic.
M92 – Globular Cluster in Hercules – Often overlooked beside M13, but nearly as impressive.
M93 – Open Cluster in Puppis – A bright and rich southern cluster.
M94 – Galaxy in Canes Venatici – Features a bright core and tight starburst ring.
M95 – Barred Spiral in Leo – Has a bright bar and a hidden supernova remnant.
M96 – Spiral Galaxy in Leo – The brightest of the Leo I group.
M97 – The Owl Nebula – A round planetary nebula with “eyes” in Ursa Major.
M98 – Edge-on Spiral in Coma Berenices – A narrow galaxy seen from the side.
M99 – Face-on Spiral in Coma Berenices – A beautiful example of a grand-design spiral.
M100 – Spiral Galaxy in Coma Berenices – One of the largest and brightest in the Virgo Cluster.
M101 – The Pinwheel Galaxy – A huge face-on spiral galaxy with sprawling arms.
M102 – Possibly NGC 5866 – A lenticular galaxy with a dusty mid-plane.
M103 – Open Cluster in Cassiopeia – A compact, colorful cluster.
M104 – The Sombrero Galaxy – A bright spiral with a prominent dust lane.
M105 – Elliptical Galaxy in Leo – A bright core in the Leo I group.
M106 – Seyfert Galaxy in Canes Venatici – A galaxy with radio jets and active nucleus.
M107 – Globular Cluster in Ophiuchus – Loose, faint, and southern-leaning.
M108 – Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major – A dusty, edge-on spiral behind the Owl Nebula.
M109 – Barred Spiral in Ursa Major – Appears faint but shows beautiful structure in photos.
M110 – Dwarf Elliptical near Andromeda – A satellite galaxy of M31, best seen in wide views.