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Messier Catalogue
(with pictures)
M# Constellation Visual Magnitude Type Popular Name
M1 Taurus 8.4 Super Nova Remnant Crab Nebula
M2 Aquarius 6.5 Globular Cluster bright, compact
M3 Canes Vanatici 6.4 Globular Cluster small triangle with nearby stars
M4 Scorpius 5.9 Globular Cluster large, one of the nearest GC's
M5 Serpens (cap) 5.8 Globular Cluster very rich, condensed
M6 Scoupius 4.2 Open Cluster Butterfly Cluster, good binocular
M7 Scorpius 3.3 Open Cluster Beautiful, use binoculars or RFT
M8 Sagittarius 5.8 Emission Nebula Bow Tie Nebula, spectacular
M9 Ophiuchus 7.9 Globular Cluster smallest Gc in Ophiuchus
M10 Ophiuchus 6.6 Globular Cluster rich
M11 Scutum 5.8 Open Cluster Wild Duck Cluster spectacular
M12 Ophiuchus 6.6 Globular Cluster looser than M10
M13 Hercules 5.9 Globular Cluster Hercules Cluster fantastic 12 million stars
M14 Ophiuchus 7.6 Globular Cluster 8" scope resolves
M15 Pegasus 6.4 Globular Cluster rich and compact
M16 Serpens (cap) 6.0 Emission Nebula & Open Cluster Eagle Nebula nebula is diff.
M17 Sagittarius 7.0 Emission Nebula Swan or Omega Nebula better w/filter
M18 Sagittarius 6.9 Open Cluster very sparse
M19 Ophiuchus 7.2 Globular Cluster oblate shape
M20 Sagittarius 6.3 Emission and Reflective Nebula Famous Trifid Nebula good w/filter
M21 Sagittarius 5.9 Open Cluster sparse
M22 Sagittarius 5.1 Globular Cluster very rich rivals M13
M23 Sagittarius 6.9 Globular Cluster bright, loose, good in binocular
M24 Sagittarius 4.5 Globular Cluster sm star cloud w/smaller OC
M25 Sagittarius 4.6 Globular Cluster bright but sparse best in binoculars
M26 Scutum 8.0 Open Cluster coarse cluster near planetary
M27 Valpecular 7.6 Planetary Nebula showpiece, rectangular but round in sky
M28 Sagittarius 6.9 Globular Cluster compact, near and w of M22
M29 Cygnus 6.6 Open Cluster poor cluster in rich MW field dipper asterism
M30 Capircornus 7.5 Globular Cluster 27 k light years away
M31 Andromeda 8.0 Galaxy E6 large, bright, dust lanes, spectacular
M32 Andromeda 8.2 Galaxy E2 condensed, bright, companion to M31
M33 Triangulum 5.7 Galaxy Sc Large LSB use low power
M34 Perseus 5.2 Open Cluster use low power
M35 Gemini 5.l Open Cluster use low power, look for sm. CL NGC2158 SW
M36 Auriga 6.0 Open Cluster bright, use low power
M37 Auriga 5.6 Open Cluster very rich, finest Aur cluster
M38 Auriga 6.4 Open Cluster circle in cross shape, sm. NGC2158 nearby
M39 Cygnus 4.6 Open Cluster naked eye cluster, best in binoculars, sparse
M40 Ursa Major 8.0 Double Star separation 50
M41 Canis Major 4.5 Open Cluster nice, 4` below Serius
M42 Orion 4.0 Emission Nebula Spectacular, The famous Orion Nebula
M43 Orion 9.0 Emission Nebula detached part of M42
M44 Cancer 3.1 Open Cluster Beehive or Praesepe Cluster best low power
M45 Tarus 1.6 Open Cluster Pleiades, low power for nebulosity beautiful
M46 Puppis 6.1 Open Cluster rich contains PN NGC2438
M47 Puppis 4.4 Open Cluster coarse, bright 1.5` W of M46
M48 Hydra 5.8 Open Cluster sparse, former lost Messier object
M49 Virgo 8.4 Galaxy E4 bright elliptical
M50 Monoceros 5.9 Open Cluster about half the size of full moon 3k LY away
M51 Canes Vanatici 8.4 Galaxy Sc Spectacular Whirlpool Galaxy w/NGC5195
M52 Casseopeia 6.9 Open Cluster young rich cluster kidney shape
M53 Coma Bereniles 7.7 Globular Cluster need 6" scope to resolve
M54 Sagittarius 5.5 Open Cluster bright, loose, good in binoculars
M55 Sagittarius 7.0 Globular Cluster bright, loose
M56 Lyra 8.3 Globular Cluster rich field near Milky Way
M57 Lyra 8.3 Planetary Nebula the famous Ring Nebula w/15th mag center star
M58 Virgo 9.8 Galaxy SB bright SB M59, M60 1` east
M59 Virgo 9.8 Galaxy Elliptical
M60 Virgo 8.8 Galaxy E1 bright ellip, w/M59 & NGC 4647
M61 Virgo 9.7 Galaxy Sc face on 2 arm spiral
M62 Ophiuchus 6.6 Globular Cluster 8`SE of Antares in the Milky Way
M63 Canes Venatici 8.6 Galaxy Sb bright, Sunflower Galaxy
M64 Coma Bereniles 8.5 Galaxy Sb Black Eye Galaxy needs 10" or 12" arpature
M65 Leo 9.3 Galaxy Sb both M65 & M66 in the same field
M66 Leo 9.0 Galaxy Sb also has "Spindle" galaxy NGC3628
M67 Cancer 6.9 Open Cluster many stars, one of yhe 4 oldest OC's
M68 Hydra 8.2 Globular Cluster 6" to resolve, find using the Corvus square
M69 Sagittarius 7.7 Globular Cluster small, just so so cluster
M70 Sagittarius 8.1 Globular Cluster small, 2" E of M69
M71 Sagitta 8.0 Globular Cluster somewhat elongated misty patch in binoculars
M72 Aquarius 9.4 Globular Cluster near M73, The" Saturn Nebula"
M73 Aquarius 9.0 Open Cluster 4 star asterism
M74 Pisces 9.2 Galaxy Sbp LSB, elusive near horizon
M75 Sagittarius 8.6 Globular Cluster small, distant globular
M76 Perseus 11.0 Planetary Nebula " Little Dumbbell" faintest Messier object
M77 Cetus 8.8 Galaxy Seyfert galaxy, bright nucleus
M78 Orion 8.0 Reflection Nebula stars in a super nova remnant
M79 Lepus 8.0 Globular Cluster best with 8" scope to resolve
M80 Scorpius 7.2 Globular Cluster small, compressed
M81 Ursa Major 6.9 Galaxy Sb bright spiral, companion to M82
M82 Ursa Major 8.4 Galaxy Irregular irregular "Exploding Galaxy" companion to M81
M83 Hydra 7.6 Galaxy SBc locate by 3 star center asterism
M84 Virgo 9.3 Galaxy E1 paired with M86, M84 is more round
M85 Coma Bereniles 9.2 Galaxy Ep bright elliptical
M86 Virgo 9.2 Galaxy E3 near M84
M87 Virgo 8.6 Galaxy E The Monster Galaxy w/jet black hole
M88 Coma Bereniles 9.5 Galaxy Sb bright spiral end of Markarian's chain
M89 Virgo 9.8 Galaxy E0 looks like a small M87
M90 Virgo 9.5 Galaxy Sb bright spiral 1' NE of M89
M91 Coma Bereniles 10.2 Galaxy SBb is M91=M58? this is NGC4548 thought to be M91
M92 Hercules 6.5 Globular Cluster excellent globular cluster only upstaged by M13
M93 Puppis 6.2 Open Cluster compact and rich arrowhead shape
M94 Canes Venatici 8.2 Galaxy Sbp very bright looks like a comet
M95 Leo 9.7 Galaxy SBb bright bared spiral
M96 Leo 9.2 Galaxy Sbp same field with M95
M97 Ursa Major 11.2 Planetary Nebula The Famous Owel Nebula use filter look for eyes
M98 Coma Bereniles 10.1 Galaxy Sb near edge on spiral part of Vergo cluster
M99 Coma Bereniles 9.8 Galaxy Sc Face on and 50 mil LY away
M100 Coma Bereniles 9.4 Galaxy Sc bright face on star like center
M101 Ursa Major 7.7 Galaxy Sc bright but LSB better in binoculars, face on
M102 Draco 10.0 Galaxy E6p not M102? is M102=M101?
M103 Cassiopeia 7.4 Open Cluster 3 NGC Cluster near by
M104 Virgo 8.3 Galaxy Sb the famous Sombrero Galaxy look for dust lane
M105 Leo 9.3 Galaxy E1 very near M95 & M96
M106 Canes Venatici 8.3 Galaxy Sbp large bright spiral
M107 Ophiuchus 8.1 Globular Cluster small coffin asterism
M108 Ursa Major 10.1 Galaxy Sc almost edge, on near M97
M109 Ursa Major 9.8 Galaxy SBb barred spiral <1' E of y Ursa Major
M110 Andromeda 8.0 Galaxy E6 LSB, companion of M31
