Messier Objects
Messier Objects
The Messier objects are a set of 110 astronomical objects cataloged by the French astronomer Charles Messier. They include galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters.
Below is a table with some basic details for each Messier object:
| Messier Number | Object Type | Common Name | Constellation | RA (J2000) | Dec (J2000) | Mag | Size (arcmin) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M1 | Supernova Remnant | Crab Nebula | Taurus | 05h 34m 31s | +22° 00′ 52″ | 8.4 | 6.0 | Remnant of a supernova explosion |
| M2 | Globular Cluster | Messier 2 | Aquarius | 21h 33m 27s | -00° 49′ 24″ | 6.3 | 16.0 | Rich globular cluster |
| M3 | Globular Cluster | Messier 3 | Canes Venatici | 13h 42m 11s | +28° 22′ 38″ | 6.2 | 16.0 | Bright, dense globular cluster |
| M4 | Globular Cluster | Messier 4 | Scorpius | 16h 23m 35s | -26° 31′ 31″ | 5.9 | 26.3 | Contains a strong X-ray source |
| M5 | Globular Cluster | Messier 5 | Serpens | 15h 18m 33s | +02° 05′ 27″ | 5.7 | 23.1 | One of the oldest known globular clusters |
| M6 | Open Cluster | Butterfly Cluster | Scorpius | 17h 40m 20s | -32° 13′ 02″ | 4.2 | 20.0 | Easily visible to the naked eye |
| M7 | Open Cluster | Ptolemy’s Cluster | Scorpius | 17h 53m 51s | -34° 47′ 35″ | 3.3 | 80.0 | Contains about 80 stars |
| M8 | Nebula | Lagoon Nebula | Sagittarius | 18h 03m 37s | -24° 23′ 12″ | 6.0 | 90.0 | Active star-forming region |
| M9 | Globular Cluster | Messier 9 | Ophiuchus | 17h 19m 12s | -18° 30′ 57″ | 8.4 | 12.0 | Close to the center of the Milky Way |
| M10 | Globular Cluster | Messier 10 | Ophiuchus | 16h 57m 09s | -04° 06′ 01″ | 6.4 | 20.0 | Bright globular cluster |
| M11 | Open Cluster | Wild Duck Cluster | Scutum | 18h 51m 05s | -06° 16′ 09″ | 6.3 | 14.0 | Rich star cluster with dark lanes |
| M12 | Globular Cluster | Messier 12 | Ophiuchus | 16h 47m 14s | -01° 56′ 54″ | 6.7 | 14.0 | Contains many variable stars |
| M13 | Globular Cluster | Great Hercules Cluster | Hercules | 16h 41m 41s | +36° 27′ 36″ | 5.8 | 20.0 | Brightest globular cluster in the N. Hem. |
| M14 | Globular Cluster | Messier 14 | Ophiuchus | 17h 37m 36s | -03° 15′ 24″ | 7.6 | 11.0 | Contains a planetary nebula |
| M15 | Globular Cluster | Messier 15 | Pegasus | 21h 29m 58s | +12° 10′ 01″ | 6.2 | 18.0 | Contains a large number of variable stars |
| M16 | Nebula | Eagle Nebula | Serpens | 18h 18m 48s | -13° 47′ 45″ | 6.4 | 7.0 | Star-forming region with Pillars of Creation |
| M17 | Nebula | Omega Nebula | Sagittarius | 18h 20m 26s | -16° 10′ 36″ | 6.0 | 11.0 | Active star-forming region |
| M18 | Open Cluster | Messier 18 | Sagittarius | 18h 19m 58s | -17° 08′ 42″ | 7.5 | 9.0 | Part of a complex of star clusters |
| M19 | Globular Cluster | Messier 19 | Ophiuchus | 17h 02m 37s | -26° 16′ 05″ | 7.2 | 17.0 | Elliptical shape with central bar |
| M20 | Nebula | Trifid Nebula | Sagittarius | 18h 02m 23s | -23° 01′ 48″ | 6.3 | 28.0 | Combination of emission and reflection nebulae |
| M21 | Open Cluster | Messier 21 | Sagittarius | 18h 04m 24s | -22° 29′ 00″ | 6.5 | 13.0 | Contains about 57 stars |
| M22 | Globular Cluster | Messier 22 | Sagittarius | 18h 36m 24s | -23° 54′ 12″ | 5.1 | 32.0 | One of the brightest globular clusters |
| M23 | Open Cluster | Messier 23 | Sagittarius | 17h 56m 24s | -18° 59′ 30″ | 6.9 | 27.0 | Open cluster with roughly 150 stars |
| M24 | Star Cloud | Small Sagittarius Star Cloud | Sagittarius | 18h 18m 36s | -18° 24′ 00″ | – | – | Part of the Milky Way obscured by dust |
| M25 | Open Cluster | Messier 25 | Sagittarius | 18h 31m 48s | -19° 06′ 00″ | 4.6 | 32.0 | Bright open cluster with nebulosity |
| M26 | Open Cluster | Messier 26 | Scutum | 18h 45m 59s | -09° 23′ 00″ | 8.0 | 9.0 | Open cluster with a dense core |
| M27 | Planetary Nebula | Dumbbell Nebula | Vulpecula | 19h 59m 36s | +22° 43′ 16″ | 7.4 | 8.0 | Shaped like a prolate spheroid |
| M28 | Globular Cluster | Messier 28 | Sagittarius | 18h 24m 32s | -24° 52′ 11″ | 6.8 | 11.0 | Contains RR Lyrae variable stars |
| M29 | Open Cluster | Messier 29 | Cygnus | 20h 23m 57s | +38° 31′ 07″ | 7.1 | 7.0 | Loose open cluster with 50 stars |
| M30 | Globular Cluster | Messier 30 | Capricornus | 21h 40m 22s | -23° 10′ 47″ | 7.2 | 12.0 | Rich in variable stars |
| M31 | Galaxy | Andromeda Galaxy | Andromeda | 00h 42m 44s | +41° 16′ 09″ | 3.4 | 190.0 | Largest galaxy in the Local Group |
| M32 | Galaxy | Messier 32 | Andromeda | 00h 42m 41s | +40° 51′ 55″ | 8.1 | 8.0 | Satellite galaxy of M31 |
| M33 | Galaxy | Triangulum Galaxy | Triangulum | 01h 33m 50s | +30° 39′ 37″ | 5.7 | 70.0 | Member of the Local Group |
| M34 | Open Cluster | Messier 34 | Perseus | 02h 42m 07s | +42° 47′ 07″ | 5.5 | 35.0 | Contains about 100 stars |
| M35 | Open Cluster | Messier 35 | Gemini | 06h 08m 54s | +24° 20′ 00″ | 5.3 | 28.0 | Rich open cluster with over 200 stars |
| M36 | Open Cluster | Messier 36 | Auriga | 05h 36m 18s | +34° 08′ 00″ | 6.0 | 14.0 | Young open cluster |
| M37 | Open Cluster | Messier 37 | Auriga | 05h 52m 18s | +32° 33′ 02″ | 5.6 | 24.0 | Rich open cluster with 500 stars |
| M38 | Open Cluster | Messier 38 | Auriga | 05h 28m 42s | +35° 50′ 00″ | 6.4 | 21.0 | Contains an associated reflection nebula |
| M39 | Open Cluster | Messier 39 | Cygnus | 21h 32m 06s | +48° 26′ 00″ | 4.6 | 32.0 | Part of the Cygnus OB1 association |
| M40 | Double Star | Winnecke 4 | Ursa Major | 12h 22m 13s | +58° 04′ 59″ | 9.1 | – | Not originally included by Messier |
| M41 | Open Cluster | Messier 41 | Canis Major | 06h 46m 00s | -20° 46′ 00″ | 4.5 | 38.0 | Bright open cluster with 100 stars |
| M42 | Nebula | Orion Nebula | Orion | 05h 35m 17s | -05° 23′ 28″ | 4.0 | 65.0 | Emission nebula in the Orion Molecular Cloud |
| M43 | Nebula | De Mairan’s Nebula | Orion | 05h 35m 31s | -05° 16′ 02″ | 9.0 | 20.0 | Part of the Orion Nebula complex |
| M44 | Open Cluster | Beehive Cluster | Cancer | 08h 40m 06s | +19° 59′ 00″ | 3.1 | 95.0 | Bright open cluster with over 1,000 stars |
| M45 | Open Cluster | Pleiades | Taurus | 03h 47m 24s | +24° 07′ 00″ | 1.6 | 110.0 | Bright and well-known open cluster |
| M46 | Open Cluster | Messier 46 | Puppis | 07h 41m 46s | -14° 49′ 00″ | 6.1 | 27.0 | Contains a planetary nebula |
| M47 | Open Cluster | Messier 47 | Puppis | 07h 36m 36s | -14° 30′ 00″ | 4.2 | 30.0 | Rich open cluster with 50 stars |
| M48 | Open Cluster | Messier 48 | Hydra | 08h 13m 42s | -05° 45′ 00″ | 5.5 | 54.0 | Contains over 80 stars |
| M49 | Elliptical Galaxy | Messier 49 | Virgo | 12h 29m 46s | +08° 00′ 02″ | 8.4 | 9.0 | Member of the Virgo Cluster |
| M50 | Open Cluster | Messier 50 | Monoceros | 07h 03m 54s | -08° 20′ 00″ | 5.9 | 16.0 | Contains about 200 stars |
| M51 | Galaxy | Whirlpool Galaxy | Canes Venatici | 13h 29m 52s | +47° 11′ 43″ | 8.4 | 12.0 | Interacting galaxy pair |
| M52 | Open Cluster | Messier 52 | Cassiopeia | 23h 24m 48s | +61° 35′ 00″ | 6.9 | 13.0 | Rich open cluster with about 200 stars |
| M53 | Globular Cluster | Messier 53 | Coma Berenices | 13h 12m 55s | +18° 10′ 05″ | 7.7 | 13.0 | Elliptical globular cluster |
| M54 | Globular Cluster | Messier 54 | Sagittarius | 18h 55m 03s | -30° 28′ 47″ | 7.6 | 11.0 | In the Sagittarius Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy |
| M55 | Globular Cluster | Messier 55 | Sagittarius | 19h 39m 59s | -30° 57′ 44″ | 7.0 | 19.0 | Rich, dense globular cluster |
| M56 | Globular Cluster | Messier 56 | Lyra | 19h 16m 35s | +30° 11′ 00″ | 8.3 | 8.0 | Contains RR Lyrae variable stars |
| M57 | Planetary Nebula | Ring Nebula | Lyra | 18h 53m 35s | +33° 02′ 37″ | 8.8 | 1.4×1.0 | Formed by expanding shell of ionized gas |
| M58 | Spiral Galaxy | Messier 58 | Virgo | 12h 37m 43s | +11° 49′ 05″ | 9.7 | 5.5×4.5 | Part of the Virgo Cluster |
| M59 | Elliptical Galaxy | Messier 59 | Virgo | 12h 42m 02s | +11° 38′ 48″ | 9.6 | 5.5×4.5 | Part of the Virgo Cluster |
| M60 | Elliptical Galaxy | Messier 60 | Virgo | 12h 43m 40s | +11° 33′ 08″ | 8.8 | 7.6×6.2 | Part of the Virgo Cluster |
| M61 | Spiral Galaxy | Messier 61 | Virgo | 12h 21m 54s | +04° 28′ 25″ | 9.7 | 6.5×5.9 | Part of the Virgo Cluster |
| M62 | Globular Cluster | Messier 62 | Ophiuchus | 17h 01m 12s | -30° 06′ 44″ | 6.5 | 15.0 | Elliptical globular cluster |
| M63 | Spiral Galaxy | Sunflower Galaxy | Canes Venatici | 13h 15m 49s | +42° 01′ 45″ | 8.6 | 12.6×7.2 | Also known as the Black Eye Galaxy |
| M64 | Spiral Galaxy | Black Eye Galaxy | Coma Berenices | 12h 56m 43s | +21° 41′ 24″ | 8.5 | 9.3×5.4 | Distinct dark band of absorbing dust |
| M65 | Spiral Galaxy | Messier 65 | Leo | 11h 18m 55s | +13° 05′ 31″ | 9.3 | 8.0×1.6 | Part of the Leo Triplet |
| M66 | Spiral Galaxy | Messier 66 | Leo | 11h 20m 15s | +12° 59′ 29″ | 8.9 | 9.1×4.2 | Part of the Leo Triplet |
| M67 | Open Cluster | Messier 67 | Cancer | 08h 51m 18s | +11° 49′ 00″ | 6.1 | 25.0 | Older than most open clusters |
| M68 | Globular Cluster | Messier 68 | Hydra | 12h 39m 28s | -26° 44′ 34″ | 7.8 | 11.0 | Elliptical globular cluster |
| M69 | Globular Cluster | Messier 69 | Sagittarius | 18h 31m 23s | -32° 20′ 53″ | 7.6 | 7.0 | Part of the Sagittarius Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy |
| M70 | Globular Cluster | Messier 70 | Sagittarius | 18h 43m 12s | -32° 18′ 12″ | 7.9 | 7.0 | Part of the Sagittarius Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy |
| M71 | Globular Cluster | Messier 71 | Sagitta | 19h 53m 46s | +18° 46′ 45″ | 7.9 | 7.0 | Unusual for a globular cluster |
| M72 | Globular Cluster | Messier 72 | Aquarius | 20h 53m 27s | -12° 32′ 14″ | 9.3 | 6.0 | Elliptical globular cluster |
| M73 | Asterism | Messier 73 | Aquarius | 20h 59m 00s | -12° 38′ 00″ | 9.0 | – | Asterism of four stars |
| M74 | Spiral Galaxy | Messier 74 | Pisces | 01h 36m 41s | +15° 47′ 00″ | 10.0 | 10.0×9.4 | Low surface brightness spiral galaxy |
| M75 | Globular Cluster | Messier 75 | Sagittarius | 20h 06m 04s | -21° 55′ 17″ | 8.5 | 6.0 | Elliptical globular cluster |
| M76 | Planetary Nebula | Little Dumbbell Nebula | Perseus | 01h 42m 19s | +51° 34′ 32″ | 11.1 | 2.7×1.8 | Bipolar planetary nebula |
| M77 | Spiral Galaxy | Messier 77 | Cetus | 02h 42m 40s | -00° 00′ 47″ | 8.9 | 7.0×6.0 | Active galactic nucleus |
| M78 | Reflection Nebula | Messier 78 | Orion | 05h 46m 45s | +00° 03′ 00″ | 8.3 | 8.0 | Reflection nebula in Orion Molecular Cloud |
| M79 | Globular Cluster | Messier 79 | Lepus | 05h 24m 11s | -24° 31′ 00″ | 7.7 | 9.0 | Elliptical globular cluster |
| M80 | Globular Cluster | Messier 80 | Scorpius | 16h 17m 02s | -22° 58′ 33″ | 7.3 | 8.9 | Rich globular cluster with a central bar |
| M81 | Spiral Galaxy | Bode’s Galaxy | Ursa Major | 09h 55m 33s | +69° 03′ 55″ | 6.9 | 21.0×11.0 | Interacting galaxy pair with M82 |
| M82 | Irregular Galaxy | Cigar Galaxy | Ursa Major | 09h 55m 52s | +69° 40′ 47″ | 8.4 | 11.0×4.4 | Starburst galaxy with intense star formation |
| M83 | Spiral Galaxy | Southern Pinwheel Galaxy | Hydra | 13h 37m 00s | -29° 52′ 00″ | 7.6 | 13.1×12.9 | Barred spiral galaxy |
| M84 | Lenticular Galaxy | Messier 84 | Virgo | 12h 25m 03s | +12° 53′ 13″ | 9.1 | 5.3×5.1 | Elliptical galaxy with a dust lane |
| M85 | Lenticular Galaxy | Messier 85 | Coma Berenices | 12h 25m 24s | +18° 11′ 27″ | 9.1 | 7.1×5.8 | Elliptical galaxy in the Virgo Cluster |
| M86 | Lenticular Galaxy | Messier 86 | Virgo | 12h 26m 12s | +12° 56′ 45″ | 8.9 | 8.9×5.8 | Elliptical galaxy in the Virgo Cluster |
| M87 | Elliptical Galaxy | Virgo A | Virgo | 12h 30m 49s | +12° 23′ 28″ | 8.6 | 7.2×6.8 | Giant elliptical galaxy with a jet |
| M88 | Spiral Galaxy | Messier 88 | Coma Berenices | 12h 32m 41s | +14° 25′ 13″ | 9.6 | 6.0×4.8 | Spiral galaxy in the Virgo Cluster |
| M89 | Elliptical Galaxy | Messier 89 | Virgo | 12h 35m 39s | +12° 33′ 23″ | 9.8 | 5.2×4.9 | Elliptical galaxy in the Virgo Cluster |
| M90 | Spiral Galaxy | Messier 90 | Virgo | 12h 36m 49s | +13° 10′ 32″ | 9.5 | 9.0×5.6 | Spiral galaxy in the Virgo Cluster |
| M91 | Spiral Galaxy | Messier 91 | Coma Berenices | 12h 35m 26s | +14° 29′ 47″ | 10.2 | 5.5×4.8 | Spiral galaxy in the Virgo Cluster |
| M92 | Globular Cluster | Messier 92 | Hercules | 17h 17m 07s | +43° 08′ 12″ | 6.4 | 14.0 | Bright, compact globular cluster |
| M93 | Open Cluster | Messier 93 | Puppis | 07h 44m 00s | -23° 52′ 00″ | 6.0 | 22.0 | Open cluster with about 80 stars |
| M94 | Spiral Galaxy | Messier 94 | Canes Venatici | 12h 50m 53s | +41° 07′ 14″ | 8.2 | 11.0×9.0 | Spiral galaxy with a central ring |
| M95 | Barred Spiral Galaxy | Messier 95 | Leo | 10h 43m 57s | +11° 41′ 03″ | 9.7 | 7.0×5.0 | Barred spiral galaxy |
| M96 | Spiral Galaxy | Messier 96 | Leo | 10h 46m 45s | +11° 49′ 12″ | 9.2 | 6.0×5.0 | Spiral galaxy with a faint outer ring |
| M97 | Planetary Nebula | Owl Nebula | Ursa Major | 11h 14m 47s | +55° 01′ 09″ | 9.9 | 3.4×3.3 | Planetary nebula with a dark “eye” |
| M98 | Spiral Galaxy | Messier 98 | Coma Berenices | 12h 13m 48s | +14° 54′ 01″ | 10.1 | 9.8×2.8 | Spiral galaxy with faint arms |
| M99 | Spiral Galaxy | Messier 99 | Coma Berenices | 12h 18m 49s | +14° 25′ 11″ | 9.9 | 4.8×4.2 | Spiral galaxy with a bright core |
| M100 | Spiral Galaxy | Messier 100 | Coma Berenices | 12h 22m 54s | +15° 49′ 21″ | 9.4 | 7.0×6.1 | Grand design spiral galaxy |
| M101 | Spiral Galaxy | Pinwheel Galaxy | Ursa Major | 14h 03m 12s | +54° 20′ 57″ | 7.9 | 27.0×26.0 | Spiral galaxy with prominent arms |
| M102 | Galaxy | Spindle Galaxy | Draco | 15h 06m 27s | +55° 45′ 42″ | 9.7 | 6.9×2.0 | Later identified as NGC 5866 |
| M103 | Open Cluster | Messier 103 | Cassiopeia | 01h 33m 19s | +60° 42′ 26″ | 7.4 | 6.0 | Open cluster with about 40 stars |
| M104 | Spiral Galaxy | Sombrero Galaxy | Virgo | 12h 39m 59s | -11° 37′ 22″ | 8.0 | 9.4×4.6 | Spiral galaxy with a bright nucleus |
| M105 | Elliptical Galaxy | Messier 105 | Leo | 10h 47m 49s | +12° 34′ 54″ | 9.3 | 4.8×4.4 | Elliptical galaxy in the Leo I Group |
| M106 | Spiral Galaxy | Messier 106 | Canes Venatici | 12h 18m 57s | +47° 18′ 14″ | 8.4 | 18.0×8.4 | Seyfert II galaxy with an active nucleus |
| M107 | Globular Cluster | Messier 107 | Ophiuchus | 16h 32m 31s | -13° 03′ 13″ | 7.9 | 13.0 | Elliptical globular cluster |
| M108 | Spiral Galaxy | Messier 108 | Ursa Major | 11h 11m 31s | +55° 40′ 26″ | 10.0 | 8.6×2.2 | Edge-on spiral galaxy |
| M109 | Barred Spiral Galaxy | Messier 109 | Ursa Major | 11h 57m 36s | +53° 22′ 28″ | 9.8 | 7.0×4.6 | Barred spiral galaxy |
| M110 | Elliptical Galaxy | Messier 110 | Andromeda | 00h 40m 22s | +41° 41′ 07″ | 8.5 | 17.0×9.0 | Satellite galaxy of M31 |
