Charles Messier was an 18th-century French astronomer whose primary goal was to discover new comets. In the process of his comet searches, Messier occasionally found objects that appeared comet-like in the small telescopes he used, but which were not comets. They appeared to be permanent parts of the night sky (like the stars), but he was unaware of the true nature of most of them. To avoid confusion in future comet searches, Messier compiled a catalog of these non-cometary objects.
Today, we recognize the Messier Catalog to consist of a collection of deep sky objects that all lie far beyond the Solar System. Well over 1/3 of them lie outside our own Milky Way Galaxy. The catalog contains 27 open clusters, 29 globular clusters, 6 diffuse nebulae, 4 planetary nebulae, and 40 galaxies (24 spiral, 8 elliptical, 4 barred, and 4 lenticular). There are several one-of-a-kind objects in the catalog including 1 supernova remnant, 1 Milky Way patch, 1 double star, and 1 asterism.
The table below lists details about every deep sky object in the Messier Catalog.
| Messier Catalog | ||||||||||
| M | NGC | Type | Mag. | Size arcmin | Distance (ly) | Right Ascension | Declination | Con | Viewing Season | Common Name _______________ |
| M1 | 1952 | Sn | 8.4 | 6×4 | 6300 | 5h 34.5m | +22° 01′ | Tau | winter | Crab Nebula |
| M2 | 7089 | Gc | 6.5 | 12.9 | 37900 | 21h 33.5m | -00° 49′ | Aqr | autumn | |
| M3 | 5272 | Gc | 6.2 | 16.2 | 33900 | 13h 42.2m | +28° 23′ | CVn | spring | |
| M4 | 6121 | Gc | 5.6 | 26.3 | 7200 | 16h 23.6m | -26° 32′ | Sco | summer | |
| M5 | 5904 | Gc | 5.6 | 17.4 | 24500 | 15h 18.6m | +02° 05′ | Ser | summer | |
| M6 | 6405 | Oc | 4.2 | 25 | 1600 | 17h 40.1m | -32° 13′ | Sco | summer | Butterfly Cluster |
| M7 | 6475 | Oc | 3.3 | 80 | 800 | 17h 53.9m | -34° 49′ | Sco | summer | Ptolemy’s Cluster |
| M8 | 6523 | Di | 6.0 | 90×40 | 5200 | 18h 03.8m | -24° 23′ | Sgr | summer | Lagoon Nebula |
| M9 | 6333 | Gc | 7.7 | 9.3 | 26700 | 17h 19.2m | -18° 31′ | Oph | summer | |
| M10 | 6254 | Gc | 6.6 | 15.1 | 14400 | 16h 57.1m | -04° 06′ | Oph | summer | |
| M11 | 6705 | Oc | 6.3 | 14 | 6000 | 18h 51.1m | -06° 16′ | Sct | summer | Wild Duck Cluster |
| M12 | 6218 | Gc | 6.7 | 14.5 | 16000 | 16h 47.2m | -01° 57′ | Oph | summer | |
| M13 | 6205 | Gc | 5.8 | 16.6 | 25100 | 16h 41.7m | +36° 28′ | Her | summer | Great Hercules Globular |
| M14 | 6402 | Gc | 7.6 | 11.7 | 29000 | 17h 37.6m | -03° 15′ | Oph | summer | |
| M15 | 7078 | Gc | 6.2 | 12.3 | 33600 | 21h 30m | +12° 10′ | Peg | autumn | Great Pegasus Globular |
| M16 | 6611 | Oc | 6.4 | 7 | 7000 | 18h 18.8m | -13° 47′ | Ser | summer | Eagle Nebula |
| M17 | 6618 | Di | 7.0 | 11 | 5000 | 18h 20.8m | -16° 11′ | Sgr | summer | Omega Nebula |
| M18 | 6613 | Oc | 7.5 | 9 | 4900 | 18h 19.9m | -17° 08′ | Sgr | summer | |
| M19 | 6273 | Gc | 6.8 | 13.5 | 28400 | 17h 02.6m | -26° 16′ | Oph | summer | |
| M20 | 6514 | Di | 9.0 | 28 | 5200 | 18h 02.6m | -23° 02′ | Sgr | summer | Trifid Nebula |
| M21 | 6531 | Oc | 6.5 | 13 | 4250 | 18h 04.6m | -22° 30′ | Sgr | summer | |
| M22 | 6656 | Gc | 5.1 | 24 | 10400 | 18h 36.4m | -23° 54′ | Sgr | summer | Sagittarius Cluster |
| M23 | 6494 | Oc | 6.9 | 27 | 2150 | 17h 56.8m | -19° 01′ | Sgr | summer | |
| M24 | – | MW | 4.6 | 90 | 10000 | 18h 16.9m | -18° 30′ | Sgr | summer | Sagittarius Star Cloud |
| M25 | IC4725 | Oc | 6.5 | 40 | 2000 | 18h 31.6m | -19° 15′ | Sgr | summer | |
| M26 | 6694 | Oc | 8.0 | 15 | 5000 | 18h 45.2m | -09° 24′ | Sct | summer | |
| M27 | 6853 | Pl | 7.4 | 8.0×5.7 | 1250 | 19h 59.6m | +22° 43′ | Vul | summer | Dumbbell Nebula |
| M28 | 6626 | Gc | 6.8 | 11.2 | 18600 | 18h 24.5m | -24° 52′ | Sgr | summer | |
| M29 | 6913 | Oc | 7.1 | 7 | 4000 | 20h 23.9m | +38° 32′ | Cyg | summer | |
| M30 | 7099 | Gc | 7.2 | 11 | 26100 | 21h 40.4m | -23° 11′ | Cap | autumn | |
| M31 | 224 | Sp | 3.4 | 178×63 | 3 million | 0h 41.8m | +41° 16′ | And | autumn | Andromeda Galaxy |
| M32 | 221 | El | 8.1 | 8×6 | 3 million | 0h 42.8m | +40° 52′ | And | autumn | |
| M33 | 598 | Sp | 5.7 | 73×45 | 3 million | 1h 33.9m | +30° 39′ | Tri | autumn | Triangulum Galaxy |
| M34 | 1039 | Oc | 5.5 | 35 | 1400 | 2h 42m | +42° 47′ | Per | autumn | |
| M35 | 2168 | Oc | 5.3 | 28 | 2800 | 6h 08.9m | +24° 20′ | Gem | winter | |
| M36 | 1960 | Oc | 6.3 | 12 | 4100 | 5h 36.1m | +34° 08′ | Aur | winter | |
| M37 | 2099 | Oc | 6.2 | 24 | 4400 | 5h 52.4m | +32° 33′ | Aur | winter | |
| M38 | 1912 | Oc | 7.4 | 21 | 4200 | 5h 28.7m | +35° 50′ | Aur | winter | |
| M39 | 7092 | Oc | 4.6 | 32 | 825 | 21h 32.2m | +48° 26′ | Cyg | autumn | |
| M40 | Win4 | Ds | 8.4 | 0.8 | 510 | 12h 22.4m | +58° 05′ | UMa | spring | Winnecke 4 |
| M41 | 2287 | Oc | 4.6 | 38 | 2300 | 6h 47m | -20° 44′ | CMa | winter | |
| M42 | 1976 | Di | 4.0 | 85×60 | 1600 | 5h 35.4m | -05° 27′ | Ori | winter | Great Nebula in Orion |
| M43 | 1982 | Di | 9.0 | 20×15 | 1600 | 5h 35.6m | -05° 16′ | Ori | winter | De Mairan’s Nebula |
| M44 | 2632 | Oc | 3.7 | 95 | 577 | 8h 40.1m | +19° 59′ | Cnc | winter | Beehive Cluster |
| M45 | – | Oc | 1.6 | 110 | 380 | 3h 47m | +24° 07′ | Tau | winter | Pleiades |
| M46 | 2437 | Oc | 6.0 | 27 | 5400 | 7h 41.8m | -14° 49′ | Pup | winter | |
| M47 | 2422 | Oc | 5.2 | 30 | 1600 | 7h 36.6m | -14° 30′ | Pup | winter | |
| M48 | 2548 | Oc | 5.5 | 54 | 1500 | 8h 13.8m | -05° 48′ | Hya | winter | |
| M49 | 4472 | El | 8.4 | 9×7.5 | 60 million | 12h 29.8m | +08° 00′ | Vir | spring | |
| M50 | 2323 | Oc | 6.3 | 16 | 3000 | 7h 03.2m | -08° 20′ | Mon | winter | |
| M51 | 5194 | Sp | 8.4 | 11×7 | 37 million | 13h 30m | +47° 11′ | CVn | spring | Whirlpool Galaxy |
| M52 | 7654 | Oc | 7.3 | 13 | 5000 | 23h 24.2m | +61° 35′ | Cas | autumn | |
| M53 | 5024 | Gc | 7.6 | 12.6 | 59700 | 13h 12.9m | +18° 10′ | Com | spring | |
| M54 | 6715 | Gc | 7.6 | 9.1 | 88700 | 18h 55.1m | -30° 29′ | Sgr | summer | |
| M55 | 6809 | Gc | 6.3 | 19 | 17600 | 19h 40m | -30° 58′ | Sgr | summer | |
| M56 | 6779 | Gc | 8.3 | 7.1 | 32900 | 19h 16.6m | +30° 11′ | Lyr | summer | |
| M57 | 6720 | Pl | 8.8 | 1.4×1.0 | 2300 | 18h 53.6m | +33° 02′ | Lyr | summer | Ring Nebula |
| M58 | 4579 | Ba | 9.7 | 5.5×4.5 | 60 million | 12h 37.7m | +11° 49′ | Vir | spring | |
| M59 | 4621 | El | 9.6 | 5×3.5 | 60 million | 12h 42m | +11° 39′ | Vir | spring | |
| M60 | 4649 | El | 8.8 | 7×6 | 60 million | 12h 43.7m | +11° 33′ | Vir | spring | |
| M61 | 4303 | Sp | 9.7 | 6×5.5 | 60 million | 12h 21.9m | +04° 28′ | Vir | spring | |
| M62 | 6266 | Gc | 6.5 | 14.1 | 22500 | 17h 01.2m | -30° 07′ | Oph | summer | |
| M63 | 5055 | Sp | 8.6 | 10×6 | 37 million | 13h 15.8m | +42° 02′ | CVn | spring | Sunflower Galaxy |
| M64 | 4826 | Sp | 8.5 | 9.3×5.4 | 19 million | 12h 56.7m | +21° 41′ | Com | spring | Black Eye Galaxy |
| M65 | 3623 | Sp | 9.3 | 8×1.5 | 35 million | 11h 18.9m | +13° 05′ | Leo | spring | |
| M66 | 3627 | Sp | 8.9 | 8×2.5 | 35 million | 11h 20.2m | +12° 59′ | Leo | spring | |
| M67 | 2682 | Oc | 6.1 | 30 | 2700 | 8h 50.4m | +11° 49′ | Cnc | winter | |
| M68 | 4590 | Gc | 7.8 | 12 | 33300 | 12h 39.5m | -26° 45′ | Hya | spring | |
| M69 | 6637 | Gc | 7.6 | 7.1 | 28000 | 18h 31.4m | -32° 21′ | Sgr | summer | |
| M70 | 6681 | Gc | 7.9 | 7.8 | 29400 | 18h 43.2m | -32° 18′ | Sgr | summer | |
| M71 | 6838 | Gc | 8.2 | 7.2 | 12700 | 19h 53.8m | +18° 47′ | Sge | summer | |
| M72 | 6981 | Gc | 9.3 | 5.9 | 55400 | 20h 53.5m | -12° 32′ | Aqr | summer | |
| M73 | 6994 | As | 9.0 | 2.8 | 2000 | 20h 59m | -12° 38′ | Aqr | summer | |
| M74 | 628 | Sp | 9.4 | 10.2×9.5 | 35 million | 1h 36.7m | +15° 47′ | Psc | autumn | |
| M75 | 6864 | Gc | 8.5 | 6 | 61300 | 20h 06.1m | -21° 55′ | Sgr | summer | |
| M76 | 650 | Pl | 10.1 | 2.7×1.8 | 3400 | 1h 42.4m | +51° 34′ | Per | autumn | Little Dumbbell Nebula |
| M77 | 1068 | Sp | 8.9 | 7×6 | 60 million | 2h 42.7m | +00° 02′ | Cet | autumn | |
| M78 | 2068 | Di | 8.3 | 8×6 | 1600 | 5h 46.7m | +00° 03′ | Ori | winter | |
| M79 | 1904 | Gc | 7.7 | 8.7 | 42100 | 5h 24.5m | -24° 33′ | Lep | winter | |
| M80 | 6093 | Gc | 7.3 | 8.9 | 32600 | 16h 17m | -22° 59′ | Sco | summer | |
| M81 | 3031 | Sp | 6.9 | 21×10 | 12 million | 9h 55.6m | +69° 04′ | UMa | spring | Bode’s Galaxy |
| M82 | 3034 | Ir | 8.4 | 9×4 | 12 million | 9h 55.8m | +69° 41′ | UMa | spring | Cigar Galaxy |
| M83 | 5236 | Sp | 7.6 | 11×10 | 15 million | 13h 37m | -29° 52′ | Hya | spring | Southern Pinwheel |
| M84 | 4374 | Ln | 9.1 | 5 | 60 million | 12h 25.1m | +12° 53′ | Vir | spring | |
| M85 | 4382 | Ln | 9.1 | 7.1×5.2 | 60 million | 12h 25.5m | +18° 12′ | Com | spring | |
| M86 | 4406 | Ln | 8.9 | 7.5×5.5 | 60 million | 12h 26.2m | +12° 57′ | Vir | spring | |
| M87 | 4486 | El | 8.6 | 7 | 60 million | 12h 30.8m | +12° 24′ | Vir | spring | |
| M88 | 4501 | Sp | 9.6 | 7×4 | 60 million | 12h 32.1m | +14° 26′ | Com | spring | |
| M89 | 4552 | El | 9.8 | 4 | 60 million | 12h 35.7m | +12° 33′ | Vir | spring | |
| M90 | 4569 | Sp | 9.5 | 9.5×4.5 | 60 million | 12h 36.8m | +13° 10′ | Vir | spring | |
| M91 | 4548 | Ba | 10.2 | 5.4×4.4 | 60 million | 12h 35.5m | +14° 30′ | Com | spring | |
| M92 | 6341 | Gc | 6.4 | 11.2 | 26700 | 17h 17.1m | +43° 08′ | Her | summer | |
| M93 | 2447 | Oc | 6.0 | 22 | 3600 | 7h 44.6m | -23° 52′ | Pup | winter | |
| M94 | 4736 | Sp | 8.2 | 7×3 | 15 million | 12h 50.9m | +41° 08′ | CVn | spring | |
| M95 | 3351 | Ba | 9.7 | 4.4×3.3 | 38 million | 10h 44m | +11° 42′ | Leo | spring | |
| M96 | 3368 | Sp | 9.2 | 6×4 | 38 million | 10h 46.8m | +11° 49′ | Leo | spring | |
| M97 | 3587 | Pl | 9.9 | 3.4×3.3 | 2600 | 11h 14.8m | +55° 01′ | UMa | spring | Owl Nebula |
| M98 | 4192 | Sp | 10.1 | 9.5×3.2 | 60 million | 12h 13.9m | +14° 55′ | Com | spring | |
| M99 | 4254 | Sp | 9.9 | 5.4×4.8 | 60 million | 12h 18.9m | +14° 26′ | Com | spring | |
| M100 | 4321 | Sp | 9.3 | 7×6 | 60 million | 12h 23m | +15° 50′ | Com | spring | |
| M101 | 5457 | Sp | 7.9 | 22 | 27 million | 14h 03.2m | +54° 21′ | UMa | spring | Pinwheel Galaxy |
| M102 | 5866 | Ln | 9.9 | 5.2×2.3 | 40 million | 15h 06.5m | +55° 46′ | Dra | summer | |
| M103 | 581 | Oc | 7.4 | 6 | 8500 | 1h 33.2m | +60° 42′ | Cas | autumn | |
| M104 | 4594 | Sp | 8.0 | 9×4 | 50 million | 12h 40m | -11° 37′ | Vir | spring | Sombrero Galaxy |
| M105 | 3379 | El | 9.3 | 2 | 38 million | 10h 47.8m | +12° 35′ | Leo | spring | |
| M106 | 4258 | Sp | 8.4 | 19×8 | 25 million | 12h 18.9m | +47° 19′ | CVn | spring | |
| M107 | 6171 | Gc | 7.9 | 10 | 20900 | 16h 32.5m | -13° 03′ | Oph | summer | |
| M108 | 3556 | Sp | 10.0 | 8×1 | 45 million | 11h 11.5m | +55° 40′ | UMa | spring | |
| M109 | 3992 | Ba | 9.8 | 7×4 | 55 million | 11h 57.6m | +53° 23′ | UMa | spring | |
| M110 | 205 | El | 8.5 | 17×10 | 3 million | 00h 40.4m | +41° 41′ | And | autumn |
| Messier Catalog Column Descriptions | |
| Heading | Description |
| M | Messier Catalog Number |
| NGC | New General Catalog Number |
| Type | Celestial Object Classification (see table below) |
| Mag. | Apparent Visual Magnitude |
| Size | Angular Size in Arc-Minutes |
| Distance | Distance from Solar System in Light Years |
| RA | Right Ascension (J2000) in Hours and Minutes |
| Dec | Declination (J2000) in Degrees and Minutes |
| Con | IAU Constellation Abbreviation |
| Viewing Season | Best Season for Viewing Messier Object |
| Common Name | Informal or Colloquial Name of Messier Object |
| Messier Catalog Object Classification | ||||
| Type | Description | Type | Description | |
| Oc | Open Cluster | Sp | Spiral Galaxy | |
| Gc | Globular Cluster | Ba | Barred Galaxy | |
| Pl | Planetary Nebula | Ln | Lenticular Galaxy | |
| Di | Diffuse Nebula | El | Elliptical Galaxy | |
| As | Asterism | Ir | Irregular Galaxy | |
| Ds | Double Star | Sn | Supernova Remnant | |
| MW | Milky Way Patch |