Messier Catalog

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
MNGCTypeMag.Size
arcmin
Distance (ly)Right
Ascension
DeclinationConViewing SeasonCommon Name _______________
M11952Sn8.46×463005h 34.5m+22° 01′TauwinterCrab Nebula
M27089Gc6.512.93790021h 33.5m-00° 49′Aqrautumn
M35272Gc6.216.23390013h 42.2m+28° 23′CVnspring
M46121Gc5.626.3720016h 23.6m-26° 32′Scosummer
M55904Gc5.617.42450015h 18.6m+02° 05′Sersummer
M66405Oc4.225160017h 40.1m-32° 13′ScosummerButterfly Cluster
M76475Oc3.38080017h 53.9m-34° 49′ScosummerPtolemy’s Cluster
M86523Di6.090×40520018h 03.8m-24° 23′SgrsummerLagoon Nebula
M96333Gc7.79.32670017h 19.2m-18° 31′Ophsummer
M106254Gc6.615.11440016h 57.1m-04° 06′Ophsummer
M116705Oc6.314600018h 51.1m-06° 16′SctsummerWild Duck Cluster
M126218Gc6.714.51600016h 47.2m-01° 57′Ophsummer
M136205Gc5.816.62510016h 41.7m+36° 28′HersummerGreat Hercules Globular
M146402Gc7.611.72900017h 37.6m-03° 15′Ophsummer
M157078Gc6.212.33360021h 30m+12° 10′PegautumnGreat Pegasus Globular
M166611Oc6.47700018h 18.8m-13° 47′SersummerEagle Nebula
M176618Di7.011500018h 20.8m-16° 11′SgrsummerOmega Nebula
M186613Oc7.59490018h 19.9m-17° 08′Sgrsummer
M196273Gc6.813.52840017h 02.6m-26° 16′Ophsummer
M206514Di9.028520018h 02.6m-23° 02′SgrsummerTrifid Nebula
M216531Oc6.513425018h 04.6m-22° 30′Sgrsummer
M226656Gc5.1241040018h 36.4m-23° 54′SgrsummerSagittarius Cluster
M236494Oc6.927215017h 56.8m-19° 01′Sgrsummer
M24MW4.6901000018h 16.9m-18° 30′SgrsummerSagittarius Star Cloud
M25IC4725Oc6.540200018h 31.6m-19° 15′Sgrsummer
M266694Oc8.015500018h 45.2m-09° 24′Sctsummer
M276853Pl7.48.0×5.7125019h 59.6m+22° 43′VulsummerDumbbell Nebula
M286626Gc6.811.21860018h 24.5m-24° 52′Sgrsummer
M296913Oc7.17400020h 23.9m+38° 32′Cygsummer
M307099Gc7.2112610021h 40.4m-23° 11′Capautumn
M31224Sp3.4178×633 million0h 41.8m+41° 16′AndautumnAndromeda Galaxy
M32221El8.18×63 million0h 42.8m+40° 52′Andautumn
M33598Sp5.773×453 million1h 33.9m+30° 39′TriautumnTriangulum Galaxy
M341039Oc5.53514002h 42m+42° 47′Perautumn
M352168Oc5.32828006h 08.9m+24° 20′Gemwinter
M361960Oc6.31241005h 36.1m+34° 08′Aurwinter
M372099Oc6.22444005h 52.4m+32° 33′Aurwinter
M381912Oc7.42142005h 28.7m+35° 50′Aurwinter
M397092Oc4.63282521h 32.2m+48° 26′Cygautumn
M40Win4Ds8.40.851012h 22.4m+58° 05′UMaspringWinnecke 4
M412287Oc4.63823006h 47m-20° 44′CMawinter
M421976Di4.085×6016005h 35.4m-05° 27′OriwinterGreat Nebula in Orion
M431982Di9.020×1516005h 35.6m-05° 16′OriwinterDe Mairan’s Nebula
M442632Oc3.7955778h 40.1m+19° 59′CncwinterBeehive Cluster
M45Oc1.61103803h 47m+24° 07′TauwinterPleiades
M462437Oc6.02754007h 41.8m-14° 49′Pupwinter
M472422Oc5.23016007h 36.6m-14° 30′Pupwinter
M482548Oc5.55415008h 13.8m-05° 48′Hyawinter
M494472El8.49×7.560 million12h 29.8m+08° 00′Virspring
M502323Oc6.31630007h 03.2m-08° 20′Monwinter
M515194Sp8.411×737 million13h 30m+47° 11′CVnspringWhirlpool Galaxy
M527654Oc7.313500023h 24.2m+61° 35′Casautumn
M535024Gc7.612.65970013h 12.9m+18° 10′Comspring
M546715Gc7.69.18870018h 55.1m-30° 29′Sgrsummer
M556809Gc6.3191760019h 40m-30° 58′Sgrsummer
M566779Gc8.37.13290019h 16.6m+30° 11′Lyrsummer
M576720Pl8.81.4×1.0230018h 53.6m+33° 02′LyrsummerRing Nebula
M584579Ba9.75.5×4.560 million12h 37.7m+11° 49′Virspring
M594621El9.65×3.560 million12h 42m+11° 39′Virspring
M604649El8.87×660 million12h 43.7m+11° 33′Virspring
M614303Sp9.76×5.560 million12h 21.9m+04° 28′Virspring
M626266Gc6.514.12250017h 01.2m-30° 07′Ophsummer
M635055Sp8.610×637 million13h 15.8m+42° 02′CVnspringSunflower Galaxy
M644826Sp8.59.3×5.419 million12h 56.7m+21° 41′ComspringBlack Eye Galaxy
M653623Sp9.38×1.535 million11h 18.9m+13° 05′Leospring
M663627Sp8.98×2.535 million11h 20.2m+12° 59′Leospring
M672682Oc6.13027008h 50.4m+11° 49′Cncwinter
M684590Gc7.8123330012h 39.5m-26° 45′Hyaspring
M696637Gc7.67.12800018h 31.4m-32° 21′Sgrsummer
M706681Gc7.97.82940018h 43.2m-32° 18′Sgrsummer
M716838Gc8.27.21270019h 53.8m+18° 47′Sgesummer
M726981Gc9.35.95540020h 53.5m-12° 32′Aqrsummer
M736994As9.02.8200020h 59m-12° 38′Aqrsummer
M74628Sp9.410.2×9.535 million1h 36.7m+15° 47′Pscautumn
M756864Gc8.566130020h 06.1m-21° 55′Sgrsummer
M76650Pl10.12.7×1.834001h 42.4m+51° 34′PerautumnLittle Dumbbell Nebula
M771068Sp8.97×660 million2h 42.7m+00° 02′Cetautumn
M782068Di8.38×616005h 46.7m+00° 03′Oriwinter
M791904Gc7.78.7421005h 24.5m-24° 33′Lepwinter
M806093Gc7.38.93260016h 17m-22° 59′Scosummer
M813031Sp6.921×1012 million9h 55.6m+69° 04′UMaspringBode’s Galaxy
M823034Ir8.49×412 million9h 55.8m+69° 41′UMaspringCigar Galaxy
M835236Sp7.611×1015 million13h 37m-29° 52′HyaspringSouthern Pinwheel
M844374Ln9.1560 million12h 25.1m+12° 53′Virspring
M854382Ln9.17.1×5.260 million12h 25.5m+18° 12′Comspring
M864406Ln8.97.5×5.560 million12h 26.2m+12° 57′Virspring
M874486El8.6760 million12h 30.8m+12° 24′Virspring
M884501Sp9.67×460 million12h 32.1m+14° 26′Comspring
M894552El9.8460 million12h 35.7m+12° 33′Virspring
M904569Sp9.59.5×4.560 million12h 36.8m+13° 10′Virspring
M914548Ba10.25.4×4.460 million12h 35.5m+14° 30′Comspring
M926341Gc6.411.22670017h 17.1m+43° 08′Hersummer
M932447Oc6.02236007h 44.6m-23° 52′Pupwinter
M944736Sp8.27×315 million12h 50.9m+41° 08′CVnspring
M953351Ba9.74.4×3.338 million10h 44m+11° 42′Leospring
M963368Sp9.26×438 million10h 46.8m+11° 49′Leospring
M973587Pl9.93.4×3.3260011h 14.8m+55° 01′UMaspringOwl Nebula
M984192Sp10.19.5×3.260 million12h 13.9m+14° 55′Comspring
M994254Sp9.95.4×4.860 million12h 18.9m+14° 26′Comspring
M1004321Sp9.37×660 million12h 23m+15° 50′Comspring
M1015457Sp7.92227 million14h 03.2m+54° 21′UMaspringPinwheel Galaxy
M1025866Ln9.95.2×2.340 million15h 06.5m+55° 46′Drasummer
M103581Oc7.4685001h 33.2m+60° 42′Casautumn
M1044594Sp8.09×450 million12h 40m-11° 37′VirspringSombrero Galaxy
M1053379El9.3238 million10h 47.8m+12° 35′Leospring
M1064258Sp8.419×825 million12h 18.9m+47° 19′CVnspring
M1076171Gc7.9102090016h 32.5m-13° 03′Ophsummer
M1083556Sp10.08×145 million11h 11.5m+55° 40′UMaspring
M1093992Ba9.87×455 million11h 57.6m+53° 23′UMaspring
M110205El8.517×103 million00h 40.4m+41° 41′Andautumn

Messier Catalog
Column Descriptions
HeadingDescription
MMessier Catalog Number
NGCNew General Catalog Number
TypeCelestial Object Classification (see table below)
Mag.Apparent Visual Magnitude
SizeAngular Size in Arc-Minutes
DistanceDistance from Solar System in Light Years
RARight Ascension (J2000) in Hours and Minutes
DecDeclination (J2000) in Degrees and Minutes
ConIAU Constellation Abbreviation
Viewing
Season
Best Season for Viewing Messier Object
Common
Name
Informal or Colloquial Name of Messier Object

Messier Catalog
Object Classification
TypeDescriptionTypeDescription
OcOpen ClusterSpSpiral Galaxy
GcGlobular ClusterBaBarred Galaxy
PlPlanetary NebulaLnLenticular Galaxy
DiDiffuse NebulaElElliptical Galaxy
AsAsterismIrIrregular Galaxy
DsDouble StarSnSupernova Remnant
MWMilky Way Patch