Messier List

Messier 1 by Roger Powell

The first Messier list of 45 objects was published in 1774 by the French astronomer Charles Messier and now contains 110 astronomical objects:

Messier List

#Common NameTypeConstellationMagHighest
M1Crab NebulaSupernova RemnantTaurus8.4Dec-Jan
M2Globular ClusterAquarius6.5Aug-Oct
M3Globular ClusterCanes Venatici6.2Apr-May
M4Globular ClusterScorpius5.6Jun-Jul
M5Globular ClusterSerpens5.6Jun-Aug
M6Butterfly ClusterOpen ClusterScorpius5.3Jun-Jul
M7Ptolemy’s ClusterOpen ClusterScorpius4.1Jun-Jul
M8Lagoon NebulaCluster with NebulaSagittarius6Jul-Aug
M9Globular ClusterOphiuchus7.7Jun-Jul
M10Globular ClusterOphiuchus6.6Jun-Jul
M11Wild Duck ClusterOpen ClusterScutum6.3Jul-Aug
M12Globular ClusterOphiuchus6.7Jun-Jul
M13Hercules ClusterGlobular ClusterHercules5.8Jun-Aug
M14Globular ClusterOphiuchus7.6Jun-Jul
M15Globular ClusterPegasus6.2Sep-Oct
M16Eagle NebulaCluster with NebulaSerpens6.4Jun-Aug
M17Omega, Swan or Lobster NebulaCluster with NebulaSagittarius7Jul-Aug
M18Open ClusterSagittarius7.5Jul-Aug
M19Globular ClusterOphiuchus6.8Jun-Jul
M20Trifid NebulaCluster with NebulaSagittarius9Jul-Aug
M21Open ClusterSagittarius6.5Jul-Aug
M22Sagittarius ClusterGlobular ClusterSagittarius5.1Jul-Aug
M23Open ClusterSagittarius6.9Jul-Aug
M24Sagittarius Star CloudOpen ClusterSagittarius4.6Jul-Aug
M25Open ClusterSagittarius6.5Jul-Aug
M26Open ClusterScutum8Jul-Aug
M27Dumbbell NebulaPlanetary NebulaVulpecula7.4Aug-Sep
M28Globular ClusterSagittarius6.8Jul-Aug
M29Open ClusterCygnus7.1Aug-Sep
M30Globular ClusterCapricornus7.2Aug-Sep
M31Andromeda GalaxyGalaxyAndromeda3.4Oct-Nov
M32GalaxyAndromeda8.1Oct-Nov
M33Triangulum GalaxyGalaxyTriangulum5.7Nov-Dec
M34Open ClusterPerseus5.5Nov-Dec
M35Open ClusterGemini5.3Jan-Feb
M36Open ClusterAuriga6.3Dec-Feb
M37Open ClusterAuriga6.2Dec-Feb
M38Open ClusterAuriga7.4Dec-Feb
M39Open ClusterCygnus4.6Aug-Sep
M40*Double Star WNC4ClusterUrsa Major8.4Feb-May
M41Open ClusterCanis Major4.6Jan-Feb
M42Orion NebulaDiffuse NebulaOrion4Dec-Jan
M43part of Orion NebulaDiffuse NebulaOrion9Dec-Jan
M44Beehive ClusterOpen ClusterCancer3.7Apr-May
M45Subaru, Pleiades, Seven SistersOpen ClusterTaurus1.6Dec-Jan
M46Open ClusterPuppis6Jan-Feb
M47Open ClusterPuppis5.2Jan-Feb
M48Open ClusterHydra5.5Feb-Jun
M49GalaxyVirgo8.4Apr-Jun
M50Open ClusterMonoceros6.3Jan-Feb
M51Whirlpool GalaxyGalaxyCanes Venatici8.4Apr-May
M52*Open ClusterCassiopeia7.3Oct-Dec
M53Globular ClusterComa Berenices7.6Apr-May
M54Globular ClusterSagittarius7.6Jul-Aug
M55Globular ClusterSagittarius6.3Jul-Aug
M56Globular ClusterLyra8.3Jul-Aug
M57Ring NebulaPlanetary NebulaLyra8.8Jul-Aug
M58GalaxyVirgo9.7Apr-Jun
M59GalaxyVirgo9.6Apr-Jun
M60GalaxyVirgo8.8Apr-Jun
M61GalaxyVirgo9.7Apr-Jun
M62Globular ClusterOphiuchus6.5Jun-Jul
M63Sunflower GalaxyGalaxyCanes Venatici8.6Apr-May
M64Blackeye GalaxyGalaxyComa Berenices8.5Apr-May
M65Leo TripletGalaxyLeo9.3Mar-Apr
M66GalaxyLeo8.9Mar-Apr
M67Open ClusterCancer6.1Apr-May
M68Globular ClusterHydra7.8Feb-Jun
M69Globular ClusterSagittarius7.6Jul-Aug
M70Globular ClusterSagittarius7.9Jul-Aug
M71Globular ClusterSagitta8.2Aug
M72Globular ClusterAquarius9.3Aug-Oct
M73Spiral GalaxyAquarius9Aug-Oct
M74GalaxyPisces9.4Oct-Nov
M75Globular ClusterSagittarius8.5Jul-Aug
M76Little Dumbbell NebulaPlanetary NebulaPerseus10.1Nov-Dec
M77GalaxyCetus8.9Oct-Dec
M78Diffuse NebulaOrion8.3Dec-Jan
M79Globular ClusterLepus7.7Jan
M80Globular ClusterScorpius7.3Jun-Jul
M81*Bode’s GalaxyGalaxyUrsa Major6.9Feb-May
M82*Cigar GalaxyGalaxyUrsa Major8.4Feb-May
M83Southern Pinwheel GalaxyGalaxyHydra7.6Feb-Jun
M84GalaxyVirgo9.1Apr-Jun
M85GalaxyComa Berenices9.1Apr-May
M86GalaxyVirgo8.9Apr-Jun
M87Virgo AGalaxyVirgo8.6Apr-Jun
M88GalaxyComa Berenices9.6Apr-May
M89GalaxyVirgo9.8Apr-Jun
M90GalaxyVirgo9.5Apr-Jun
M91GalaxyComa Berenices10.2Apr-May
M92Globular ClusterHercules6.4Jun-Aug
M93Open ClusterPuppis6Jan-Feb
M94GalaxyCanes Venatici8.2Apr-May
M95GalaxyLeo9.7Mar-Apr
M96GalaxyLeo9.2Mar-Apr
M97*Owl NebulaPlanetary NebulaUrsa Major9.9Feb-May
M98GalaxyComa Berenices10.1Apr-May
M99GalaxyComa Berenices9.9Apr-May
M100GalaxyComa Berenices9.3Apr-May
M101*Pinwheel GalaxyGalaxyUrsa Major7.9Feb-May
M102*Spindle GalaxyGalaxyDraco9.9Mar-Sep
M103*Open ClusterCassiopeia7.4Oct-Dec
M104Sombrero GalaxyGalaxyVirgo8Apr-Jun
M105GalaxyLeo9.3Mar-Apr
M106GalaxyCanes Venatici8.4Apr-May
M107Globular ClusterOphiuchus7.9Jun-Jul
M108*GalaxyUrsa Major10Feb-May
M109*GalaxyUrsa Major9.8Feb-May
M110GalaxyAndromeda8.5Oct-Nov

* These ten objects are not visible from the Macarthur latitude of 34° S, a more northerly location is required.