Messier Goodies

Thanks to Chris Lewicki, this file has now found a very good place on the famous ftp server (ftp.seds.org), now accessible as an archive via http (http://files.seds.org), as ascii file. It is also posted to the mailing list astro at mindspring.com and various newsgroups including sci.astro and sci.astro.amateur when modifications justify this.

Internet, Software, Books, Observing Aids, Goodies, Wanted

Internet

• Images of all Messier objects, and information on Messier and the M objects:
  • http://messier.seds.org/Messier.html
    In addition to the image collection, these pages contain descriptions, historic and observational materials, as well as a discussion of the last possibly missing object, M102. Also, there are sections treating the Messier Marathon, similar and historic catalogs, the history of deepsky discovery, and a Twelve Month Tour of the Messier catalog, among others. It is planned to enlarge (and hopefully enrich) these pages with all Messier-related stuff suited for the Web; submit any contributions to me.
    Thanks to all contributers !

    The Messier pages have now several mirrors around the world, and there are translations into the German language by co-author Christine Kronberg, into the Italian language by Mario Farina, and into the French language by Bernard Trézéguet.

  • ftp archive: http://files.seds.org/pub/images/deepspace/messier/
    Here, M92 is still missing, but images are contained in /pub/images/deepspace/. M102 is also missing, but again "/pub/images/deepspace/" contains an image of the candidate NGC 5866. The M102 discussion and NGC 5866 images are also available in various file formats in "/pub/info/messier/".
  • ftp archive: http://files.seds.org/pub/info/messier/
    Contains the test version of LFK's Messier Observers Guide, an ascii version of the Messier catalog, Messier Marathon sequences and observing form, my article on M102, images of Charles Messier, a Messier object poster, and the M102 candidate NGC 5866, Jeff Bondono's "messymag" refrerence list, my List of Messier Goodies (this file), the List of Common Names for Messier Objects, and two collections of OS/2 icons of all Messier objects. Descriptions are at other places in this doc.
  Thanks to Chris Lewicki, Guy McArthur, and the other UA SEDS staff for providing this service !
• Images and descriptions of some objects, planned to contain all:
  http://zebu.uoregon.edu/messier.html
• Images of the Messier objects from the Digital Sky Survey were posted to the newsgroup alt.binaries.pictures.astro by R. Bright, and are collected by Bill Arnett on SEDS' internet server, accessible at http://astro.nineplanets.org/dssm/
  (actually the same directory, which may also be accessed by gopher as can be figured out from above description)
• Messier images from the Catania Astrophysical Observatory, Italy: http://www.ct.astro.it/oggmessier1.html
• Images of several to many Messier and other objects are also on (thanks to Bill Keel, Frank Roussel, and Steven Williams for info)
  • FTP-Servers:
    www.astr.ua.edu: /web/{gifimages,images/*}/ (better access by http)
    wwa.com/pub/ccd/
    ftp.zlin.vutbr.cz: /pub/sci/astro/messier/ (small image collection)
    ftp.cribx1.u-bordeaux.fr/astro/ccd/ (fine collection. Mirrored at seds and several other sites)
  • HTTP-Servers:
    http://www.astr.ua.edu/AstroHome.html (~ 1/4 Messier now)
    http://www.grovecreekobservatory.org/ (M's make up a big part of the NGCs there)
    http://alpha.univ-lille1.fr:28080/~gi200/index.e.html
    http://graffiti.u-bordeaux.fr/MAPBX/roussel/astro.english.html
• Twelve Month Tour of The Messier Catalog by Tony Cecce, Corning, NY is posted monthly :-) to the mailing list ASTRO at mindspring.com. Accessible online at http://messier.seds.org/xtra/12months/12months.html
• Astronomical League's Messier object binocular observing info http://www.astroleague.org/al/obsclubs/binomess/binomess.html
• Jeff Bondono provides a steadily growing file of Messier Object references in magazines and books: http://messier.seds.org/xtra/supp/messymag.txt [local copy].
• Stephen Tonkin (URL: http://www.astunit.com/tonkinsastro/tonkinsastro.htm) provides a set of Messier Charts at http://www.geocities.com/sftonkin/messier/messchart.htm, and Messier Marathon Log Sheets in various formats at http://www.geocities.com/sftonkin/messier/messlog.htm.
• Robert Casey has made a composit "poster" of all Messier objects, which also appeared on alt.binaries.pictures.astro.
• List of Common Names for Messier Objects, compiled by me (Hartmut Frommert). Lists all Common Names I could find, in various "official" sources and as propositions. Residing on http://messier.seds.org/m-names.txt; a html version is at http://messier.seds.org/m-names.html. Posted to the mailing list astro at mindspring.com and various newsgroups including sci.astro and sci.astro.amateur.
  You are invited to supply all additional common names you know for them ! Just contact me.
• More links to Messier related sites can be found in http://messier.seds.org/m-more.html.

Software

• Messier Observer's Guide (without M102), by Larry Kalinowski, 15674 Flanagan, Roseville, MI 48066 (USA). Shareware. For each object: Map (finder chart), + small scope/bino illustration image. IBM PC 286 up, Dos 2.11 up. Described e.g. in Astronomy Feb 1995, p.96. Now, the 50 objects test version is av online: http://files.seds.org/pub/info/messier/lfkmes20.zip (thanks to Jeff Bondono and Chris Lewicki for uploading)
• Messier Logging System, by Luis Arguelles, Version 1.0. Gives basic data, descriptions and an image of each object, and enables logging of own observational data. Based on Borland Database Engine, running on Windows 95/NT 4.0+ only. Download from Web: http://members.tripod.com/~whuyss/mls.htm.
• MESSMARA from COAA (Algarve, Portugal). For a given location and night, this program generates graphs and lists of the Messier objects observable in that night. Available for Windows 3.x (up) only. http://www.coaa.co.uk/messmara.zip
• The Ultimate Messier Object Log, by David Green. Database file for FileMaker Pro 4.0 (av for Mac, Windows; more ?) with descriptions, icon images, and space fore observing notes. Download from web: http://www.davidpaulgreen.com/TUMOL.html
• Messier OS/2 icons: OS/2 icons for all 110 Messier object, including M102 candidate NGC 5866. Produced by me (Hartmut Frommert). Freeware (but I don't object donations). Online from http://files.seds.org/pub/info/messier/messieri.zip
• Messier GIF icons (from the SEDS Messier pages): http://files.seds.org/pub/info/messier/m-small.zip These icons were produced and archived by Guy "Smiley" McArthur.

Books

• Kenneth Glyn Jones. Messier's Nebulae and Star Clusters. Sky Publishing 1968, 2nd ed 19XX. 427p. A great handbook and resource ! Contains introduction to historical and astronomical background together with data, historic and newer descriptions with a finder chart, drawing, and photo (in appendix) for each object, plus biographical and historical material on Messier and the other discoverers and early researchers of the Messier objects.
• John Mallas and Everitt Kreimer. The Messier Album. Sky Publishing 1978 Messier biography (by Owen Gingerich), reprint of Messier's original catalog (in French), descriptions for each object (but M102) with finder chart, drawing (from 4") and b/w photo (12 1/2"). Messier object chart of the Heavens, check list, color photos of some (1,4,5,[6-7-8-22-28-54-69-70 field],7,8,8/20/21,10,13, [8-16-17-18-20-21-22-23-24-25-28 field],16,17,20,27,31/32/110,33,35,37, 38,42/43,45,46,51,57,62,65/66/N3628,80,81/82,97,101,104). viii+248 p. Sky Publishing # 46042
• Hans Vehrenberg. Atlas of Deep Sky Splendors. Vehrenberg+Sky Publishing 1st ed 196X, 4th edition 198X. Original title: `Mein Messier-Buch' (My Messier Book). Schmidt photo charts of all Messier and many other Deep Sky objects in same scale, partially color, descriptions, some with photos from observatories. 242 p.
• Don Machholz. Messier Marathon Observer's Guide -- Handbook and Atlas. Make Wood Products, P.O.Box 1716, Colfax, CA 95713 (USA). Interesting stuff on Charles Messier, his comets, his catalog including discussion of "nebulous" (missing, stellar, and the star cloud) and "add-on" objects, a catalog, finder charts, plus proposed Marathon. 97 p. Also available from Sky Publishing # 46050.

Observing Aids

• Astro Cards Set 1, The Messier Objects. Index card finder charts for all 110 Messier objects; well suited for use at the telescope. Astro Cards, P.O.Box 35, Natrona Heights, PA 15065; URL: http://www201.pair.com/resource/astro.html/AstroCards/; E-Mail: AstroCards at aol.com (Phone: +1-412-295-4128)
• Russ Dickman (dickman at psln.com) has published a booklet of convenient Messier finder charts for use at the telescope. For each Messier object, two charts for finding and some data are presented. More information is available by email, or URL:http://www.psln.com/dickman/.
• The Messier Card. Chart + table (on back) of all M's (but M102) + 20 others. Sky Publishing # S0001 (unlaminated) or # S001L (Laminated)

Goodies

• The Messier Objects, poster (24x36). Sky Publishing # S0066
• Messier Mug, 15 1/2-ounce ceramic cup with Messier catalog printed. MindMatter Publishing, P.O. Box 1599, Soquel, CA 95073-1599. E-Mail: 74462.2452 at compuserve.com (Phone: +1-408-479-7359, Fax: -7180)

Wanted

• 35 mm slide set of all 110 Messier objects. Actually, several such would be fine: professional + amateurs but I still miss some slides at all yet.

Last Modification: January 25, 1998