Flammarion's List of the Messier Objects

In his article on Messier's Nebulae and Star Clusters, Flammarion (1917), Cammille Flammarion gives a list of the Messier Objects as foillows. Note the misidentification of M24 with the small cluster NGC 6603, the correct identification of M40 with a double star, the misidentification of M47 following John Herschel, the missing identification of M48, the missing identity of M91 which Flammarion thought might be a comet, and the possibly correct identification, including the position from Messier's handwritten entry in his personal copy, of M102 with NGC 5866, with some doubt of Flammarion indicated by a question mark. The IC number for M25 is listed without comment in the NGC column. Some of the constellation assignments are outdated, as Flammarion's paper is older than the IAU definitions and he thus used the constellations of his time.

   Dates      No.   NGC  Position (Messier)   Position 1900    Constellations
    of                                                               and
Observation   (M)           RA        Dec        RA    Dec       Description

                          h  m  s  deg  '  "   h  m    deg  '
1758 Sep 12     1  1952   5.20. 2  +21.45.27   5.25.5  +21.57  Taurus. Nebula.
1760 Sep 11     2  7089  21.21. 8  - 1.47. 0  21.28.3  - 1.16  Aquarius. Cluster.
1764 May  3     3  5272  13.31.25  +29.32.57  13.37.6  +28.53  Canes Venatici. Cluster.
1764 May  8     4  6121  16. 9. 8  -25.55.40  16.17.5  -26.17  Scorpius. Cluster.
1764 May 23     5  5904  15. 6.36  + 2.57.16  15.13.5  + 2.27  Serpens. Cluster.
1764 May 23     6  6405  17.24.42  -32.10.34  17.33.5  -32. 9  Sagittarius. Cluster.
1764 May 23     7  6475  17.38. 2  -34.40.34  17.47.4  -34.47  Sagittarius. Cluster.
1764 May 23     8  6523  17.49.58  -24.21.10  17.57.6  -24.23  Sagittarius. Nebula.
1764 May 28     9  6333  17. 5.22  -18.13.26  17.13.3  -18.25  Ophiuchus. Cluster.
1764 May 29    10  6254  16.44.48  - 3.42.18  16.51.9  - 3.57  Ophiuchus. Cluster.
1764 May 30    11  6705  18.38.23  - 6.31. 1  18.45.7  - 6.23  Scutum. Cluster.
1764 May 30    12  6218  16.34.53  - 2.30.28  16.42.0  - 1.46  Ophiuchus. Cluster.
1764 Jun  1    13  6205  16.33.15  +36.54.44  16.38.1  +36.39  Hercules. Famous Cluster.
1764 Jun  1    14  6402  17.25.14  - 3. 5.45  17.32.4  - 3.11  Ophiuchus. Cluster.
1764 Jun  3    15  7078  21.18.41  +10.40. 3  21.25.2  +11.44  Pegasus. Cluster.
1764 Jun  3    16  6611  18. 5. 0  -13.51.44  18.13.2  -13.49  Aquila. Cluster.
1764 Jun  3    17  6618  18. 7. 3  -16.14.44  18.15.0  -16.13  Sagittarius. Nebula.
1764 Jun  3    18  6613  18. 6.16  -17.13.14  18.14.1  -17.10  Sagittarius. Cluster.
1764 Jun  5    19  6273  16.48. 7  -25.54.46  16.56.4  -26. 7  Ophiuchus. Cluster.
1764 Jun  5    20  6514  17.48.16  -22.59.10  17.56.3  -23. 2  Sagittarius. Nebula.
1764 Jun  5    21  6531  17.50. 7  -22.31.25  17.58.6  -22.30  Sagittarius. Cluster.
1764 Jun  5    22  6656  18.21.55  -24. 6.11  18.30.3  -23.59  Sagittarius. Cluster.
1764 Jun 20    23  6494  17.42.51  -18.45.55  17.51.0  -19. 0  Sagittarius. Cluster.
1764 Jun 20    24  6603  18. 1.44  -18.26. 0  18.12.6  -18.27  Sagittarius. Cluster.
1764 Jun 20    25  4725  18.17.40  -19. 5. 0  18.25.8  -19.19  Sagittarius. Cluster.
1764 Jun 20    26  6694  18.32.22  - 9.38.14  18.39.8  - 9.30  Scutum. Cluster.
1764 Jul 12    27  6853  19.49.27  +22. 4. 0  19.55.3  +22.27  Vulpecula. Nebula.
1764 Jul 27    28  6626  18.49.58  -24.57.11  18.18.4  -24.55  Sagittarius. Cluster.
1764 Jul 29    29  6913  20.15.38  +37.11.57  20.20.3  +38.12  Cygnus. Cluster.
1764 Aug  3    30  7099  21.27. 5  -24.19. 4  21.34.7  -23.38  Capricornus. Cluster.
1764 Aug  3    31   224   0.29.46  +39. 9.32   0.37.3  +40.43  Andromeda. Great Nebula.
1764 Aug  3    32   221   0.29.50  +38.45.34   0.37.2  +40.19  Andromeda. Nebula.
1764 Aug 25    33   598   1.20.37  +29.32.25   1.28.2  +30. 9  Triangulum. Nebula.
1764 Aug 25    34  1039   2.27.27  +41.39.32   2.35.6  +42.21  Perseus. Cluster.
1764 Aug 30    35  2168   5.54.41  +24.33.30   6. 2.7  +24.21  Gemini. Cluster.
1764 Sep  2    36  1960   5.20.47  +34. 8. 6   5.29.5  +34. 4  Auriga. Cluster.
1764 Sep  2    37  2099   5.37. 1  +32.11.51   5.45.8  +32.31  Auriga. Cluster.
1764 Sep 25    38  1912   5.12.41  +36.11.51   5.22.0  +35.45  Auriga. Cluster.
1764 Oct 24    39  7092  21.23.49  +47.25. 0  21.28.6  +48. 0  Cygnus. Cluster.
1764 Oct 24    40  ....  12.11. 2  +59.23.50  12.17.4  +58.40  Ursa Major. 2 faint stars.
1765 Jan 16    41  2287   6.35.53  -20.33. 0   6.42.7  -20.38  Canis Major. Cluster.
1769 Mar  4    42  1976   5.23.59  - 5.34. 6   5.30.4  - 5.27  Orion. Celebrated Nebula.
1769 Mar  4    43  1982   5.24.12  - 5.26.37   5.30.6  - 5.20  Orion. Nebula.
1769 Mar  4    44  2632   8. 7.22  +20.31.38   8.34.3  +20.20  Cancer. Praesepe.
1769 Mar  4    45  ....   3.33.48  +23.22.41   3.41.5  +23.48  Taurus. The Pleiades.
1771 Feb 19    46  2437   7.31.11  -14.19. 7   7.37.2  -14.35  Puppis. Cluster.
1771 Feb 19    47  2478   7.44.16  -14.50. 8   7.50.2  -15. 9  Puppis. Cluster.
1771 Feb 19    48  ....   8. 2.24  - 1.16.42   8. 9.0  - 1.39  Puppis. Cluster.
1771 Feb 19    49  4472  12.17.48  + 9.16. 9  12.24.7  + 8.33  Virgo. Nebula.
1772 Apr  5    50  2323   6.51.50  - 7.57.42   6.58.2  - 8.12  Monoceros. Cluster.
1774 Jan 11    51  5194  13.20.23  +48.24.24  13.25.7  +47.43  Canes Venatici. Spiral Nebula.
1774 Sep  7    52  7654  23.14.38  +60.22.12  23.19.8  +61. 3  Cassiopeia. Cluster.
1777 Feb 26    53  5024  13. 2. 2  +19.22.44  13. 8.0  +18.42  Coma. Cluster.
1778 Jul 24    54  6715  18.40.52  -30.44. 1  18.48.7  -30.36  Sagittarius. Cluster.
1778 Jul 24    55  6809  19.26. 2  -31.26.27  19.33.7  -31.10  Sagittarius. Cluster.
1779 Jan 23    56  6779  19. 8. 0  +29.48.14  19.12.7  +30. 0  Lyra. Cluster.
1779 Jan 31    57  6720  18.45.21  +32.46. 3  18.49.9  +32.54  Lyra. Ring Nebula.
1779 Apr 15    58  4579  12.26.30  +13. 2.42  12.32.7  +12.22  Virgo. Spiral Nebula.
1779 Apr 15    59  4621  12.30.47  +12.52.36  12.37.0  +12.12  Virgo. Spiral Nebula.
1779 Apr 15    60  4649  12.32.28  +12.46. 2  12.38.6  +12. 6  Virgo. Nebula.
1779 May 11    61  4303  12.10.44  + 5.42. 5  12.16.8  + 5. 2  Virgo. Spiral Nebula.
1779 Jun  4    62  6266  16.47.14  -29.45.30  16.54.8  -29.58  Scorpius. Cluster.
1779 Jun 14    63  5055  13. 4.22  +43.12.37  13.11.3  +42.34  Canes Venatici. Spiral Nebula.
1780 Mar  1    64  4826  12.45.51  +22.52.31  12.51.8  +22.13  Coma. Spiral Nebula.
1780 Mar  1    65  3623  11. 7.24  +14.16. 8  11.13.7  +13.38  Leo. Spiral Nebula.
1780 Mar  1    66  3627  11. 8.47  +14.12.21  11.15.0  +13.32  Leo. Spiral Nebula.
1780 Apr  6    67  2682   8.36.28  +12.36.38   8.45.8  +12.11  Cancer. Cluster.
1780 Apr  9    68  4590  12.27.38  -25.30.20  12.34.2  -26.12  Hydra. Cluster.
1780 Aug 31    69  6637  18.16.47  -32.31.45  18.24.8  -32.25  Sagittarius. Cluster.
1780 Aug 31    70  6681  18.28.53  -32.31. 7  18.36.7  -32.23  Sagittarius. Cluster.
1780 Oct  4    71  6838  19.43.57  +18.13. 0  19.49.3  +18.31  Sagitta. Cluster.
1780 Oct  4    72  6981  20.41.23  -13.20.51  20.48.0  -12.55  Capricornus. Cluster.
1780 Oct  4-5  73  6994  20.46.52  -13.28.40  20.53.5  -13. 1  Capricornus. Cluster.
1780 Oct 18    74   628   1.24.57  +14.39.35   1.31.3  +15.16  Sagittarius. Cluster.
1780 Oct 18    75  6864  19.53.10  -22.32.23  20. 0.2  -22.12  Sagittarius. Cluster.
1780 Oct 21    76   650   1.28.43  +50.28.48   1.36.0  +51. 4  Andromeda. Nebula.
1780 Dec 17    77  1068   2.31.30  - 0.57.43   2.37.6  - 0.26  Cetus. Spiral Nebula.
1780 Dec 17    78  2068   5.35.34  - 0. 1.23   5.41.6  + 0. 1  Orion. Nebula.
1780 Dec 17    79  1904   5.15.16  -24.42.57   5.20.1  -24.37  Lepus. Cluster.
1781 Jan  4    80  6093  16. 4. 0  -22.25.13  16.11.1  -22.44  Scorpius. Cluster.
1781 Feb  9    81  3031   9.37.51  +70. 7.24   9.47.3  +69.32  Ursa Major. Spiral Nebula.
1781 Feb  9    82  3034   9.37.57  +70.44.27   9.47.5  +70.10  Ursa Major. Spiral Nebula.
1781 Feb 17    83  5236  13.24.33  -28.42.27  13.31.4  -29.21  Hydra. Spiral Nebula.
1781 Mar 18    84  4374  12.14. 1  +14. 7. 1  12.20.0  +13.26  Virgo. Nebula.
1781 Mar 18    85  4382  12.14.21  +19.24.26  12.20.4  +18.45  Virgo. Nebula.
1781 Mar 18    86  4406  12.15. 5  +14. 9.52  12.21.1  +13.30  Virgo. Nebula.
1781 Mar 18    87  4486  12.19.48  +13.38. 1  12.25.8  +12.57  Virgo. Nebula.
1781 Mar 18    88  4501  12.21. 3  +15.37.51  12.26.9  +14.58  Virgo. Spiral Nebula.
1781 Mar 18    89  4552  12.24.38  +13.46.49  12.30.6  +13. 6  Virgo. Nebula.
1781 Mar 18    90  4569  12.25.48  +14.22.50  12.31.8  +13.43  Virgo. Spiral Nebula.
1781 Mar 18    91  ....  12.26.28  +14.57. 6  12.36..  +13.50  Nonexistant. Prob. comet
1781 Mar 18    92  6341  17.10.32  +43.21.59  17.14.1  +43.15  Hercules. Cluster.
1781 Mar 20    93  2447   7.35.14  -23.19.45   7.40.4  -23.38  Puppis. Cluster.
1781 Mar 24    94  4736  12.40.43  +42.18.43  12.46.2  +41.40  Canes Venatici. Spiral Nebula.
1781 Mar 24    95  3351  10.32.12  +12.50.21  10.38.7  +12.14  Leo. Spiral Nebula.
1781 Mar 24    96  3368  10.35. 5  +12.58. 9  10.41.5  +12.21  Leo. Spiral Nebula.
1781 Mar 24    97  3587  11. 1.15  +56.13.30  11. 9.0  +55.34  Ursa Major. Nebula.
1781 Apr 13    98  4192  12. 3.23  +16. 8.15  12. 8.7  +15.27  Virgo. Spiral Nebula.
1781 Apr 13    99  4254  12. 7.41  +15.37.12  12.13.8  +14.58  Virgo. Spiral Nebula.
1781 Apr 13   100  4321  12.11.57  +16.59.21  12.17.9  +16.23  Virgo. Spiral Nebula.
1781 Mar 27   101  5457  13.43.28  +55.24.25  13.59.6  +54.50  Ursa Major. Spiral Nebula.
      -       102  5866? 14.40. 0  +56        15. 3.8  +56. 9  Ursa Major. Spiral Nebula.
      -       103   581   1.20     +61         1.26.6  +60.11  Cassiopeia. Cluster.

We add here Flammarion's addition or Messier 104, noted after the description of M103 (Flammarion 1921), in same format:

1781 May 11   104  4594  12.28.39  -10.24.49  12.34.8  -11.04  Virgo. Spiral Nebula.
                                              12.35.8  -11.11  (1920)

After completing and finishing his studies of Messier's objects, Flammarion investigated, in a similar manner, other "Principal Star Clusters and Nebulae" visible from France with medium-sized instruments, numbered consecutively to Messier's catalog, starting with No. 105. We also have compiled, and provide a list of Flammarion's additional objects.

References:

Camille Flammarion, 1917. Nébuleuses et Amas d'Étoiles de Messier. Observations méthodiques faites à l'Observatoire de Juvisy. L'Astronomie. Revue de la Societé Astronomique de France, November 1917, pp. 385-400. Here pp. 394-395. [ADS: 1917LAstr..31..385F]
Camille Flammarion, 1921. Les Principaux Amas d'Étoiles et Grandes Nébuleuses du Ciel Visible en France. Observations méthodiques du Catalogue de Messier faites à l'Observatoire de Juvisy et exposé comparatif générale (Suite). L'Astronomie, Vol. 35, pp. 331-334, Aug 1921. [ADS: 1921LAstr..35..331F] Description of M103, with identification of M104 on 334.

Hartmut Frommert
Christine Kronberg
[contact]

Last Modification: August 12, 2011