This file presents the Messier objects in the order of the Marathon Search Sequence given by Don Machholz in his Messier Marathon Observer's Guide.

Also available as plain ascii file.

The Messier Marathon Search Sequence

compiled online by Hartmut Frommert, using work of Don Machholz. Depending on geographic location, it may be impossible to find them all, and may be better to slightly modify this list. In case of doubt consult Don Machholz's book. This list should be good for northern latitudes 20 to 40. 

No.    M#   NGC# Con Type  ra        dec       B      dim        d


  1.   M77  1068 Cet   5   02 42.7   -00 01    8.9    7x6    60000      
  2.   M74   628 Psc   5   01 36.7   +15 47    9.4 10.2x9.5  35000      
  3.   M33   598 Tri   5   01 33.9   +30 39    5.7   73x45    3000      
  4.   M31   224 And   5   00 42.7   +41 16    3.4  178x63    2900      
  5.   M32   221 And   6   00 42.7   +40 52    8.1    8x6     2900      
  6.  M110   205 And   6   00 40.4   +41 41    8.5   17x10    2900       
  7.   M52  7654 Cas   1   23 24.2   +61 35    7.3   13.0        5.0    
  8.  M103   581 Cas   1   01 33.2   +60 42    7.4    6.0        8.5     
  9.   M76   650 Per   3   01 42.4   +51 34   10.1  2.7x1.8      3.4    
 10.   M34  1039 Per   1   02 42.0   +42 47    5.5   35.0        1.4    
 11.   M45     - Tau   1   03 47.0   +24 07    1.6  110.0        0.38   
 12.   M79  1904 Lep   2   05 24.2   -24 31    7.7    8.7       42.1    
 13.   M42  1976 Ori   4   05 35.4   -05 27    4.0   85x60       1.6    
 14.   M43  1982 Ori   4   05 35.6   -05 16    9.0   20x15       1.6    
 15.   M78  2068 Ori   4   05 46.7   +00 03    8.3    8x6        1.6    
 16.    M1  1952 Tau   9   05 34.5   +22 01    8.4    6x4        6.3    
 17.   M35  2168 Gem   1   06 08.9   +24 20    5.3   28.0        2.8    
 18.   M37  2099 Aur   1   05 52.4   +32 33    6.2   24.0        4.4    
 19.   M36  1960 Aur   1   05 36.1   +34 08    6.3   12.0        4.1    
 20.   M38  1912 Aur   1   05 28.4   +35 50    7.4   21.0        4.2    
 21.   M41  2287 CMa   1   06 46.0   -20 44    4.6   38.0        2.3    
 22.   M93  2447 Pup   1   07 44.6   -23 52    6.0   22.0        3.6    
 23.   M47  2422 Pup   1   07 36.6   -14 30    5.2   30.0        1.6    
 24.   M46  2437 Pup   1   07 41.8   -14 49    6.0   27.0        5.4    
 25.   M50  2323 Mon   1   07 03.2   -08 20    6.3   16.0        3      
 26.   M48  2548 Hya   1   08 13.8   -05 48    5.5   54.0        1.5    
 27.   M44  2632 Cnc   1   08 40.1   +19 59    3.7   95.0        0.577  
 28.   M67  2682 Cnc   1   08 50.4   +11 49    6.1   30.0        2.7    
 29.   M95  3351 Leo   5   10 44.0   +11 42    9.7  4.4x3.3  38000      
 30.   M96  3368 Leo   5   10 46.8   +11 49    9.2    6x4    38000      
 31.  M105  3379 Leo   6   10 47.8   +12 35    9.3    2.0    38000       
 32.   M65  3623 Leo   5   11 18.9   +13 05    9.3    8x1.5  35000      
 33.   M66  3627 Leo   5   11 20.2   +12 59    8.9    8x2.5  35000      
 34.   M81  3031 UMa   5   09 55.6   +69 04    6.9   21x10   12000      
 35.   M82  3034 UMa   7   09 55.8   +69 41    8.4    9x4    12000      
 36.   M97  3587 UMa   3   11 14.8   +55 01    9.9  3.4x3.3      2.6    
 37.  M108  3556 UMa   5   11 11.5   +55 40   10.0    8x1    45000       
 38.  M109  3992 UMa   5   11 57.6   +53 23    9.8    7x4    55000       and/or
     M109B  3953 UMa   5   11 53.8   +52 20   10.1    7x4    55000
 39.   M40  Win4 UMa   C   12 22.4   +58 05    8.4    0.8        0.51   
 40.  M106  4258 CVn   5   12 19.0   +47 18    8.4   19x8    25000       
 41.   M94  4736 CVn   5   12 50.9   +41 07    8.2    7x3    14500      
 42.   M63  5055 CVn   5   13 15.8   +42 02    8.6   10x6    37000      
 43.   M51  5194 CVn   5   13 29.9   +47 12    8.4   11x7    37000       with NGC 5195 
 44.  M101  5457 UMa   5   14 03.2   +54 21    7.9   22.0    27000      
 45.  M102  5866 Dra   8   15 06.5   +55 46    9.9  5.2x2.3  40000   
 46.   M53  5024 Com   2   13 12.9   +18 10    7.6   12.6       59.7    
 47.   M64  4826 Com   5   12 56.7   +21 41    8.5  9.3x5.4  19000      
 48.    M3  5272 CVn   2   13 42.2   +28 23    6.2   16.2       33.9    
 49.   M98  4192 Com   5   12 13.8   +14 54   10.1  9.5x3.2  60000      
 50.   M99  4254 Com   5   12 18.8   +14 25    9.9  5.4x4.8  60000      
 51.  M100  4321 Com   5   12 22.9   +15 49    9.3    7x6    60000      
 52.   M85  4382 Com   8   12 25.4   +18 11    9.1  7.1x5.2  60000      
 53.   M84  4374 Vir   8   12 25.1   +12 53    9.1    5.0    60000      
 54.   M86  4406 Vir   8   12 26.2   +12 57    8.9  7.5x5.5  60000      
 55.   M87  4486 Vir   6   12 30.8   +12 24    8.6    7.0    60000      
 56.   M89  4552 Vir   6   12 35.7   +12 33    9.8    4.0    60000      
 57.   M90  4569 Vir   5   12 36.8   +13 10    9.5  9.5x4.5  60000      
 58.   M88  4501 Com   5   12 32.0   +14 25    9.6    7x4    60000      
 59.   M91  4548 Com   5   12 35.4   +14 30   10.2  5.4x4.4  60000      
 60.   M58  4579 Vir   5   12 37.7   +11 49    9.7  5.5x4.5  60000      
 61.   M59  4621 Vir   6   12 42.0   +11 39    9.6    5x3.5  60000      
 62.   M60  4649 Vir   6   12 43.7   +11 33    8.8    7x6    60000      
 63.   M49  4472 Vir   6   12 29.8   +08 00    8.4    9x7.5  60000      
 64.   M61  4303 Vir   5   12 21.9   +04 28    9.7    6x5.5  60000      
 65.  M104  4594 Vir   5   12 40.0   -11 37    8.0    9x4    50000       
 66.   M68  4590 Hya   2   12 39.5   -26 45    7.8   12.0       33.3    
 67.   M83  5236 Hya   5   13 37.0   -29 52    7.6   11x10   15000      
 68.    M5  5904 Ser   2   15 18.6   +02 05    5.6   17.4       24.5    
 69.   M13  6205 Her   2   16 41.7   +36 28    5.8   16.6       25.1    
 70.   M92  6341 Her   2   17 17.1   +43 08    6.4   11.2       26.7    
 71.   M57  6720 Lyr   3   18 53.6   +33 02    8.8  1.4x1.0      2.3    
 72.   M56  6779 Lyr   2   19 16.6   +30 11    8.3    7.1       32.9    
 73.   M29  6913 Cyg   1   20 23.9   +38 32    7.1    7.0        4.0    
 74.   M39  7092 Cyg   1   21 32.2   +48 26    4.6   32.0        0.825  
 75.   M27  6853 Vul   3   19 59.6   +22 43    7.4  8.0x5.7      1.25   
 76.   M71  6838 Sge   2   19 53.8   +18 47    8.2    7.2       12.7    
 77.  M107  6171 Oph   2   16 32.5   -13 03    7.9   10.0       20.9     
 78.   M12  6218 Oph   2   16 47.2   -01 57    6.7   14.5       16.0    
 79.   M10  6254 Oph   2   16 57.1   -04 06    6.6   15.1       14.4    
 80.   M14  6402 Oph   2   17 37.6   -03 15    7.6   11.7       29.0    
 81.    M9  6333 Oph   2   17 19.2   -18 31    7.7    9.3       26.7    
 82.    M4  6121 Sco   2   16 23.6   -26 32    5.6   26.3        7.2    
 83.   M80  6093 Sco   2   16 17.0   -22 59    7.3    8.9       32.6    
 84.   M19  6273 Oph   2   17 02.6   -26 16    6.8   13.5       28.4    
 85.   M62  6266 Oph   2   17 01.2   -30 07    6.5   14.1       22.5    
 86.    M6  6405 Sco   1   17 40.1   -32 13    5.3   25.0        2      
 87.    M7  6475 Sco   1   17 53.9   -34 49    4.1   80.0        0.8    
 88.   M11  6705 Sct   1   18 51.1   -06 16    6.3   14.0        6      
 89.   M26  6694 Sct   1   18 45.2   -09 24    8.0   15.0        5      
 90.   M16  6611 Ser   1   18 18.8   -13 47    6.4    7.0        7      
 91.   M17  6618 Sgr   4   18 20.8   -16 11    7.0   11.0        5      
 92.   M18  6613 Sgr   1   18 19.9   -17 08    7.5    9.0        4.9    
 93.   M24 >6603 Sgr   B   18 16.9   -18 29    4.6   90         10    
 94.   M25 I4725 Sgr   1   18 31.6   -19 15    6.5   40.0        2      
 95.   M23  6494 Sgr   1   17 56.8   -19 01    6.9   27.0        2.15   
 96.   M21  6531 Sgr   1   18 04.6   -22 30    6.5   13.0        4.25    
 97.   M20  6514 Sgr   4   18 02.6   -23 02    9.0   28.0        5.2    
 98.    M8  6523 Sgr   4   18 03.8   -24 23    6.0   90x40       5.2    
 99.   M28  6626 Sgr   2   18 24.5   -24 52    6.8   11.2       18.6    
100.   M22  6656 Sgr   2   18 36.4   -23 54    5.1   24.0       10.4    
101.   M69  6637 Sgr   2   18 31.4   -32 21    7.6    7.1       28.0    
102.   M70  6681 Sgr   2   18 43.2   -32 18    7.9    7.8       29.4    
103.   M54  6715 Sgr   2   18 55.1   -30 29    7.6    9.1       88.7    
104.   M55  6809 Sgr   2   19 40.0   -30 58    6.3   19.0       17.6    
105.   M75  6864 Sgr   2   20 06.1   -21 55    8.5    6.0       61.3    
106.   M15  7078 Peg   2   21 30.0   +12 10    6.2   12.3       33.6    
107.    M2  7089 Aqr   2   21 33.5   -00 49    6.5   12.9       37.9    
108.   M72  6981 Aqr   2   20 53.5   -12 32    9.3    5.9       55.4    
109.   M73  6994 Aqr   A   20 58.9   -12 38    9.0    2.8        2.0    
110.   M30  7099 Cap   2   21 40.4   -23 11    7.2   11.0       26.1

Key:

Type:
1=Open Cluster, 2=Globular Cluster, 3=Planetary Nebula, 4=Diffuse Nebula, 5=Spiral Galaxy, 6=Elliptical Galaxy, 7=Irregular Galaxy, 8=Lenticular (S0) Galaxy, 9=Supernova Remnant, A=Group or Asterism of Four stars, B=Star Cloud, C=Double Star
ra:
right ascension in hours minutes.decimal seconds
dec:
declination in degrees minutes
B:
apparent visual brightness in magnitudes
dim:
apparent (angular) dimension in arc minutes
d:
distance in kilo-light-years
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Last Modification: February 13, 2002