RASC's Messier Object list, ordered by Season

Below please find the Messier objects as listed in the RASC's Observer's Handbook 1996. The data are those from our basic database, not those in the Handbook, with the "Remarks" taken from the Handbook. This table was arranged by Alan Dyer. You may see lists of the Messier objects in other order: This file is also available as plain ascii file.

Messier object data in the tables below:

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=System of 4 stars or Asterism, B=Milky Way Patch, C=Binary star.
ra:
right ascension in hours minutes.decimal seconds. Epoch 2000.0
dec:
declination in degrees minutes. Epoch 2000.0
B:
apparent visual magnitude
D:
apparent (angular) diameter in arc minutes
d:
distance in kilo-light-years
Remarks:
Remarks from the RASC's Observer's Handbook (unchanged)

Winter


M# NGC# Con Type ra dec B D d Remarks
M1 1952 Tau 9 05 34.5 +22 01 8.2 6x4 6.3 !! famous Crab Nebula supernova remnant M45 - Tau 1 03 47.0 +24 07 1.6 110.0 0.4 !! Pleiades; use low power, look for nebulosity M36 1960 Aur 1 05 36.1 +34 08 6.3 12.0 4.1 best at low power; bright but scattered group M37 2099 Aur 1 05 52.4 +32 33 6.2 24.0 4.6 !! finest of the 3 Auriga clusters; very rich M38 1922 Aur 1 05 28.4 +35 50 7.4 21.0 4.2 look for the small cluster NGC 1907 1/2 deg south M42 1976 Ori 4 05 35.4 -05 27 4.0 85x60 1.6 !! Orion Nebula !; a magnificient object M43 1982 Ori 4 05 35.6 -05 16 9.1 20x15 1.6 detached part of Orion Nebula; in same field M78 2068 Ori 4 05 46.7 +00 03 10.3 8x6 1.6 featureless reflection nebula M79 1904 Lep 2 05 24.2 -24 31 8.4 8.7 39.8 20-cm telescope needed to resolve M35 2168 Gem 1 06 08.9 +24 20 5.3 28.0 2.8 !! look for small cluster NGC 2158 1/4 deg SW M41 2287 CMa 1 06 46.0 -20 44 4.6 38.0 2.4 4 deg S of Sirius; bright but coarse cluster M50 2323 Mon 1 07 03.2 -08 20 6.3 16.0 3 between Sirius and Procyon; use low power M46 2437 Pup 1 07 41.8 -14 49 6.0 27.0 5.4 !! contains planetary nebula NGC 2438 M47 2422 Pup 1 07 36.6 -14 30 4.5 30.0 1.6 coarse cluster; 1.5 deg W of M46 M93 2447 Pup 1 07 44.6 -23 52 6.0 22.0 4.5 compact, bright cluster; fairly rich M48 2548 Hya 1 08 13.8 -05 48 5.3 54.0 1.5 former 'lost' Messier object; sparse group

Spring


M# NGC# Con Type ra dec B D d Remarks
M44 2632 Cnc 1 08 40.1 +19 59 3.7 95.0 0.5 !! Beehive Cluster; use low power & wide field M67 2682 Cnc 1 08 50.4 +11 49 6.1 30.0 2.25 one of the oldest star clusters M40 Win4 UMa C 12 22.4 +58 05 9.1 0.8 0.51 double star Winnecke 4; separation of 50" M81 3031 UMa 5 09 55.6 +69 04 7.9 21x10 12000 !! bright spiral; M82 1/2 deg N M82 3034 UMa 7 09.55.8 +69 41 8.8 9x4 12000 !! the `exploding galaxy'; look for structure M97 3587 UMa 3 11 14.8 +55 01 9.9 3.4x3.3 2.6 !! Owl Nebula; appears brighter than 11.2 mag M101 5457 UMa 5 14 03.2 +54 21 9.6 22.0 24000 !! Pinwheel Galaxy; face-on spiral; diffuse M108 3556 UMa 5 11 11.5 +55 40 10.7 8x1 45000 nearly edge-on; very close to M97 M109 3992 UMa 5 11 57.6 +53 23 10.8 7x4 55000 barred spiral near gamma UMa M65 3623 Leo 5 11 18.9 +13 05 9.3 8x1.5 35000 !! bright elongated spiral M66 3627 Leo 5 11 20.2 +12 59 8.2 8x2.5 35000 !! M65 & NGC 3628 in same field M95 3351 Leo 5 10 44.0 +11 42 10.4 4.4x3.3 38000 bright barred spiral M96 3368 Leo 5 10 46.8 +11 49 9.1 6x4 38000 M95 in same field M105 3379 Leo 6 10 47.8 +12 35 9.2 2.0 38000 very bear M95 and M96 M53 5024 Com 2 13 12.9 +18 10 7.6 12.6 56.4 15-cm telescope needed to resolve M64 4826 Com 5 12 56.7 +21 41 8.8 9.3x5.4 19000 !! Black Eye Galaxy; `eye' needs large aperture M85 4382 Com 8 12 25.4 +18 11 9.3 7.1x5.2 60000 bright elliptical shape M88 4501 Com 5 12 32.0 +14 25 10.2 7x4 60000 bright multiple-arm spiral M91 4548 Com 5 12 35.4 +14 30 9.5 5.4x4.4 60000 some lists say M91 is M58, not NGC 4548 M98 4192 Com 5 12 13.8 +14 54 11.7 9.5x3.2 60000 nearly edge-on spiral near star 6 Comae B. M99 4254 Com 5 12 18.8 +14 25 10.1 5.4x4.8 60000 nearly face-on spiral near M98 M100 4321 Com 5 12 22.9 +15 49 10.6 7x6 60000 face-on spiral with starlike nucleus M49 4472 Vir 6 12 29.8 +08 00 8.5 9x7.5 60000 very bright elliptical M58 4579 Vir 5 12 37.7 +11 49 9.2 5.5x4.5 60000 bright barred spiral; M59 and M60 1 deg East M59 4621 Vir 6 12 42.0 +11 39 9.6 5x3.5 60000 bright elliptical paired with M60 M60 4649 Vir 6 12 43.7 +11 33 8.9 7x6 60000 bright elliptical with M59 and NGC 4647 M61 4303 Vir 5 12 21.9 +04 28 10.1 6x5.5 60000 face-on two-armed spiral M84 4374 Vir 8 12 25.1 +12 53 9.3 5.0 60000 M86 and many NGC's nearby; lots to explore ! M86 4406 Vir 8 12 26.2 +12 57 9.7 7.5x5.5 60000 in richest part of Coma-Virgo galaxy cluster M87 4486 Vir 6 12 30.8 +12 24 9.2 7.0 60000 the one with the famous jet and black hole M89 4552 Vir 6 12 35.7 +12 33 9.5 4.0 60000 resembles M87 but smaller M90 4569 Vir 5 12 36.8 +13 10 10.0 9.5x4.5 60000 bright spiral; near M89 M104 4594 Vir 5 12 40.0 -11 37 8.7 9x4 50000 !! Sombrero Galaxy; look for dust lane M3 5272 CVn 2 13 42.2 +28 23 6.3 16.2 30.6 !! contains many variable stars M51 5194 CVn 5 13 29.9 +47 12 8.1 11x7 37000 !! Whirlpool Galaxy; superb in big telescopes M63 5055 CVn 5 13 15.8 +42 02 9.5 10x6 37000 !! Sunflower Galaxy; bright, elongated M94 4736 CVn 5 12 50.9 +41 07 7.9 7x3 14500 very bright and very comet-like M106 4258 CVn 5 12 19.0 +47 18 8.6 19x8 25000 !! large bright spiral M68 4590 Hya 2 12 39.5 -26 45 8.0 12.0 32.3 15-cm telescope needed to resolve M83 5236 Hya 5 13 37.0 -29 52 7.6 11x10 10000 large and diffuse; tough from northern latitudes M102? 5866 Dra 8 15 06.5 +55 46 10.0 5.2x2.3 40000 or is M102 = M101 ? (look for NGC 5907 nearby) M5 5904 Ser 2 15 18.6 +02 05 6.2 17.4 22.8 !! one of the finest globulars

Summer


M# NGC# Con Type ra dec B D d Remarks
M13 6205 Her 2 16 41.7 +36 28 5.7 16.6 22.2 !! Hercules cluster !; NGC 6207 1/2 deg NE M92 6341 Her 2 17 17.1 +43 08 6.5 11.2 26.1 9 deg NE of M13; fine object but often overlooked M9 6333 Oph 2 17 19.2 -18 31 7.3 9.3 26.4 smallest of Ophiuchus globulars M10 6254 Oph 2 16 57.1 -04 06 6.7 15.1 13.4 rich cluster; M12 3 deg NW M12 6218 Oph 2 16 47.2 -01 57 6.6 14.5 17.6 loose globular cluster M14 6402 Oph 2 17 37.6 -03 15 7.7 11.7 27.4 20-cm telescope needed to resolve M19 6273 Oph 2 17 02.6 -26 16 6.6 13.5 27.1 oblate cluster; M62 4 deg South M62 6266 Oph 2 17 01.2 -30 07 6.6 14.1 21.5 unsymmetrical; in rich field M107 6171 Oph 2 16 32.5 -13 03 9.2 10.0 19.6 small, faint globular M4 6121 Sco 2 16 23.6 -26 32 6.4 26.3 6.8 bright globular near Antares M6 6405 Sco 1 17 40.1 -32 13 5.3 15.0 2 !! Butterfly Cluster; best at low power M7 6475 Sco 1 17 53.9 -34 49 4.1 80.0 1 !! excellent in binocular or rich-field scope M80 6093 Sco 2 16 17.0 -22 59 7.7 8.9 27.4 very compressed globular M16 6611 Ser 1 18 18.8 -13 47 6.4 7.0 7 Eagle Nebula with open cl.; use nebula filter M8 6523 Sgr 4 18 03.8 -24 23 6.0 60x35 6.5 !! Lagoon Nebula with open cl. NGC 6530 M17 6618 Sgr 4 18 20.8 -16 11 7.5 11.0 5 !! Swan or Omega Nebula !; use nebula filter M18 6613 Sgr 1 18 19.9 -17 08 7.5 9.0 6 sparse cluster; 1 deg S of M17 M20 6514 Sgr 4 18 02.6 -23 02 9.0 28.0 2.2 !! Trifid Nebula; emission & reflection nebula M21 6531 Sgr 1 18 04.6 -22 30 6.5 13.0 4.25 0.7 deg NE of M20; sparse cluster M22 6656 Sgr 2 18 36.4 -23 54 5.9 24.0 10.1 spectacular from southern latitude M23 6494 Sgr 1 17 56.8 -19 01 6.9 27.0 4.5 bright loose cluster M24 >6603 Sgr B 18 16.9 -18 29 4.6 5.0 10 rich star cloud; contains open cl. NGC 6603 M25 I4725 Sgr 1 18 31.6 -19 15 6.5 40.0 2 bright but sparse cluster M28 6626 Sgr 2 18 24.5 -24 52 7.3 11.2 17.9 compact globular near M22 M54 6715 Sgr 2 18 55.1 -30 29 8.0 9.1 82.8 not easily resolved M55 6809 Sgr 2 19 40.0 -30 58 5.0 19.0 16.6 bright, loose globular M69 6637 Sgr 2 18 31.4 -32 21 8.9 7.1 25.4 small, poor globular M70 6681 Sgr 2 18 43.2 -32 18 9.6 7.8 28.0 small globular 2 deg E of M69 M75 6864 Sgr 2 20 06.1 -21 55 8.0 6.0 57.7 small and distant globular; 59,000 ly away M11 6705 Sct 1 18 51.1 -06 16 6.3 14.0 6 !! Wild Duck Cluster; perhaps the best open cluster M26 6694 Sct 1 18 45.2 -09 24 9.3 15.0 5 bright, coarse cluster M56 6779 Lyr 2 19 16.6 +30 11 8.2 7.1 31.6 within a rich star field M57 6720 Lyr 3 18 53.6 +33 02 8.8 1.4x1.0 4.1 !! Ring Nebula !; 15 mag central star very tough M71 6838 Sge 2 19 53.8 +18 47 9.0 7.2 11.7 loose globular; looks like an open cluster M27 6853 Vul 3 19 59.6 +22 43 7.4 8.0x5.7 1.25 !! Dumbbell Nebula !; superb object M29 6913 Cyg 1 20 23.9 +38 32 7.1 7.0 7.2 small, poor open cluster 2 deg S of gamma Cygni M39 7092 Cyg 1 21 32.2 +48 26 5.2 32.0 0.825 very sparse cluster; use low power

Autumn


M# NGC# Con Type ra dec B D d Remarks
M2 7089 Aqr 2 21 33.5 -00 49 6.3 12.9 36.2 20-cm telescope needed to resolve M72 6981 Aqr 2 20 53.5 -12 32 9.8 5.9 52.8 near NGC 7009, the Saturn Nebula M73 6994 Aqr A 20 58.9 -12 38 9.0 2.8 ? group of 4 stars only; an `asterism' M15 7078 Peg 2 21 30.0 +12 10 6.0 12.3 32.6 rich, compact cluster M30 7099 Cap 2 21 40.4 -23 11 8.4 11.0 24.8 toughest object in one-night Messier marathon M52 7654 Cas 1 23 24.2 +61 35 7.3 13.0 7 young rich cluster; faint Bubble Neb. nearby M103 581 Cas 1 01 33.2 +60 42 7.4 6.0 8 3 NGC clusters nearby M31 224 And 5 00 42.7 +41 16 4.8 178 2200 !! Andromeda Gal.; 4 deg wide; look for dust lanes M32 221 And 6 00 42.7 +40 52 8.7 8x6 2200 closest companion to M31 M110 205 And 6 00 40.4 +41 41 9.4 17x10 2200 more distant companion to M31 M33 598 Tri 5 01 33.9 +30 39 6.7 73x45 2300 large diffuse spiral; requires dark sky M74 628 Psc 5 01 36.7 +15 47 10.2 10.2x9.5 35000 faint, illusive spiral; difficult in small telescopes M77 1068 Cet 5 02 42.7 -00 01 8.9 7x6 60000 a Seyfert galaxy; starlike nucleus M34 1039 Per 1 02 42.0 +42 47 5.5 35.0 1.4 best at very low power M76 650 Per 3 01 42.4 +51 34 10.1 2.7x1.8 3.4 Little Dumbbell; faintest Messier object

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    Last Modification: February 8, 1998