Charles Messier was a French astronomer and comet hunter who discovered 13 comets independently and codiscovered a half-dozen others. While hunting for comets, Messier compiled a list of fuzzy objects that were not comets in order to avoid them. These catalog entries were later identified as star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies. These objects became the Messier Catalog. Published in various versions beginning in 1771, the catalog grew to 103 objects by 1781. Charles Messier lived from June 26, 1730 to April 12, 1817.
SEDS
March 13, 2007
This weekend marks the best time of the year to attempt the Messier marathon — an observing event where observers try to spy all 109 Messier objects in one night. In this week’s show, Contributing Editors Glenn Chaple and Phil Harrington give advice on pacing yourself during the marathon, list tips for first-time “runners,” and discuss their annual competition to best each other.
This weekend marks the best time of the year to attempt the Messier marathon — an observing event where observers try to spy all 109 Messier objects in one night. In this week’s show, Contributing Editors Glenn Chaple and Phil Harrington give advice on pacing yourself during the marathon, list tips for first-time “runners,” and discuss their annual competition to best each other.
After you listen, e-mail us here and let us know what you think.
To subscribe to our podcast, click here.
| Messier marathon | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Messier Number | NGC Number | Constellation | Type | Magnitude |
| M77 | 1068 | Cetus | Gal | 8.9 |
| M74 | 628 | Pisces | Gal | 8.5 |
| M33 | 598 | Triangulum | Gal | 5.7 |
| M31 | 224 | Andromeda | Gal | 3.4 |
| M32 | 221 | Andromeda | Gal | 8.2 |
| M110 | 205 | Andromeda | Gal | 8.0 |
| M52 | 7654 | Cassiopeia | OC | 6.9 |
| M103 | 581 | Cassiopeia | OC | 7.4 |
| M76 | 650 | Perseus | PN | 10.1 |
| M34 | 1039 | Perseus | OC | 5.2 |
| M45 | – | Taurus | OC | 1.5 |
| M79 | 1904 | Lepus | GC | 7.7 |
| M42 | 1976 | Orion | N | 3.7 |
| M43 | 1982 | Orion | N | 6.8 |
| M78 | 2068 | Orion | N | 8.0 |
| M1 | 1952 | Taurus | SNR | 8.0 |
| M35 | 2168 | Gemini | OC | 5.1 |
| M37 | 2099 | Auriga | OC | 5.6 |
| M36 | 1960 | Auriga | OC | 6.0 |
| M38 | 1922 | Auriga | OC | 6.4 |
| M41 | 2287 | Canis Major | OC | 4.5 |
| M93 | 2447 | Puppis | OC | 6.2 |
| M47 | 2422 | Puppis | OC | 5.7 |
| M46 | 2437 | Puppis | OC | 6.1 |
| M50 | 2323 | Monoceros | OC | 5.9 |
| M48 | 2548 | Hydra | OC | 5.8 |
| M44 | 2632 | Cancer | OC | 3.1 |
| M67 | 2682 | Cancer | OC | 6.0 |
| M95 | 3351 | Leo | Gal | 9.7 |
| M96 | 3368 | Leo | Gal | 9.2 |
| M105 | 3379 | Leo | Gal | 9.3 |
| M65 | 3623 | Leo | Gal | 8.8 |
| M66 | 3627 | Leo | Gal | 9.0 |
| M81 | 3031 | Ursa Major | Gal | 6.9 |
| M82 | 3034 | Ursa Major | Gal | 8.4 |
| M97 | 3587 | Ursa Major | PN | 9.9 |
| M108 | 3556 | Ursa Major | Gal | 10.0 |
| M109 | 3992 | Ursa Major | Gal | 9.8 |
| M40 | Win4 | Ursa Major | DS | 9.0/9.6 |
| M106 | 4258 | Canes Venatici | Gal | 8.3 |
| M94 | 4736 | Canes Venatici | Gal | 8.2 |
| M63 | 5055 | Canes Venatici | Gal | 8.6 |
| M51 | 5194 | Canes Venatici | Gal | 8.4 |
| M101 | 5457 | Ursa Major | Gal | 7.9 |
| M102 | 5866 | Draco | Gal | 10.0 |
| M53 | 5024 | Coma Berenices | GC | 7.7 |
| M64 | 4826 | Coma Berenices | Gal | 8.5 |
| M3 | 5272 | Canes Venatici | GC | 5.9 |
| M98 | 4192 | Coma Berenices | Gal | 10.1 |
| M99 | 4254 | Coma Berenices | Gal | 9.9 |
| M100 | 4321 | Coma Berenices | Gal | 9.3 |
| M85 | 4382 | Coma Berenices | Gal | 9.1 |
| M84 | 4374 | Virgo | Gal | 9.1 |
| M86 | 4406 | Virgo | Gal | 8.9 |
| M87 | 4486 | Virgo | Gal | 8.6 |
| M89 | 4552 | Virgo | Gal | 9.7 |
| M90 | 4569 | Virgo | Gal | 9.5 |
| M88 | 4501 | Coma Berenices | Gal | 9.6 |
| M91 | 4548 | Coma Berenices | Gal | 10.1 |
| M58 | 4579 | Virgo | Gal | 9.6 |
| M59 | 4621 | Virgo | Gal | 9.6 |
| M60 | 4649 | Virgo | Gal | 8.8 |
| M49 | 4472 | Virgo | Gal | 8.4 |
| M61 | 4303 | Virgo | Gal | 9.6 |
| M104 | 4594 | Virgo | Gal | 8.0 |
| M68 | 4590 | Hydra | GC | 7.6 |
| M83 | 5236 | Hydra | Gal | 7.5 |
| M5 | 5904 | Serpens | GC | 5.7 |
| M13 | 6205 | Hercules | GC | 5.3 |
| M92 | 6341 | Hercules | GC | 6.5 |
| M57 | 6720 | Lyra | PN | 8.8 |
| M56 | 6779 | Lyra | GC | 8.4 |
| M29 | 6913 | Cygnus | OC | 6.6 |
| M39 | 7092 | Cygnus | OC | 4.6 |
| M27 | 6853 | Vulpecula | PN | 7.3 |
| M71 | 6838 | Sagitta | GC | 8.0 |
| M107 | 6171 | Ophiuchus | GC | 7.8 |
| M12 | 6218 | Ophiuchus | GC | 6.8 |
| M10 | 6254 | Ophiuchus | GC | 6.6 |
| M14 | 6402 | Ophiuchus | GC | 7.6 |
| M9 | 6333 | Ophiuchus | GC | 7.8 |
| M4 | 6121 | Scorpius | GC | 5.4 |
| M80 | 6093 | Scorpius | GC | 7.3 |
| M19 | 6273 | Ophiuchus | GC | 6.8 |
| M62 | 6266 | Ophiuchus | GC | 6.7 |
| M6 | 6405 | Scorpius | OC | 4.2 |
| M7 | 6475 | Scorpius | OC | 2.8 |
| M11 | 6705 | Scutum | OC | 5.3 |
| M26 | 6694 | Scutum | OC | 8.0 |
| M16 | 6611 | Serpens | N | 6.0 |
| M17 | 6618 | Sagittarius | N | 6.0 |
| M18 | 6613 | Sagittarius | OC | 6.9 |
| M24 | 6603 | Sagittarius | SC | 2.5 |
| M25 | IC 4725 | Sagittarius | OC | 4.6 |
| M23 | 6494 | Sagittarius | OC | 5.5 |
| M21 | 6531 | Sagittarius | OC | 5.9 |
| M20 | 6514 | Sagittarius | N | 6.3 |
| M8 | 6523 | Sagittarius | N | 3.0 |
| M28 | 6626 | Sagittarius | GC | 6.9 |
| M22 | 6656 | Sagittarius | GC | 5.2 |
| M69 | 6637 | Sagittarius | GC | 7.4 |
| M70 | 6681 | Sagittarius | GC | 7.8 |
| M54 | 6715 | Sagittarius | GC | 7.2 |
| M55 | 6809 | Sagittarius | GC | 6.3 |
| M75 | 6864 | Sagittarius | GC | 8.6 |
| M15 | 7078 | Pegasus | GC | 6.0 |
| M2 | 7089 | Aquarius | GC | 6.3 |
| M72 | 6981 | Aquarius | GC | 9.2 |
| M73 | 6994 | Aquarius | OC | 8.9 |
| M30 | 7099 | Capricornus | GC | 6.9 |
| Key | |
| DS = Double star | SC = Star cloud |
| GC = Globular cluster | OC = Open cluster |
| Gal = Galaxy | PN = Planetary nebula |
| N = Nebula | SNR = Supernova remnant |
