Messier

objects

Reference : https://www.messier.seds.org/dataDec.html
 Right Ascension03 :

Messier 45 47.0 (h:m)

Declination+24 : 07
(deg:m)
Distance0.44 (kly)
Visual Brightness1.6
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension110.0 (arc
min)

The Pleiades, also known as Messier 45

(M45), are among those objects which are
known since the early periods.

Right Ascension12 :

Messier 40 22.4 (h:m)

Declination+58 : 05
(deg:m)
Distance1.14 and 0.45
(kly)
Visual Brightness8.4
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension0.8 (arc
min)
 Right Ascension
08 : 40.1 (h:m)

Messier 44 Declination
+19 : 59 (deg:m)
Distance
0.577 (kly)
Visual Brightness
3.7 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
95.0 (arc min)

This famous cluster, Messier 44 (M44, NGC 2632), is also

called Praesepe (Latin for "manger"), or the Beehive cluster. It
is also one of the subjects effortlessly visible to the naked eye,
and thus known since prehistoric times.
Right Ascension
21 : 32.2 (h:m)

Messier 39 Declination
+48 : 26 (deg:m)
Distance
0.825 (kly)
Visual Brightness
4.6 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
32.0 (arc min)

Messier 39 (M39, NGC 7092) is a very large but very vague

open cluster, situated some 9 degrees east and a bit north of
Deneb (Alpha Cygni).
 Right Ascension

Messier 27 19 : 59.6 (h:m)

Declination
+22 : 43 (deg:m)
Distance
1.25 (kly)
Visual Brightness
7.4 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
8.0x5.7 (arc min)

The Dumbbell Nebula Messier 27 (M27, NGC 6853) is

perhaps the finest planetary nebula in the sky, and was the
first planetary nebula ever learned.
Right Ascension17 :
40.1 (h:m)

Messier 06 Declination-32 : 13
(deg:m)
Distance1.6 (kly)
Visual Brightness4.2
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension25.0 (arc
min)

Open cluster Messier 6 (M6, NGC 6405) is described

by Burnham as a "charming group whose arrangement
suggests the outline of a butterfly with open wing
 Right Ascension

Messier 78 05 : 46.7 (h:m)

Declination
+00 : 03 (deg:m)
Distance
1.35 (kly)
Visual Brightness
8.3 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
8x6 (arc min)

Messier 78 (M78, NGC 2068) is the brightest diffuse

reflection nebula in the sky positioned in the rich constellation
Orion.

Right Ascension18 :

Messier 57 53.6 (h:m)

Declination+33 : 02
(deg:m)
Distance2.3 (kly)
Visual Brightness8.8
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension1.4x1.0 (arc
min)

The famous ring nebula Messier 57 (M57, NGC 6720) is

often regarded as the forerunner of a planetary nebula, and a
showpiece in the northern hemisphere summer sky.
 Right Ascension

Messier 97 11 : 14.8 (h:m)

Declination
+55 : 01 (deg:m)
Distance
2.6 (kly)
Visual Brightness
9.9 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
3.4x3.3 (arc min)

The Owl Nebula Messier 97 (M97, NGC 3587) is one of the fainte
objects in Messier's catalog. It is one of the four planetary nebulae in
that catalog, anded located in constellation Ursa Major.

Right Ascension01 : 42.4

Messier 76 (h:m)
Declination+51 : 34
(deg:m)
Distance2.5 (kly)
Visual Brightness10.1
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension2.7x1.8 (arc
min)

Planetary Nebula Messier 76 (M76, NGC 650/651) is one of the

faintest Messier Objects, and one of only four planetary nebulae in
Messier's can positioned in the Eastern part of constellation Perseus.
 Right Ascension06 :

Messier 35 08.9 (h:m)

Declination+24 : 20
(deg:m)
Distance2.8 (kly)
Visual Brightness5.3
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension28.0 (arc
min)

Open star cluster Messier 35 (M35, NGC 2168) is

consisted of several hundred stars.

Right Ascension08 :
51.3 (h:m)

Messier 67 Declination+11 : 48
(deg:m)
Distance2.7 (kly)
Visual Brightness6.1
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension30.0 (arc
min)

Messier 67 (M67, NGC 2682) is one of the oldest

known open clusters, and by far the oldest of Messier's
open clusters, being aged at 3.2 billion years in the Star
Catalogue 2000.
 Right Ascension20 :

Messier 29 23.9 (h:m)

Declination+38 : 32
(deg:m)
Distance4.0 (kly)
Visual Brightness7.1
(mag)
Apparent Dimension7.0
(arc min)

Messier 29 (M29, NGC 6913) is a rather coarse and

less impressive cluster, situated in the highly crowded area
of Milky Way.

Right Ascension05 : 36.1

Messier 36 (h:m)
Declination+34 : 08
(deg:m)
Distance4.1 (kly)
Visual Brightness6.3
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension12.0 (arc
min)

Messier 36 (M36, NGC 1960) is the first of three bright

open clusters in the southern part of constellation Auriga.
 Right Ascension
05 : 28.4 (h:m)

Messier 38 Declination
+35 : 50 (deg:m)
Distance
4.2 (kly)
Visual Brightness
7.4 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
21.0 (arc min)

Messier 38 (M38, NGC 1912) is one of the three Messier

open clusters in the southern portion of constellation Auriga.

Right Ascension
05 : 52.4 (h:m)

Messier 37 Declination
+32 : 33 (deg:m)
Distance
4.4 (kly)
Visual Brightness
6.2 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
24.0 (arc min)

Messier 37 (M37, NGC 2099) is the brightest of the 3

open clusters in southern Auriga, this cluster was missed by Le
Gentil when he rediscovered M36 and M38 in 1749.
 Right Ascension

Messier 52 23 : 24.2 (h:m)

Declination
+61 : 35 (deg:m)
Distance
5.0 (kly)
Visual Brightness
7.3 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
13.0 (arc min)

Messier 52 (M52, NGC 7654) is a fine open cluster

located in a rich Milky Way field.

Right Ascension

Messier 103 01 : 33.2 (h:m)

Declination
+60 : 42 (deg:m)
Distance
8.5 (kly)
Visual Brightness
7.4 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
6.0 (arc min)

M103 is one of the more remote open clusters in

Messier's catalog, at about 8,000 light years
 Right Ascension
19 : 53.8 (h:m)

Messier 71 Declination
+18 : 47 (deg:m)
Distance
13.0 (kly)
Visual Brightness
8.2 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
7.2 (arc min)

Messier 71 (M71, NGC 6838) is a loose but beautiful

globular cluster in the small but nice constellation Sagitta.
 Right Ascension
02 : 42.0 (h:m)

Messier 34 Declination
+42 : 47 (deg:m)
Distance
1.4 (kly)
Visual Brightness
5.5 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
35.0 (arc min)

Open star cluster Messier 34 (M34, NGC 1039) is an

intermediate aged open cluster of about 100 stars (according
to H.S. Hogg), and lies about 1,400 light years and is scattered
over 35 arc minutes, more than the diameter of the full Moon.
This angular diameter corresponds to a linear 14 light years;
Wallenquist has estimated a little more (42' corresponding to
18.5 light years).
 Right Ascension
15 : 18.6 (h:m)

Messier 5 Declination
+02 : 05 (deg:m)
Distance
24.5 (kly)
Visual Brightness
5.6 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
23.0 (arc min)

Globular cluster Messier 5 (M5, NGC 5904) was first seen

by Gottfried Kirch and his wife Maria Margarethe on May 5,
1702, when they observed a comet, and described as a
"nebulous star".
Messier 13 Right Ascension16 : 41.7
(h:m)
Declination+36 : 28
(deg:m)
Distance25.1 (kly)
Visual Brightness5.8
(mag)

Messier 13 (M13, NGC 6205), also called the 'Great

globular cluster in Hercules', is one of the most prominent and
best known globulars of the Northern celestial hemisphere.
 Right Ascension17 : 17.1

Messier 92 (h:m)
Declination+43 : 08
(deg:m)
Distance26.7 (kly)
Visual Brightness6.4
(mag)
Apparent Dimension14.0
(arc min)

Globular cluster Messier 92 (M92, NGC 6341) is one of

the more conspicuous globular clusters. Situated in
constellation Hercules, it is nevertheless second only within that
constellation, after bright M13.
 Right Ascension21 : 30.0

Messier 15 (h:m)
Declination+12 : 10
(deg:m)
Distance33.6 (kly)
Visual Brightness6.2
(mag)
Apparent Dimension18.0
(arc min)

Globular cluster Messier 15 (M15, NGC

7078) is among the more conspicuous of these
great stellar swarms.
 Right Ascension13 : 42.2

Messier 3 (h:m)
Declination+28 : 23
(deg:m)
Distance33.9 (kly)
Visual Brightness6.2
(mag)
Apparent Dimension18.0
(arc min)

Messier 3 (M3, NGC 5272) is one of the most outstanding

globular clusters, containing an estimated half million stars. It is
famous for the large number of variable stars discovered in it.
 Right Ascension13 : 12.9
(h:m)

Messier 53 Declination+18 : 10
(deg:m)
Distance58.0 (kly)
Visual Brightness7.6 (mag)
Apparent Dimension13.0
(arc min)

Globular star cluster Messier 53 (M53, NGC 5024) is one

of the more outlying globulars, being about 60,000 light years
away from the Galactic center, and almost the same distance
(about 58,000 light years) from out Solar system.
 Right Ascension
00 : 42.7 (h:m)

Messier 31 Declination
+41 : 16 (deg:m)
Distance
2900 (kly)
Visual Brightness
3.4 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
178x63 (arc min)

Messier 31 (M31, NGC 224) is the famous Andromeda

galaxy, our nearest large neighbor galaxy, forming the Local
Group of galaxies together with its companions (including
M32and M110, two bright dwarf elliptical galaxies), our Milky
Way and its companions, M33, and others.
 Right Ascension00 : 42.7

Messier 32 (h:m)
Declination+40 : 52
(deg:m)
Distance2900 (kly)
Visual Brightness8.1 (mag)
Apparent Dimension8x6
(arc min)

Messier 32 (M32, NGC 221) is the small yet bright

companion of the Great Andromeda Galaxy, M31, and as such
a member of the Local Group of galaxies. It can be easily
found when observing the Andromeda Galaxy, as it is situated
22 arc minutes exactly south of M31's central region, overlaid
over the outskirts of the spiral arms.
 Right Ascension00 : 40.4

Messier 110 (h:m)

Declination+41 : 41
(deg:m)
Distance2900 (kly)
Visual Brightness8.5
(mag)
Apparent Dimension17x10
(arc min)

Messier 110 (M110, NGC 205) is the second brighter

satellite galaxy of the Andromeda galaxy M31, together with
M32, and thus a member of the Local Group of Galaxies.
 Right Ascension

Messier 33 01 : 33.9 (h:m)

Declination
+30 : 39 (deg:m)
Distance
3000 (kly)
Visual Brightness
5.7 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
73x45 (arc min)

The Triangulum Galaxy Messier 33 (M33, NGC 598)

is another prominent member of the Local Group of
galaxies.
 Right Ascension
09 : 55.6 (h:m)

Messier 81 Declination
+69 : 04 (deg:m)
Distance
12000 (kly)
Visual Brightness
M82 was discovered on December 31, 6.9 (mag)
1774 by Johann Elert Bode Apparent Dimension
21x10 (arc min)

Messier 81 (M81, NGC 3031) in Ursa Major is one of the

most conspicuous galaxies in the sky, and one of the nearest
beyond the Local Group. It is a conspicuous spiral galaxy.
M81 is one of the easiest and most rewarding galaxies to
observe for the amateur astronomer on the northern
hemisphere, because with its total visual brightness of about 6.8
magnitudes it can be found with small instruments.
 Right Ascension12 : 50.9

Messier 94 (h:m)
Declination+41 : 07
(deg:m)
Distance14500 (kly)
Visual Brightness8.2
(mag)
Apparent Dimension7x3
(arc min)

Messier 94 (M94, NGC 4736) is a nice spiral galaxy

situated in constellation Canes Venatici, and one of the nearer
beyond our Local Group of Galaxies.
 Right Ascension12 : 56.7
(h:m)

Messier 64 Declination+21 : 41
(deg:m)
Distance19000 (kly)
Visual Brightness8.5
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension9.3x5.4 (arc
min)

Messier 64 (M64, NGC 4826) is the famous Black Eye

galaxy, sometimes also called the "Sleeping Beauty galaxy."
The conspicuous dark structure is a prominent dust feature
obscuring the stars behind.
 Right Ascension12 : 19.0

Messier 106 (h:m)

Declination+47 : 18
(deg:m)
Distance25000 (kly)
Visual Brightness8.4
(mag)
Apparent Dimension19x8
(arc min)

The bright Sb spiral galaxy Messier 106 (M106, NGC

4258) is perhaps about 21 to 25 million light years distant. It is
receding at 537 km/sec.
 Right Ascension

Messier 109 11 : 57.6 (h:m)

Declination
+53 : 23 (deg:m)
Distance
55000 (kly)
Visual Brightness
9.8 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
7x4 (arc min)

NGC 3992 (Messier 109, M109) is one of the "Theta"-like

barred spirals, which appears as a "hazy spot" situated just 40'
SE of the mag 2.44 star Gamma Ursae Majoris (Phad, or
Phecda).
 Right Ascension14 : 03.2

Messier 101 (h:m)

Declination+54 : 21
(deg:m)
Distance27000 (kly)
Visual Brightness7.9 (mag)
Apparent Dimension22.0
(arc min)

Messier 101 (M101, NGC 5457) was discovered by Pierre

Méchain on March 27, 1781, and added as one of the last
entries in Charles Messier's catalog. It was one of the first
"spiral nebula" identified as such, in 1851 by William Parsons,
the third Earl of Rosse.
 Right Ascension13 : 15.8

Messier 63 (h:m)
Declination+42 : 02
(deg:m)
Distance37000 (kly)
Visual Brightness8.6
(mag)
Apparent Dimension10x6
(arc min)

The bright Sb spiral galaxy Messier 106 (M106, NGC

4258) is perhaps about 21 to 25 million light years distant. It is
receding at 537 km/sec.
 Right Ascension01 :
36.7 (h:m)

Messier 74 Declination+15 : 47
(deg:m)
Distance35000 (kly)
Visual Brightness9.4
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension10.2x9.5
(arc min)

Messier 74 (M74, NGC 628) is one of the nicest examples

of so-called "grand-design" spiral galaxies seen face-on, so
that its spiral structure stands out conspicuously.
 Right Ascension13 : 29.9

Messier 51 (h:m)
Declination+47 : 12
(deg:m)
Distance37000 (kly)
Visual Brightness8.4
(mag)
Apparent Dimension11x7
(arc min)

The famous Whirlpool galaxy Messier 51 (M51, NGC 5194)

is one of the most conspicuous, and probably the most
wellknown spiral galaxy in the sky.
 Right Ascension
10 : 47.8 (h:m)

Messier 105 Declination

+12 : 35 (deg:m)
Distance
38000 (kly)
Visual Brightness
9.3 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
2.0 (arc min)

Messier 105 (M105, NGC 3379) is the brightest elliptical

galaxy in the Leo I or M96 group of galaxies, and as such
approximately 38 million light years distant.
 Right Ascension11 :
18.9 (h:m)

Messier 65 Declination+13 : 05
(deg:m)
Distance35000 (kly)
Visual Brightness9.3
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension8x1.5 (arc
min)

Messier 65 (M65, NGC 3623), together with its neighbors

M66 and NGC 3628, forms a most conspicuous triplet of
galaxies, the Leo Triplett or M66 group, located at a distance
of about 35 million light years.
 Right Ascension11 : 20.2
(h:m)

Messier 66 Declination+12 : 59
(deg:m)
Distance35000 (kly)
Visual Brightness8.9
(mag)
Apparent Dimension8x2.5
(arc min)

Messier 66 (M66, NGC 3627), together with its neighbors

M65 and NGC 3628, forms a most conspicuous triplet of
galaxies, the Leo Triplett or M66 group, located at a distance
of about 35 million light years.
 Right Ascension10 :
46.8 (h:m)

Messier 96 Declination+11 : 49
(deg:m)
Distance38000 (kly)
Visual Brightness9.2
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension6x4 (arc
min)

Messier 96 (M96, NGC 3368) is a conspicuous spiral

galaxy in constellation Leo.
 Right Ascension
10 : 44.0 (h:m)

Messier 95 Declination
+11 : 42 (deg:m)
Distance
38000 (kly)
Visual Brightness
9.7 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
4.4x3.3 (arc min)

Messier 95 (M95, NGC 3351) is a beautiful barred spiral

galaxy situated in constellation Leo, and one of the fainter
Messier Objects.
 Right Ascension12 : 13.8
(h:m)

Messier 98 Declination+14 : 54
(deg:m)
Distance60000 (kly)
Visual Brightness10.1
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension9.5x3.2 (arc
min)

Messier 98 (M98, NGC 4192) is one of the faintest objects

in Messier's catalog. It is a beautiful spiral galaxy seen edge-
on, and a member of the Virgo Cluster of Galaxies, situated in
the southern part of constellation Coma Berenices.
 Right Ascension

Messier 102 15 : 06.5 (h:m)

Declination
+55 : 46 (deg:m)
Distance
45000 (kly)
Discovered probably either by Pierre Méchain or by Visual Brightness
Charles Messier in 1781. 9.9 (mag)
Independently discovered by William Herschel in 1788 Apparent Dimension
5.2x2.3 (arc min)

M102 is a beautiful lenticular galaxy in Northern constellation Draco, which is seen

almost exactly edge-on, showing a prominent dust lane along its equatorial plane.

M102 might be a duplication of the Spiral Galaxy M101 (NGC 5457) in Ursa Major, due to
a possible error of either the catalog author Messier, or its `discoverer' Méchain, a view
brought up by Méchain in a letter of May 1783.

Perhaps more probably (due to historical evidence), M102 may be the Lenticular
GalaxyNGC 5866 in Draco, also sometimes called the Spindle Galaxy, as Messier's
catalog description indicates, together with the position he added later by hand in his
personal copy.
 Right Ascension
12 : 32.0 (h:m)

Messier 88 Declination
+14 : 25 (deg:m)
Distance
60000 (kly)
Visual Brightness
9.6 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
7x4 (arc min)

Messier 88 (M88, NGC 4501) is one of the brighter spiral

galaxies in the Virgo Cluster of Galaxies.
 Right Ascension
12 : 35.7 (h:m)

Messier 89 Declination
+12 : 33 (deg:m)
Distance
60000 (kly)
Visual Brightness
9.8 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
4.0 (arc min)

Messier 89 (M89, NGC 4552) is another member of the

Virgo Cluster of Galaxies. It is a beautiful example of an
elliptical galaxy of type E0.
 Right Ascension12 : 42.0
(h:m)

Messier 59 Declination+11 : 39
(deg:m)
Distance60000 (kly)
Visual Brightness9.6
(mag)
Apparent Dimension5x3.5
(arc min)

Messier 59 (M59, NGC 4621) is a member of the Virgo

cluster of galaxies, and one of the larger elliptical galaxies
there, although it is considerably less luminous and massive
than the greatest ellipticals in this cluster, M49, M60 and,
above all, M87.
 Right Ascension12 : 30.8
(h:m)

Messier 87 Declination+12 : 24
(deg:m)
Distance60000 (kly)
Visual Brightness8.6
(mag)
Apparent Dimension7.0
(arc min)

The giant elliptical galaxy Messier 87 (M87, NGC 4486),

also called Virgo A, is one of the most remarkable objects in
the sky.
 Right Ascension
12 : 43.7 (h:m)

Messier 60 Declination
+11 : 33 (deg:m)
Distance
60000 (kly)
Visual Brightness
8.8 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
7x6 (arc min)

Messier 60 (M60, NGC 4649) is one of the giant elliptical

galaxies in the Virgo Cluster of galaxies.
 Right Ascension12 :
21.9 (h:m)

Messier 61 Declination+04 : 28
(deg:m)
Distance60000 (kly)
Visual Brightness9.7
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension6x5.5 (arc
min)

Messier 61 (M61, NGC 4303) is a considerable spiral

galaxy in the southernmost part of the Virgo Cluster of
Galaxies.
 Right Ascension
12 : 18.8 (h:m)

Messier 99 Declination
+14 : 25 (deg:m)
Distance
60000 (kly)
Visual Brightness
9.9 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
5.4x4.8 (arc min)

Messier 99 (M99, NGC 4254) is one of the fainter Messier

objects, and a beautiful spiral galaxy seen almost face-on.
Situated in the southern part of constellation Coma Berenices,
it is one of the brighter spiral members of the Virgo Cluster of
Galaxies.
 Right Ascension12 :
22.9 (h:m)

Messier 100 Declination+15 : 49

(deg:m)
Distance60000 (kly)
Visual Brightness9.3
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension7x6 (arc
min)

Messier 100 (M100, NGC 4321) is a beautiful example of

a grand-design spiral galaxy, and one of the brightest
galaxies in the Virgo Cluster, or Coma-Virgo of Galaxies.
 Right Ascension12 :
29.8 (h:m)

Messier 49 Declination+08 : 00
(deg:m)
Distance60000 (kly)
Visual Brightness8.4
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension9x7.5 (arc
min)

Elliptical galaxy Messier 49 (M49, NGC 4472) is one of

the brightest member galaxies of the Virgo cluster.
 Right Ascension11 : 11.5

Messier 108 (h:m)

Declination+55 : 40
(deg:m)
Distance45000 (kly)
Visual Brightness10.0
(mag)
Discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1781
Apparent Dimension8x1
(arc min)

Messier 108 (M108, NGC 3556) is a nice edge-on spiral

galaxy situated near the conspicuous star Beta Ursa Majoris,
and in one field of view with the Owl Nebula, M97.
 Right Ascension
12 : 25.1 (h:m)

Messier 84 Declination
+12 : 53 (deg:m)
Distance
60000 (kly)
Visual Brightness
9.1 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
5.0 (arc min)

Messier 84 (M84, NGC 4374) is one of the brighter

member galaxies of the Virgo Cluster of Galaxies. It is a giant
lenticular or elliptical galaxy: Either a lenticular of type S0
seen face-on, or an elliptical galaxy of type E1.
 Right Ascension12 : 26.2
(h:m)

Messier 86 Declination+12 : 57
(deg:m)
Distance60000 (kly)
Visual Brightness8.9
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension7.5x5.5 (arc
min)

Messier 86 (M86, NGC 4406) is one of the brightest

member galaxies of the Virgo Cluster of Galaxies, and
situated close to that cluster's apparent center.
 Right Ascension12 :
25.4 (h:m)

Messier 85 Declination+18 : 11
(deg:m)
Distance60000 (kly)
Visual Brightness9.1
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension7.1x5.2 (arc
min)

Messier 85 (M85, NGC 4382) is the northernmost member

of the Virgo Cluster in Messier's catalog, and thus situated in
constellation Coma Berenices.
 Right Ascension12 : 36.8
(h:m)

Messier 90 Declination+13 : 10
(deg:m)
Distance60000 (kly)
Visual Brightness9.5
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension9.5x4.5 (arc
min)

Messier 90 (M90, NGC 4569) is one of the brighter spiral

galaxies situated in the Virgo Cluster of Galaxies.
 Right Ascension
12 : 35.4 (h:m)

Messier 91 Declination
+14 : 30 (deg:m)
Distance
60000 (kly)
Visual Brightness
10.2 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
5.4x4.4 (arc min)

Messier 91 (M91, NGC 4548) is the faintest object in

Messier's catalog. It is a nice barred spiral galaxy, and a
member of the Virgo Cluster. Like a number of other cluster
members, it is situated in the southern part of constellation
Coma Berenices.
 Right Ascension12 : 37.7
(h:m)

Messier 58 Declination+11 : 49
(deg:m)
Distance60000 (kly)
Visual Brightness9.7 (mag)
Apparent
Dimension5.5x4.5 (arc
min)

Messier 58 (M58, NGC 4579) is one of the four barred

spiral galaxies in Messier's catalog (the others are M91,
M95,and M109), although it is sometimes classified as
intermediate between normal and barred spirals (e.g., in R.
Brent Tully's Nearby Galaxies Catalog). It is one of the
brightest galaxies in the Virgo cluster.
 Right Ascension17 : 53.9

Messier 7 (h:m)
Declination-34 : 49
(deg:m)
Distance0.8 (kly)
Visual Brightness3.3
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension80.0 (arc
min)

Messier 7 (M7, NGC 6475) is

a large and brilliant group, easily
detected with the naked eye.
 Right Ascension
05 : 35.4 (h:m)

Messier 42 Declination
-05 : 27 (deg:m)
Distance
1.35 (kly)
Visual Brightness
4.0 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
85x60 (arc min)

The Orion Nebula Messier 42 (M42, NGC 1976) is the

brightest starforming, and the brightest diffuse nebula in the
sky, and also one of the brightest deepsky objects at all.
 Right Ascension08 :
13.8 (h:m)

Messier 48 Declination-05 : 48
(deg:m)
Distance1.5 (kly)
Visual Brightness5.5
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension54.0 (arc
min)

Open cluster Messier 48 (M48, NGC 2548) is a

conspicuous open cluster in the head of the extended
constellation Hydra, almost on its border to Monoceros.
 Right Ascension
05 : 35.6 (h:m)

Messier 43 Declination
-05 : 16 (deg:m)
Distance
1.35 (kly)
Visual Brightness
9.0 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
20x15 (arc min)

Messier 43 (M43, NGC 1982) is the companion of the

Great Orion Nebula, M42.
 Right Ascension
07 : 36.6 (h:m)

Messier 47 Declination
-14 : 30 (deg:m)
Distance
1.6 (kly)
Visual Brightness
5.2 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
30.0 (arc min)

Open cluster Messier 47 (M47, NGC 2422) is a coarse,

bright cluster which can be glimpsed with the naked eye under
good conditions as a dim nebulosity.
 Right Ascension18 :
31.6 (h:m)

Messier 25 Declination-19 : 15
(deg:m)
Distance2.0 (kly)
Visual Brightness4.6
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension32.0 (arc
min)

Messier 25 (M25, IC 4725) is one of the more remarkable

open clusters in constellation Sagittarius
 Right Ascension17 :
56.8 (h:m)

Messier 23 Declination-19 : 01
(deg:m)
Distance2.15 (kly)
Visual Brightness6.9
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension27.0 (arc
min)

Open cluster Messier 23 (M23, NGC 6494) is another

glorious sight for small telescopes and binoculars in the
summer Milky Way.
 Right Ascension06 :
46.0 (h:m)

Messier 41 Declination-20 : 44
(deg:m)
Distance2.3 (kly)
Visual Brightness4.5
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension38.0 (arc
min)

Open star cluster Messier 41 (M41, NGC 2287) is lying

about 4 degrees nearly exactly south of Sirius, the brightest
star in the sky.
 Right Ascension20 :
58.9 (h:m)

Messier 73 Declination-12 : 38
(deg:m)
Distance2.5 (kly)
Visual Brightness9.0
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension2.8 (arc
min)

The object Messier 73 (M73, NGC 6994)) is a little

conspicuous assortment of four stars of 10th to 12th magnitude,
situated in the very western part of constellation Aquarius; its
nature as a physical group is doubtful. It lies only about 1.5 deg
east of globular cluster M72.
 Right Ascension07 :
03.2 (h:m)

Messier 50 Declination-08 : 20
(deg:m)
Distance3.2 (kly)
Visual Brightness5.9
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension16.0 (arc
min)

Open cluster Messier 50 (M50, NGC 2323) is a pretty

and considerably bright object located in a rich part of stars
and nebulae in constellation Monoceros, near its border to
Canis Major.
 Right Ascension07 :
44.6 (h:m)

Messier 93 Declination-23 : 52
(deg:m)
Distance3.6 (kly)
Visual Brightness6.0
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension22.0 (arc
min)

Messier 93 (M93, NGC 2447) is a nice open star cluster in

constellation Puppis.
 Right Ascension18 :
04.6 (h:m)

Messier 21 Declination-22 : 30
(deg:m)
Distance4.25 (kly)
Visual Brightness6.5
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension13.0 (arc
min)

Messier 21 (M21, NGC 6531) is an open cluster which

shows quite a strong concentration toward its center.
 Right Ascension18 :
19.9 (h:m)

Messier 18 Declination-17 : 08
(deg:m)
Distance4.9 (kly)
Visual Brightness7.5
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension9.0 (arc
min)

Open cluster Messier 18 (M18, NGC 6613) is best observed

in small telescopes, which show over a dozen of fairly bright
stars (the Sky Catalog 2000 lists it with 20 members).
 Right Ascension16 :
23.6 (h:m)

Messier 04 Declination-26 : 32
(deg:m)
Distance7.2 (kly)
Visual Brightness5.6
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension36.0 (arc
min)

Messier 4 (M4, NGC 6121) is one of the nearest globular

clusters in the sky at an estimated distance of about 7,200
light years.
 Right Ascension
18 : 45.2 (h:m)

Messier 26 Declination
-09 : 24 (deg:m)
Distance
5.0 (kly)
Visual Brightness
8.0 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
15.0 (arc min)

Open cluster Messier 26 (M26, NGC 6694) is not so

impressive as its apparent neighbor, M11.
 Right Ascension18 :
03.8 (h:m)

Messier 8 Declination-24 : 23
(deg:m)
Distance5.2 (kly)
Visual Brightness6.0
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension90x40 (arc
min)

The Lagoon Nebula Messier 8 (M8, NGC 6523) is one of

the finest and brightest star-forming regions in the sky.
 Right Ascension07 :
41.8 (h:m)

Messier 46 Declination-14 : 49
(deg:m)
Distance5.4 (kly)
Visual Brightness6.0
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension27.0 (arc
min)

Messier 46 (M46, NGC 2437) was the first object Charles

Messier discovered after he had published the first edition of
his list (M1-M45).
 Right Ascension
18 : 20.8 (h:m)

Messier 17 Declination
-16 : 11 (deg:m)
Distance
5.0 (kly)
Visual Brightness
6.0 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
11.0 (arc min)

The Omega Nebula Messier 17 (M17, NGC 6618), also

called the Swan Nebula, the Horseshoe Nebula, or (especially
on the southern hemisphere) the Lobster Nebula, is a region of
star formation and shines by excited emission, caused by the
higher energy radiation of young stars.
 Right Ascension18 :
51.1 (h:m)

Messier 11 Declination-06 : 16
(deg:m)
Distance6.0 (kly)
Visual Brightness6.3
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension14.0 (arc
min)

Messier 11 (M11, NGC 6705) is One of the richest and most

compact of the galactic (open) clusters
 Right Ascension18 :
18.8 (h:m)

Messier 16 Declination-13 : 47
(deg:m)
Distance7.0 (kly)
Visual Brightness6.4
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension7.0 (arc
min)

The Eagle Nebula Messier 16 (M16) is a conspicuous

region of active star formation, situated in Serpens Cauda.
 Right Ascension18 :
02.6 (h:m)

Messier 20 Declination-23 : 02
(deg:m)
Distance5.2 (kly)
Visual Brightness9.0
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension28.0 (arc
min)

The Trifid Nebula Messier 20 (M20, NGC 6514) in

Sagittarius is a remarkable and beautiful object as it consists
of both a conspicuous emission nebula and a remarkable
reflection nebula component.
 Right Ascension18 :
36.4 (h:m)

Messier 22 Declination-23 : 54
(deg:m)
Distance10.4 (kly)
Visual Brightness5.1
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension32.0 (arc
min)

Messier 22 (M22, NGC 6656) is one of the brightest and

remarkable clusters in the sky, and in paticular of those
observable from mid-northern latitudes.
 Right Ascension18 :
16.9 (h:m)

Messier 24 Declination-18 : 29
(deg:m)
Distance10.0 (kly)
Visual Brightness4.6
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension90 (arc
min)

Messier 24 (M24) is one of the few particular objects, or

curiosities, in Messier's catalog: Under entry No. 24 in his
catalog, Charles Messier list a large object of 1 1/2 deg in
extension, which he included on June 20, 1764, and describes it
as "a large nebulosity in which there are many stars of
different magnitudes."
 Right Ascension16 :
57.1 (h:m)

Messier 10 Declination-04 : 06
(deg:m)
Distance14.3 (kly)
Visual Brightness6.6
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension20.0 (arc
min)

Messier 10 (M10, NGC 6254) is one of the bright globulars

populating constellation Ophiuchus.
 Right Ascension

Messier 55 19 : 40.0 (h:m)

Declination
-30 : 58 (deg:m)
Distance
17.3 (kly)
Visual Brightness
6.3 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
19.0 (arc min)

Messier 55 (M55, NGC 6809) is a

quite large globular cluster of about 19',
roughly 2/3 of the Moon's apparent
diameter.
 Right Ascension18 :
24.5 (h:m)

Messier 28 Declination-24 : 52
(deg:m)
Distance18.3 (kly)
Visual Brightness6.8
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension11.2 (arc
min)

Globular cluster Messier 28 (M28, NGC 6626) is another

conspicuous globular cluster in the rich constellation
Sagittarius.
 Right Ascension
16 : 32.5 (h:m)

Messier 107 Declination

-13 : 03 (deg:m)
Distance
20.9 (kly)
Visual Brightness
7.9 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
13.0 (arc min)

Messier 107 (M107, NGC 6171) is another

additional object found by Pierre Méchain in April,
1782.
 Right Ascension

Messier 62 17 : 01.2 (h:m)

Declination
-30 : 07 (deg:m)
Distance
22.5 (kly)
Visual Brightness
6.5 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
15.0 (arc min)

Messier 62 (M62, NGC 6266) is one

of the most irregularly formed globular
clusters, as was first reported by
Herschel.
 Right Ascension

Messier 82 09 : 55.8 (h:m)

Declination
+69 : 41 (deg:m)
Distance
12000 (kly)
Visual Brightness
M82 was discovered on December 31,
8.4 (mag)
1774 by Johann Elert Bode Apparent Dimension
9x4 (arc min)

Messier 82 (M82, NGC 3034) is a remarkable galaxy of

peculiar type in constellation Ursa Major. It is usually classified
as irregular, though probably a distorted disk galaxy, and
famous for its heavy star-forming activity, thus a prototype
member of the class of starbursting galaxies.In the infrared
light, M82 is the brightest galaxy in the sky; it exhibits a so-
called infrared excess (it is much brighter at infrared
wavelengths than in the visible part of the spectrum).
 Right Ascension
16 : 47.2 (h:m)

Messier 12 Declination
-01 : 57 (deg:m)
Distance
16.0 (kly)
Visual Brightness
6.7 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
16.0 (arc min)

Messier 12 (M12, NGC 6218) is nearly a twin of its

apparent neighbor, M10, and is only slightly larger and an idea
fainter.
 Right Ascension17 :
19.2 (h:m)

Messier 09 Declination-18 : 31
(deg:m)
Distance25.8 (kly)
Visual Brightness7.7
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension12.0 (arc
min)

Globular cluster Messier 9 (M9, NGC 6333) is one of the

original discoveries of Charles Messier, who cataloged it on
May 28, 1764, and described it as "Nebula without star" of 3'
diameter.
 Right Ascension
21 : 40.4 (h:m)

Messier 30 Declination
-23 : 11 (deg:m)
Distance
26.1 (kly)
Visual Brightness
7.2 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
12.0 (arc min)

Globular cluster Messier 30 (M30, NGC 7099), at about

26,000 light years distance and about 90 light years across,
and appears to us under an angular diameter of about 12.0
arc minutes.
 Right Ascension16 :
17.0 (h:m)

Messier 80 Declination-22 : 59
(deg:m)
Distance32.6 (kly)
Visual Brightness7.3
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension10.0 (arc
min)

Messier 80 (M80, NGC 6093) is a fine 8th mag globular.

Its 10' angular diameter corresponds to roughly 95 light years
linear dimension at its distance of 32,600 light years.
 Right Ascension17 :
02.6 (h:m)

Messier 19 Declination-26 : 16
(deg:m)
Distance28.0 (kly)
Visual Brightness6.8
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension17.0 (arc
min)

Messier 19 (M19, NGC 6273) is the most oblate known

globular cluster, being about ellipticity E3-E4.
 Right Ascension18 : 31.4

Messier 69 (h:m)
Declination-32 : 21
(deg:m)
Distance29.7 (kly)
Visual Brightness7.6 (mag)
Apparent Dimension9.8
(arc min)

Globular cluster Messier 69 (M69,

NGC 6637), identical to its neighbor M70, is
one of the smaller and fainter globular
clusters in Messier's catalog.
 Right Ascension18 : 43.2

Messier 70 (h:m)
Declination-32 : 18
(deg:m)
Distance29.3 (kly)
Visual Brightness7.9
(mag)
Apparent Dimension8.0
(arc min)

Messier 70 (M70, NGC 6681) is

one of the less bright and
conspicuous globular clusters in
Messier's catalog.
 Right Ascension

Messier 14 17 : 37.6 (h:m)

Declination
-03 : 15 (deg:m)
Distance
30.3 (kly)
Visual Brightness
7.6 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
11.0 (arc min)

Messier 14 (M14, NGC 6402) is a slightly elliptically

shaped stellar swarm, about 100 light years across and about
30,000 light years away; older determinations have given
values between 64,000 ly (Shapley) and 23,000
(Mallas/Kreimer) to 24,000 ly
 Right Ascension12 :

Messier 68 39.5 (h:m)

Declination-26 : 45
(deg:m)
Distance33.3 (kly)
Visual Brightness7.8
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension11.0 (arc
min)

Messier 68 (M68, NGC 4590) is a beautiful

globular cluster situated in an unusual place for such
objects, in the hemisphere opposite to the Galactic
Center.
 Right Ascension21 :
33.5 (h:m)

Messier 2 Declination-00 : 49
(deg:m)
Distance37.5 (kly)
Visual Brightness6.5
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension16.0 (arc
min)

Globular cluster Messier 2 (M2, NGC 7089) was

discovered by Maraldi on September 11, 1746. Charles Messier
independently rediscovered and cataloged it exactly 14 years
later, on September 11, 1760, as a "nebula without stars."
William Herschel was the first to resolve it into stars.
 Right Ascension05 :
24.2 (h:m)

Messier 79 Declination-24 : 31
(deg:m)
Distance42.1 (kly)
Visual Brightness7.7
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension9.6 (arc
min)

Globular cluster Messier 79 (M79, NGC 1904) is a nice

globular cluster in an unusual place for this kind of objects, in
the hemisphere opposite to the Galactic Center, in the
inconspicuous constellation Lepus.
 Right Ascension20 :
53.5 (h:m)

Messier 72 Declination-12 : 32
(deg:m)
Distance55.4 (kly)
Visual Brightness9.3
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension6.6 (arc
min)

Messier 72 (M72, NGC 6981) is one of the apparently

smaller and fainter globular clusters in Messier's catalog.
 Right Ascension20 :
06.1 (h:m)

Messier 75 Declination-21 : 55
(deg:m)
Distance67.5 (kly)
Visual Brightness8.5
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension6.8 (arc
min)

Globular cluster Messier 75 (M75, NGC 6864) is one of

the apparently fainter globular clusters in Messier's catalog,
due to its large distance.
 Right Ascension18 :

Messier 54 55.1 (h:m)

Declination-30 : 29
(deg:m)
Distance87.4 (kly)
Visual Brightness7.6
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension12.0 (arc
min)

Messier 54 (M54, NGC 6715) is a

quite conspicuous globular cluster
because some describe it as faint and
some as bright.
 Right Ascension13 :

Messier 83 37.0 (h:m)

Declination-29 : 52
(deg:m)
Distance15000 (kly)
Visual Brightness7.6
(mag)
Apparent
Dimension11x10 (arc
min)

Messier 83 (M83, NGC 5236) is one

ofstriking spiral galaxies in the sky. Situated in
constellation Hydra, it is the southernmost
galaxy in Messier's catalog.
 Right Ascension
12 : 40.0 (h:m)

Messier 104 Declination

-11 : 37 (deg:m)
Distance
50000 (kly)
Visual Brightness
8.0 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
9x4 (arc min)

Messier 104 (M104, NGC 4594) is numerically the first

object of the catalog which was not included in Messier's
originally published catalog.
 Right Ascension

Messier 77 02 : 42.7 (h:m)

Declination
-00 : 01 (deg:m)
Distance
60000 (kly)
Visual Brightness
8.9 (mag)
Apparent Dimension
7x6 (arc min)

Messier 77 (M77, NGC 1068) is a conspicuous spiral

galaxy situated in constellation Cetus.