Messier Objects

Charles Messier (1730-1817) was a French astronomer with an interest in comet hunting. In his search, he cataloged many "nuisance" objects that might be confused with a comet, but unlike a comet remained fixed relative to background stars. These objects, which include galaxies, nebulas, and star clusters, are among the finest deep sky objects readily observable by amateur astronomers.

The Messier objects are designated by "M" followed by a number from 1 to 110. They are listed in the following table, with the "Con." column referring to the constellation the object is in.
ObjectAlt. nameCon. Object typeCommon name
M1 NGC 1952TauDiffuse Nebula Crab Nebula
M2 NGC 7089AqrGlobular Cluster  
M3 NGC 5272CVnGlobular Cluster  
M4 NGC 6121ScoGlobular Cluster  
M5 NGC 5904SerGlobular Cluster  
M6 NGC 6405ScoOpen Cluster Butterfly Cluster
M7 NGC 6475ScoOpen Cluster  
M8 NGC 6523SgrDiffuse Nebula Lagoon Nebula
M9 NGC 6333OphGlobular Cluster  
M10 NGC 6254OphGlobular Cluster  
M11 NGC 6705SctOpen Cluster Wild Duck Cluster
M12 NGC 6218OphGlobular Cluster  
M13 NGC 6205HerGlobular Cluster Hercules Cluster
M14 NGC 6402OphGlobular Cluster  
M15 NGC 7078PegGlobular Cluster  
M16 NGC 6611SerDiffuse Nebula Eagle Nebula
M17 NGC 6618SgrDiffuse Nebula Omega Nebula
M18 NGC 6613SgrOpen Cluster  
M19 NGC 6273OphGlobular Cluster  
M20 NGC 6514SgrDiffuse Nebula Trifid Nebula
M21 NGC 6531SgrOpen Cluster  
M22 NGC 6656SgrGlobular Cluster  
M23 NGC 6494SgrOpen Cluster  
M24 SgrOpen Cluster  
M25 IC 4725 SgrOpen Cluster  
M26 NGC 6694SctOpen Cluster  
M27 NGC 6853VulPlanetary Nebula Dumbbell Nebula
M28 NGC 6626SgrGlobular Cluster  
M29 NGC 6913CygOpen Cluster  
M30 NGC 7099CapGlobular Cluster  
M31 NGC 224 AndSpiral Galaxy Andromeda Galaxy
M32 NGC 221 AndElliptical Galaxy 
M33 NGC 598 TriSpiral Galaxy Pinwheel Galaxy
M34 NGC 1039PerOpen Cluster  
M35 NGC 2168GemOpen Cluster  
M36 NGC 1960AurOpen Cluster  
M37 NGC 2099AurOpen Cluster  
M38 NGC 1912AurOpen Cluster  
M39 NGC 7092CygOpen Cluster  
M40 WNC 4 UMaDouble Star  
M41 NGC 2287CMaOpen Cluster  
M42 NGC 1976OriDiffuse Nebula Orion Nebula
M43 NGC 1982OriDiffuse Nebula  
M44 NGC 2632CncOpen Cluster Beehive Cluster, Praesepe
M45 TauOpen Cluster Pleiades
M46 NGC 2437PupOpen Cluster  
M47 NGC 2422PupOpen Cluster  
M48 NGC 2548HyaOpen Cluster  
M49 NGC 4472VirElliptical Galaxy 
M50 NGC 2323MonOpen Cluster  
M51 NGC 5194CVnSpiral Galaxy Whirlpool Galaxy
M52 NGC 7654CasOpen Cluster  
M53 NGC 5024ComGlobular Cluster  
M54 NGC 6715SgrGlobular Cluster  
M55 NGC 6809SgrGlobular Cluster  
M56 NGC 6779LyrGlobular Cluster  
M57 NGC 6720LyrPlanetary Nebula Ring Nebula
M58 NGC 4579VirSpiral Galaxy  
M59 NGC 4621VirElliptical Galaxy 
M60 NGC 4649VirElliptical Galaxy 
M61 NGC 4303VirSpiral Galaxy  
M62 NGC 6266OphGlobular Cluster  
M63 NGC 5055CVnSpiral Galaxy  
M64 NGC 4826ComSpiral Galaxy Black-Eye Galaxy
M65 NGC 3623LeoSpiral Galaxy  
M66 NGC 3627LeoSpiral Galaxy  
M67 NGC 2682CncOpen Cluster  
M68 NGC 4590HyaGlobular Cluster  
M69 NGC 6637SgrGlobular Cluster  
M70 NGC 6681SgrGlobular Cluster  
M71 NGC 6838SgeGlobular Cluster  
M72 NGC 6981AqrGlobular Cluster  
M73 NGC 6994AqrOpen Cluster  
M74 NGC 628 PscSpiral Galaxy  
M75 NGC 6864SgrGlobular Cluster  
M76 NGC 650 PerPlanetary Nebula Little Dumbell
M77 NGC 1068CetSpiral Galaxy  
M78 NGC 2068OriDiffuse Nebula  
M79 NGC 1904LepGlobular Cluster  
M80 NGC 6093ScoGlobular Cluster  
M81 NGC 3031UMaSpiral Galaxy  
M82 NGC 3034UMaIrregular Galaxy  
M83 NGC 5236HyaSpiral Galaxy  
M84 NGC 4374VirElliptical Galaxy 
M85 NGC 4382ComSpiral Galaxy  
M86 NGC 4406VirElliptical Galaxy 
M87 NGC 4486VirElliptical Galaxy 
M88 NGC 4501ComSpiral Galaxy  
M89 NGC 4552VirElliptical Galaxy 
M90 NGC 4569VirSpiral Galaxy  
M91 NGC 4548ComSpiral Galaxy  
M92 NGC 6341HerGlobular Cluster  
M93 NGC 2447PupOpen Cluster  
M94 NGC 4736CVnSpiral Galaxy  
M95 NGC 3351LeoSpiral Galaxy  
M96 NGC 3368LeoSpiral Galaxy  
M97 NGC 3587UMaPlanetary Nebula Owl Nebula
M98 NGC 4192ComSpiral Galaxy  
M99 NGC 4254ComSpiral Galaxy  
M100 NGC 4321ComSpiral Galaxy  
M101 NGC 5457UMaSpiral Galaxy  
M102 NGC 5866DraSpiral Galaxy  
M103 NGC 581 CasOpen Cluster  
M104 NGC 4594VirSpiral Galaxy Sombrero Galaxy
M105 NGC 3379LeoElliptical Galaxy 
M106 NGC 4258CVnSpiral Galaxy  
M107 NGC 6171OphGlobular Cluster  
M108 NGC 3556UMaSpiral Galaxy  
M109 NGC 3992UMaSpiral Galaxy  
M110 NGC 205 AndElliptical Galaxy 

Some peculiar Messier objects:

M40 - double star

M73 - asterism of 3 to 4 stars

M91 - original identity uncertain, but usually associated with NGC 4548

M102 - probably an accidental relisting of M101, but is now usually associated with NGC 5866