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Messier objects. Messier’s catalogue includes a varied mix of astronomical objects, from planetary nebulae and H II regions to galaxies and star clusters. Unlike Caldwell objects, which are listed from the northernmost to the southernmost, Messier objects are mostly listed in the order of discovery.
Messier’s list includes almost all the best examples of different types of deep sky objects – galaxies, open clusters, globular clusters, planetary nebulae, and diffuse nebulae – that can be observed from Europe.
Jan 31, 2021 · Messier Objects: Guide to the Bright Galaxies, Nebulae and Clusters Listed in the Messier Catalogue
Jun 30, 2022 · The Messier list starts with 103 deep-sky objects by the 18th century French astronomer Charles Messier. Eventually, seven more additions in the 20th century, bring the list up to 110...
Mar 19, 2018 · The Messier catalog includes some of the most fascinating astronomical objects that can be observed from Earth’s Northern Hemisphere. Among them are deep-sky objects that can be viewed in stunning detail using larger telescopes but are also bright enough to be seen through a small telescope.
The globular cluster M3 was the first object in the Messier catalog to be discovered by Charles Messier himself. Messier spotted the cluster in 1764, mistaking it for a nebula without any stars. This misunderstanding of M3’s nature was corrected in 1784 when William Herschel was able to resolve the cluster’s individual stars.
The Messier catalog includes such diverse objects as the Crab Nebula supernova remnant (M1), the Pleiades star cluster (M45), and the great spiral galaxy in Andromeda (M31). Messier’s purpose was to make comet hunting easier by tabulating permanent deep-sky objects that could be mistaken for comets.
