The Messier catalog

Charles Messier listed 110 nebulae, star clusters and galaxies between 1758 and 1781. They are the classic targets for binoculars and small telescopes.

Highlights

Where is the Andromeda Galaxy (M31)?Andromeda Galaxy (M31)spiral galaxy · AndromedaWhere is the Orion Nebula (M42)?Orion Nebula (M42)emission nebula · OrionWhere is the Pleiades (M45)?Pleiades (M45)open cluster · TaurusWhere is the Hercules Globular Cluster (M13)?Hercules Globular Cluster (M13)globular cluster · HerculesWhere is the Ring Nebula (M57)?Ring Nebula (M57)planetary nebula · LyraWhere is the Crab Nebula (M1)?Crab Nebula (M1)supernova remnant · TaurusWhere is the Whirlpool Galaxy (M51)?Whirlpool Galaxy (M51)spiral galaxy · Canes VenaticiWhere is the Lagoon Nebula (M8)?Lagoon Nebula (M8)emission nebula · SagittariusWhere is the Beehive Cluster (M44)?Beehive Cluster (M44)open cluster · CancerWhere is the Sombrero Galaxy (M104)?Sombrero Galaxy (M104)spiral galaxy · VirgoWhere is the Dumbbell Nebula (M27)?Dumbbell Nebula (M27)planetary nebula · VulpeculaWhere is Bode's Galaxy (M81)?Bode's Galaxy (M81)spiral galaxy · Ursa Major

All 110 Messier objects

Click a column heading to sort.

ObjectTypeConstellationMagnitude
Crab Nebula (M1)supernova remnantTaurus8.4
Messier 2 (M2)globular clusterAquarius6.3
Messier 3 (M3)globular clusterCanes Venatici6.2
Messier 4 (M4)globular clusterScorpius5.6
Messier 5 (M5)globular clusterSerpens6.0
Butterfly Cluster (M6)open clusterScorpius4.5
Ptolemy Cluster (M7)open clusterScorpius3.5
Lagoon Nebula (M8)emission nebulaSagittarius6.0
Messier 9 (M9)globular clusterOphiuchus8.4
Messier 10 (M10)globular clusterOphiuchus5.0
Wild Duck Cluster (M11)open clusterScutum5.8
Messier 12 (M12)globular clusterOphiuchus6.1
Hercules Globular Cluster (M13)globular clusterHercules5.8
Messier 14 (M14)globular clusterOphiuchus5.7
Messier 15 (M15)globular clusterPegasus6.4
Eagle Nebula (M16)emission nebulaSerpens6.0
Omega Nebula (M17)emission nebulaSagittarius6.0
Messier 18 (M18)open clusterSagittarius6.9
Messier 19 (M19)globular clusterOphiuchus5.6
Trifid Nebula (M20)emission nebulaSagittarius6.3
Messier 21 (M21)open clusterSagittarius5.9
Messier 22 (M22)globular clusterSagittarius6.2
Messier 23 (M23)open clusterSagittarius5.5
Sagittarius Star Cloud (M24)star cloudSagittarius4.6
Messier 25 (M25)open clusterSagittarius4.6
Messier 26 (M26)open clusterScutum8.9
Dumbbell Nebula (M27)planetary nebulaVulpecula7.5
Messier 28 (M28)globular clusterSagittarius5.7
Messier 29 (M29)open clusterCygnus6.6
Messier 30 (M30)globular clusterCapricornus7.1
Andromeda Galaxy (M31)spiral galaxyAndromeda3.4
Messier 32 (M32)elliptical galaxyAndromeda8.1
Triangulum Galaxy (M33)spiral galaxyTriangulum5.7
Messier 34 (M34)open clusterPerseus5.2
Messier 35 (M35)open clusterGemini5.1
Messier 36 (M36)open clusterAuriga6.0
Messier 37 (M37)open clusterAuriga5.6
Messier 38 (M38)open clusterAuriga6.4
Messier 39 (M39)open clusterCygnus4.6
Messier 40 (M40)double starUrsa Major8.4
Messier 41 (M41)open clusterCanis Major4.5
Orion Nebula (M42)emission nebulaOrion4.0
De Mairan's Nebula (M43)emission nebulaOrion9.0
Beehive Cluster (M44)open clusterCancer3.1
Pleiades (M45)open clusterTaurus1.6
Messier 46 (M46)open clusterPuppis6.1
Messier 47 (M47)open clusterPuppis4.4
Messier 48 (M48)open clusterHydra5.8
Messier 49 (M49)elliptical galaxyVirgo8.4
Messier 50 (M50)open clusterMonoceros5.9
Whirlpool Galaxy (M51)spiral galaxyCanes Venatici8.4
Messier 52 (M52)open clusterCassiopeia7.3
Messier 53 (M53)globular clusterComa Berenices7.8
Messier 54 (M54)globular clusterSagittarius7.6
Messier 55 (M55)globular clusterSagittarius6.5
Messier 56 (M56)globular clusterLyra8.1
Ring Nebula (M57)planetary nebulaLyra8.8
Messier 58 (M58)spiral galaxyVirgo9.7
Messier 59 (M59)elliptical galaxyVirgo9.6
Messier 60 (M60)elliptical galaxyVirgo9.2
Messier 61 (M61)spiral galaxyVirgo9.7
Messier 62 (M62)globular clusterOphiuchus7.4
Sunflower Galaxy (M63)spiral galaxyCanes Venatici8.6
Black Eye Galaxy (M64)spiral galaxyComa Berenices8.5
Messier 65 (M65)spiral galaxyLeo9.3
Messier 66 (M66)spiral galaxyLeo8.9
Messier 67 (M67)open clusterCancer7.6
Messier 68 (M68)globular clusterHydra8.0
Messier 69 (M69)globular clusterSagittarius8.3
Messier 70 (M70)globular clusterSagittarius9.1
Messier 71 (M71)globular clusterSagitta6.1
Messier 72 (M72)globular clusterAquarius9.0
Messier 73 (M73)asterismAquarius8.9
Phantom Galaxy (M74)spiral galaxyPisces9.5
Messier 75 (M75)globular clusterSagittarius8.3
Little Dumbbell Nebula (M76)planetary nebulaPerseus10.1
Messier 77 (M77)spiral galaxyCetus8.9
Messier 78 (M78)reflection nebulaOrion8.3
Messier 79 (M79)globular clusterLepus8.2
Messier 80 (M80)globular clusterScorpius7.3
Bode's Galaxy (M81)spiral galaxyUrsa Major6.9
Cigar Galaxy (M82)starburst galaxyUrsa Major8.4
Southern Pinwheel Galaxy (M83)spiral galaxyHydra7.5
Messier 84 (M84)elliptical galaxyVirgo9.1
Messier 85 (M85)elliptical galaxyComa Berenices9.1
Messier 86 (M86)elliptical galaxyVirgo8.9
Messier 87 (M87)elliptical galaxyVirgo8.6
Messier 88 (M88)spiral galaxyComa Berenices9.6
Messier 89 (M89)elliptical galaxyVirgo9.8
Messier 90 (M90)spiral galaxyVirgo9.5
Messier 91 (M91)spiral galaxyComa Berenices10.2
Messier 92 (M92)globular clusterHercules6.5
Messier 93 (M93)open clusterPuppis6.2
Messier 94 (M94)spiral galaxyCanes Venatici8.2
Messier 95 (M95)spiral galaxyLeo9.7
Messier 96 (M96)spiral galaxyLeo9.3
Owl Nebula (M97)planetary nebulaUrsa Major9.9
Messier 98 (M98)spiral galaxyComa Berenices10.1
Messier 99 (M99)spiral galaxyComa Berenices9.9
Messier 100 (M100)spiral galaxyComa Berenices9.4
Pinwheel Galaxy (M101)spiral galaxyUrsa Major7.9
Messier 102 (M102)lenticular galaxyDraco9.9
Messier 103 (M103)open clusterCassiopeia7.4
Sombrero Galaxy (M104)spiral galaxyVirgo8.0
Messier 105 (M105)elliptical galaxyLeo9.8
Messier 106 (M106)spiral galaxyCanes Venatici8.4
Messier 107 (M107)globular clusterOphiuchus8.9
Messier 108 (M108)spiral galaxyUrsa Major10.0
Messier 109 (M109)spiral galaxyUrsa Major9.8
Messier 110 (M110)elliptical galaxyAndromeda8.1

Frequently asked questions

How many Messier objects are there?

110: 40 galaxies, 12 nebulae and supernova remnants, 29 globular clusters, 27 open clusters and star clouds, 2 double stars and asterisms.

Which Messier object is the brightest?

Pleiades (M45) (magnitude 1.6), followed by Beehive Cluster (M44), Andromeda Galaxy (M31) and Ptolemy Cluster (M7).

Can I see Messier objects without a telescope?

About a dozen are visible to the naked eye under a dark sky, among them Andromeda Galaxy (M31), Orion Nebula (M42), Beehive Cluster (M44) and Hercules Globular Cluster (M13). Binoculars show most of the catalog.

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