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| The Messier Objects | |
| Object Info | Overview | |
What is the Messier Catalogue?
First of all, the creator, Charles Messier, was a comet hunter. He was a French astronomer who lived from 1730 - 1817. His original intention was to help prevent other comet hunters from mixing up comets and some of the other deep-space objects. Charles Messier did not put together the entire Messier Catalogue. Some of it was done after his death by his collegial friend, Pierre Mechain. Together they created the best all-around catalogue.
Secondly, the contents include 110 of the best deep space objects. There are 11 nebula, 40 galaxies, and 56 star clusters. There are three other object that are not deep sky objects at all; they are a star cloud, double star and a system of four stars. There is a controversy over m102. Some people say it is the same as m101, although there is a replacement, NGC5866. All 110 objects in the Messier Catalogue are spectacular sights.
Finally, all 110 of the Messier objects can be seen through a small telescope. They are all easy to find, as long as you have a good star chart. If you really want a challenge you can try and observe all of the objects in one night. The only time that can be done is during March. Observing all of the objects during one night is called a Messier Marathon.
