Messier Objects

Messier Objects with Data

Type:: 1=Open Cluster, 2=Globular Cluster, 3=Planetary Nebula, 4=Starforming Nebula (with open cluster), 5=Spiral Galaxy, 6=Elliptical Galaxy, 7=Irregular Galaxy, 8=Lenticular (S0) Galaxy, 9=Supernova Remnant, A=System of 4 stars or Asterism, B=Milky Way Patch, C=Binary star.
ra:: right ascension in hours minutes.decimal seconds. Epoch is 2000.0
dec:: declination in degrees minutes. Epoch is 2000.0
B:: apparent visual magnitude
D:: apparent (angular) dimension in arc minutes
d:: distance in kilo-light-years
 Image        M#  NGC# Con Type  ra   dec   B     D      d

  M1  001  1952 Tau 9 05 34.5 +22 01  8.4    6x4        6.3      
                                                                                                                      
  M2  002  7089 Aqr 2 21 33.5 -00 49  6.5   12.9       37.9      
                                                                                                                      
  M3  003  5272 CVn 2 13 42.2 +28 23  6.2   16.2       33.9      
                                                                                                                      
  M4  004  6121 Sco 2 16 23.6 -26 32  5.6   26.3        7.2      
                                                                                                                      
  M5  005  5904 Ser 2 15 18.6 +02 05  5.6   17.4       24.5      
                                                                                                                      
  M6  006  6405 Sco 1 17 40.1 -32 13  4.2   25.0        1.6      
                                                                                                                      
  M7  007  6475 Sco 1 17 53.9 -34 49  4.1   80.0        0.8      
                                                                                                                     
  M8  008  6523 Sgr 4 18 03.8 -24 23  6.0   90x40       5.2      
                                                                                                                      
  M9  009  6333 Oph 2 17 19.2 -18 31  7.7    9.3       26.7      

 M10  010  6254 Oph 2 16 57.1 -04 06  6.6   15.1       14.4      
                                                                                                                       
 M11  011  6705 Sct 1 18 51.1 -06 16  6.3   14.0        6        
                                                                                                                       
 M12  012  6218 Oph 2 16 47.2 -01 57  6.7   14.5       16.0      
                                                                                                                       
 M13  013  6205 Her 2 16 41.7 +36 28  5.8   16.6       25.1      
                                                                                                                       
 M14  014  6402 Oph 2 17 37.6 -03 15  7.6   11.7       29.0      
                                                                                                                       
 M15  015  7078 Peg 2 21 30.0 +12 10  6.2   12.3       33.6      
                                                                                                                       
 M16  016  6611 Ser 1 18 18.8 -13 47  6.4    7.0        7        
                                                                                                                       
 M17  017  6618 Sgr 4 18 20.8 -16 11  7.0   11.0        5        
                                                                                                                       
 M18  018  6613 Sgr 1 18 19.9 -17 08  7.5    9.0        4.9      
                                                                                                                       
 M19  019  6273 Oph 2 17 02.6 -26 16  6.8   13.5       28.4      
                                                                                                                       
 M20  020  6514 Sgr 4 18 02.6 -23 02  9.0   28.0        5.2      
                                                                                                                       
 M21  021  6531 Sgr 1 18 04.6 -22 30  6.5   13.0        4.25       
                                                                                                                       
 M22  022  6656 Sgr 2 18 36.4 -23 54  5.1   24.0       10.4      
                                                                                                                       
 M23  023  6494 Sgr 1 17 56.8 -19 01  6.9   27.0        2.15     
                                                                                                                       
 M24  024 >6603 Sgr B 18 16.9 -18 29  4.6   90         10       
                                                                                                                       
 M25  025 I4725 Sgr 1 18 31.6 -19 15  4.6   32.0        2        
                                                                                                                       
 M26  026  6694 Sct 1 18 45.2 -09 24  8.0   15.0        5        
                                                                                                                       
 M27  027  6853 Vul 3 19 59.6 +22 43  7.4  8.0x5.7      1.25     
                                                                                                                       
 M28  028  6626 Sgr 2 18 24.5 -24 52  6.8   11.2       18.6      
                                                                                                                       
 M29  029  6913 Cyg 1 20 23.9 +38 32  7.1    7.0        4.0      
                                                                                                                       
 M30  030  7099 Cap 2 21 40.4 -23 11  7.2   11.0       26.1      
                                                                                                                       
 M31  031   224 And 5 00 42.7 +41 16  3.4  178x63    2900        
                                                                                                                       
 M32  032   221 And 6 00 42.7 +40 52  8.1    8x6     2900        
                                                                                                                       
 M33  033   598 Tri 5 01 33.9 +30 39  5.7   73x45    3000        
                                                                                                                       
 M34  034  1039 Per 1 02 42.0 +42 47  5.5   35.0        1.4      
                                                                                                                       
 M35  035  2168 Gem 1 06 08.9 +24 20  5.3   28.0        2.8      
                                                                                                                       
 M36  036  1960 Aur 1 05 36.1 +34 08  6.3   12.0        4.1      
                                                                                                                       
 M37  037  2099 Aur 1 05 52.4 +32 33  6.2   24.0        4.4      
                                                                                                                       
 M38  038  1912 Aur 1 05 28.4 +35 50  7.4   21.0        4.2      
                                                                                                                       
 M39  039  7092 Cyg 1 21 32.2 +48 26  4.6   32.0        0.825    
                                                                                                                       
 M40  040  Win4 UMa C 12 22.4 +58 05  8.4    0.8        0.51      
                                                                                                                       
 M41  041  2287 CMa 1 06 46.0 -20 44  4.6   38.0        2.3      
                                                                                                                       
 M42  042  1976 Ori 4 05 35.4 -05 27  4.0   85x60       1.6      
                                                                                                                       
 M43  043  1982 Ori 4 05 35.6 -05 16  9.0   20x15       1.6      
                                                                                                                       
 M44  044  2632 Cnc 1 08 40.1 +19 59  3.7   95.0        0.577    
                                                                                                                       
 M45  045     - Tau 1 03 47.0 +24 07  1.6  110.0        0.38     
                                                                                                                       
 M46  046  2437 Pup 1 07 41.8 -14 49  6.0   27.0        5.4      
                                                                                                                       
 M47  047  2422 Pup 1 07 36.6 -14 30  5.2   30.0        1.6      
                                                                                                                       
 M48  048  2548 Hya 1 08 13.8 -05 48  5.5   54.0        1.5      
                                                                                                                       
 M49  049  4472 Vir 6 12 29.8 +08 00  8.4    9x7.5  60000        
                                                                                                                       
 M50  050  2323 Mon 1 07 03.2 -08 20  6.3   16.0        3        
                                                                                                                       
 M51  051  5194 CVn 5 13 29.9 +47 12  8.4   11x7    37000        
                                                                                                                       
 M52  052  7654 Cas 1 23 24.2 +61 35  7.3   13.0        5.0      
                                                                                                                       
 M53  053  5024 Com 2 13 12.9 +18 10  7.6   12.6       59.7      
                                                                                                                       
 M54  054  6715 Sgr 2 18 55.1 -30 29  7.6    9.1       88.7      
                                                                                                                       
 M55  055  6809 Sgr 2 19 40.0 -30 58  6.3   19.0       17.6      
                                                                                                                       
 M56  056  6779 Lyr 2 19 16.6 +30 11  8.3    7.1       32.9      
                                                                                                                       
 M57  057  6720 Lyr 3 18 53.6 +33 02  8.8  1.4x1.0      2.3      
                                                                                                                       
 M58  058  4579 Vir 5 12 37.7 +11 49  9.7  5.5x4.5  60000        
                                                                                                                       
 M59  059  4621 Vir 6 12 42.0 +11 39  9.6    5x3.5  60000        
                                                                                                                       
 M60  060  4649 Vir 6 12 43.7 +11 33  8.8    7x6    60000        
                                                                                                                       
 M61  061  4303 Vir 5 12 21.9 +04 28  9.7    6x5.5  60000        
                                                                                                                       
 M62  062  6266 Oph 2 17 01.2 -30 07  6.5   14.1       22.5      
                                                                                                                       
 M63  063  5055 CVn 5 13 15.8 +42 02  8.6   10x6    37000        
                                                                                                                       
 M64  064  4826 Com 5 12 56.7 +21 41  8.5  9.3x5.4  19000
                                                                                                                       
 M65  065  3623 Leo 5 11 18.9 +13 05  9.3    8x1.5  35000        
                                                                                                                       
 M66  066  3627 Leo 5 11 20.2 +12 59  8.9    8x2.5  35000        
                                                                                                                       
 M67  067  2682 Cnc 1 08 50.4 +11 49  6.1   30.0        2.7      
                                                                                                                       
 M68  068  4590 Hya 2 12 39.5 -26 45  7.8   12.0       33.3      
                                                                                                                       
 M69  069  6637 Sgr 2 18 31.4 -32 21  7.6    7.1       28.0      
                                                                                                                       
 M70  070  6681 Sgr 2 18 43.2 -32 18  7.9    7.8       29.4      
                                                                                                                       
 M71  071  6838 Sge 2 19 53.8 +18 47  8.2    7.2       12.7      
                                                                                                                       
 M72  072  6981 Aqr 2 20 53.5 -12 32  9.3    5.9       55.4      
                                                                                                                       
 M73  073  6994 Aqr A 20 58.9 -12 38  9.0    2.8        2.0        
                                                                                                                       
 M74  074   628 Psc 5 01 36.7 +15 47  9.4 10.2x9.5  35000        
                                                                                                                       
 M75  075  6864 Sgr 2 20 06.1 -21 55  8.5    6.0       61.3      
                                                                                                                       
 M76  076   650 Per 3 01 42.4 +51 34 10.1  2.7x1.8      3.4      
                                                                                                                       
 M77  077  1068 Cet 5 02 42.7 -00 01  8.9    7x6    60000        
                                                                                                                       
 M78  078  2068 Ori 4 05 46.7 +00 03  8.3    8x6        1.6      
                                                                                                                       
 M79  079  1904 Lep 2 05 24.5 -24 33  7.7    8.7       42.1      
                                                                                                                       
 M80  080  6093 Sco 2 16 17.0 -22 59  7.3    8.9       32.6      
                                                                                                                       
 M81  081  3031 UMa 5 09 55.6 +69 04  6.9   21x10   12000        
                                                                                                                       
 M82  082  3034 UMa 7 09 55.8 +69 41  8.4    9x4    12000        
                                                                                                                       
 M83  083  5236 Hya 5 13 37.0 -29 52  7.6   11x10   15000        
                                                                                                                       
 M84  084  4374 Vir 8 12 25.1 +12 53  9.1    5.0    60000        
                                                                                                                       
 M85  085  4382 Com 8 12 25.4 +18 11  9.1  7.1x5.2  60000        
                                                                                                                       
 M86  086  4406 Vir 8 12 26.2 +12 57  8.9  7.5x5.5  60000        
                                                                                                                       
 M87  087  4486 Vir 6 12 30.8 +12 24  8.6    7.0    60000        
                                                                                                                       
 M88  088  4501 Com 5 12 32.0 +14 25  9.6    7x4    60000        
                                                                                                                       
 M89  089  4552 Vir 6 12 35.7 +12 33  9.8    4.0    60000        
                                                                                                                       
 M90  090  4569 Vir 5 12 36.8 +13 10  9.5  9.5x4.5  60000        
                                                                                                                       
 M91  091  4548 Com 5 12 35.4 +14 30 10.2  5.4x4.4  60000        
                                                                                                                       
 M92  092  6341 Her 2 17 17.1 +43 08  6.4   11.2       26.7      
                                                                                                                       
 M93  093  2447 Pup 1 07 44.6 -23 52  6.0   22.0        3.6      
                                                                                                                       
 M94  094  4736 CVn 5 12 50.9 +41 07  8.2    7x3    14500        
                                                                                                                       
 M95  095  3351 Leo 5 10 44.0 +11 42  9.7  4.4x3.3  38000        
                                                                                                                       
 M96  096  3368 Leo 5 10 46.8 +11 49  9.2    6x4    38000        
                                                                                                                       
 M97  097  3587 UMa 3 11 14.8 +55 01  9.9  3.4x3.3      2.6      
                                                                                                                       
 M98  098  4192 Com 5 12 13.8 +14 54 10.1  9.5x3.2  60000        
                                                                                                                       
 M99  099  4254 Com 5 12 18.8 +14 25  9.9  5.4x4.8  60000        

M100  100  4321 Com 5 12 22.9 +15 49  9.3    7x6    60000        
                                                                                                                          
M101  101  5457 UMa 5 14 03.2 +54 21  7.9   22.0    27000        
                                                                                                                          
M102? 102? 5866 Dra 8 15 06.5 +55 46  9.9  5.2x2.3  40000    

M103  103   581 Cas 1 01 33.2 +60 42  7.4    6.0        8.5    
                                                                                                                        
M104  104  4594 Vir 5 12 40.0 -11 37  8.0    9x4    50000      
                                                                                                                      
M105  105  3379 Leo 6 10 47.8 +12 35  9.3    2.0    38000      
                                                                                                                      
M106  106  4258 CVn 5 12 19.0 +47 18  8.4   19x8    25000      
                                                                                                                      
M107  107  6171 Oph 2 16 32.5 -13 03  7.9   10.0       20.9    
                                                                                                                      
M108  108  3556 UMa 5 11 11.5 +55 40 10.0    8x1    45000      
                                                                                                                      
M109  109  3992 UMa 5 11 57.6 +53 23  9.8    7x4    55000      
                                                                                                                      
M110  110   205 And 6 00 40.4 +41 41  8.5   17x10    2900
Homogenous data for all the Messier objects of their various types are plainly unavailable from professional sources, so our compilation is necessarily preliminary and far from being perfect, even if we completely disregard the generally poor availability of acurate distances. An amateur attempt was undertaken by Don Machholz, who determined apparent visual brightness (in magnitudes) and apparent diameters (in arc minutes) in his booklet, Messier Marathon Observer's Guide; look at his list.
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Hartmut Frommert
Christine Kronberg
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Last Modification: August 22, 2007