Supernovae in Messier catalog galaxies

Supernovae which have been observed in Messier catalog galaxies

While exactly one Messier object (the Crab Nebula M1) is the remnant of a supernova explosion, and one of few observed in our own galaxy, the Milky Way, in pre-telescopic times, supernovae have occurred and been observed in more than half of the 40 galaxies in the modern Messier catalog. The record holder of the Messier galaxies, M83, has produced probably 6 observed supernovae; this is two SNe less than for the absolute record held by NGC 6946, which has produced 8 observed supernovae.

As of the time of this writing (September, 2007), the total number of supernovae discovered in Messier's galaxies has reached 48 (with one questionable), plus one non-SN former candidate (1986D in M82). Supernovae have occurred in 24 of the 40 galaxies (60%).

M31 (1): 1885A
M32 (0)
M33 (0)
M49 (1?): 1969Q?
M51 (2): 1994I, 2005cs
M58 (2): 1988A, 1989M
M59 (1): 1939B
M60 (1): 2004W
M61 (5): 1926A, 1961I, 1964F, 1999gn, 2006ov
M63 (1): 1971I
M64 (0)
M65 (0)
M66 (3): 1973R, 1989B, 1997bs
M74 (2): 2002ap, 2003gd
M77 (0)
M81 (1): 1993J
M82 (1): 2004am
M83 (6): 1923A, 1945B, 1950B, 1957D, 1968L, 1983N
M84 (2): 1957B, 1980I, 1991bg
M85 (1): 1960R
M86 (0)
M87 (1): 1919A
M88 (1): 1999cl
M89 (0)
M90 (0)
M91 (0)
M94 (0)
M95 (0)
M96 (1): 1998bu
M98 (0)
M99 (3): 1967H, 1972Q, 1986I
M100 (5): 1901B, 1914A, 1959E, 1979C, 2006X
M101 (3): 1909A, 1951H, 1970G
M102 (NGC 5866) (0)
M104 (0)
M105 (0)
M106 (1): 1981K
M108 (1): 1969B
M109 (NGC 3992) (1): 1956A
M110 (0)

Also note our Supernovae in Messier Galaxies page, which lists the supernovae by time of occurrance, and gives some more information on them.

Supernovae which have been observed in Messier catalog galaxies

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