Messier Objects in the Milky Way Galaxy

Most of the 70 Messier objects which are not galaxies are part or member of the Milky Way galaxy of some kind; the only probable exception being globular cluster M54 which belongs to the nearest neighbor galaxy, SagDEG. Basically, all the diffuse nebulae and open star clusters as well as supernova remnants trace the spiral arms of our galaxy, while the globular clusters populate the galactic bulge with a strong concentration toward the Galactic center, and the planetary nebulae are somewhat an intermediate object class and occur in both; the four Messier planetaries happen to be situated not far from the disk and situated either within or close to the spiral arms (more acurately, our Local or Orion Arm).

Spiral Arms traced by Messier Objects:

"+I", Perseus Arm
"0", Local Arm, Orion Arm
"-I", Sagittarius Arm, Sagittarius-Carina Arm

Perseus Arm

Object             Con Type  RA  (2000) Dec  dist

 M 52    NGC 7654  Cas  OC   23:24.2 +61:35   5.0
 M103    NGC  581  Cas  OC   01:33.2 +60:42   8.0
 M 38 *  NGC 1912  Aur  OC   05:28.4 +35:50   4.2
 M  1    NGC 1952  Tau  SNR  05:34.5 +22:01   6.3
 M 36 *  NGC 1960  Aur  OC   05:36.1 +34:08   4.1
 M 37 *  NGC 2099  Aur  OC   05:52.4 +32:33   4.4

Orion Arm

Object             Con Type  RA  (2000) Dec  dist

 M  6    NGC 6405  Sco  OC   17:40.1 -32:13   2    
 M  7    NGC 6475  Sco  OC   17:53.9 -34:49   0.8  
 M 23    NGC 6494  Sgr  OC   17:56.8 -19:01   2.15 
 M 25     IC 4725  Sgr  OC   18:31.6 -19:15   2    
 M 57    NGC 6720  Lyr  PN   18:53.6 +33:02   2.3  
 M 27    NGC 6853  Vul  PN   19:59.6 +22:43   1.25 
 M 29    NGC 6913  Cyg  OC   20:23.9 +38:32   4.0  
 M 73    NGC 6994  Aqr  OC?  20:58.9 -12:38   2.0  
 M 39    NGC 7092  Cyg  OC   21:32.2 +48:26   0.825
 M 76    NGC  650  Per  PN   01:42.4 +51:34   3.4  
 M 34    NGC 1039  Per  OC   02:42.0 +42:47   1.4  
 M 45              Tau  C+N  03:47.0 +24:07   0.38 
 M 42    NGC 1976  Ori  DN   05:35.4 -05:27   1.6  
 M 43    NGC 1982  Ori  DN   05:35.6 -05:16   1.6  
 M 78    NGC 2068  Ori  DN   05:46.7 +00:03   1.6  
 M 35    NGC 2168  Gem  OC   06:08.9 +24:20   2.8  
 M 41    NGC 2287  CMa  OC   06:46.0 -20:44   2.3  
 M 50    NGC 2323  Mon  OC   07:03.2 -08:20   3    
 M 47    NGC 2422  Pup  OC   07:36.6 -14:30   1.6  
 M 46    NGC 2437  Pup  OC   07:41.8 -14:49   5.4  
 M 93    NGC 2447  Pup  OC   07:44.6 -23:52   3.6  
 M 48    NGC 2548  Hya  OC   08:13.8 -05:48   1.5  
 M 44    NGC 2632  Cnc  OC   08:40.1 +19:59   0.577
 M 67    NGC 2682  Cnc  OC   08:50.4 +11:49   2.7  
 M 97    NGC 3587  UMa  PN   11:14.8 +55:01   2.6  
 M 40              UMa  DS   12:22.4 +58:05   0.51

Sagittarius Arm

Object             Con Type  RA  (2000) Dec  dist

 M 20    NGC 6514  Sgr  DN   18:02.6 -23:02   5.2   
 M  8    NGC 6523  Sgr  DN   18:03.8 -24:23   5.2   
 M 21    NGC 6531  Sgr  OC   18:04.6 -22:30   4.25  
 M 24     IC 4715? Sgr  MWP  18:16.9 -18:29  10-15
         NGC 6603  Sgr  OC   18:18.4 -18:25  10
 M 16    NGC 6611  Ser  C/N  18:18.8 -13:47   7     
 M 18    NGC 6613  Sgr  OC   18:19.9 -17:08   4.9   
 M 17    NGC 6618  Sgr  DN   18:20.8 -16:11   5     
 M 26    NGC 6694  Sct  OC   18:45.2 -09:24   5     
 M 11 *  NGC 6705  Sct  OC   18:51.1 -06:16   6

Halo Globular Clusters

Object             Con Type  RA  (2000) Dec  dist

 M 79(*) NGC 1904  Lep  GC   05:24.5 -24:33  42.1
 M 68    NGC 4590  Hya  GC   12:39.5 -26:45  33.3
 M 53    NGC 5024  Com  GC   13:12.9 +18:10  59.7  
 M  3    NGC 5272  CVn  GC   13:42.2 +28:23  33.9  
 M  5    NGC 5904  Ser  GC   15:18.6 +02:05  24.5  
 M 80    NGC 6093  Sco  GC   16:17.0 -22:59  32.6
 M  4    NGC 6121  Sco  GC   16:23.6 -26:32   7.2  
 M107    NGC 6171  Oph  GC   16:32.5 -13:03  20.9
 M 13    NGC 6205  Her  GC   16:41.7 +36:28  25.1  
 M 12    NGC 6218  Oph  GC   16:47.2 -01:57  16.0  
 M 10    NGC 6254  Oph  GC   16:57.1 -04:06  14.4
 M 62    NGC 6266  Oph  GC   17:01.2 -30:07  22.5
 M 19    NGC 6273  Oph  GC   17:02.6 -26:16  28.4  
 M 92    NGC 6341  Her  GC   17:17.1 +43:08  26.7
 M  9    NGC 6333  Oph  GC   17:19.2 -18:31  26.7
 M 14    NGC 6402  Oph  GC   17:37.6 -03:15  29.0  
 M 28    NGC 6626  Sgr  GC   18:24.5 -24:52  18.6  
 M 69    NGC 6637  Sgr  GC   18:31.4 -32:21  28.0
 M 22    NGC 6656  Sgr  GC   18:36.4 -23:54  10.4
 M 70    NGC 6681  Sgr  GC   18:43.2 -32:18  29.4
 M 54(*) NGC 6715  Sgr  GC   18:55.1 -30:29  88.7  
 M 56    NGC 6779  Lyr  GC   19:16.6 +30:11  32.9
 M 55    NGC 6809  Sgr  GC   19:40.0 -30:58  17.6
 M 71    NGC 6838  Sge  GC   19:53.8 +18:47  12.7
 M 75    NGC 6864  Sgr  GC   20:06.1 -21:55  61.3
 M 72    NGC 6981  Aqr  GC   20:53.5 -12:32  55.4
 M 15    NGC 7078  Peg  GC   21:30.0 +12:10  33.6  
 M  2    NGC 7089  Aqr  GC   21:33.5 -00:49  37.5  
 M 30    NGC 7099  Cap  GC   21:40.4 -23:11  26.1

Notes:

"*": M36, M37 and M38 as well as M11 are sometimes listed as in the Orion Arm
"(*)": M79 and M54 are probably recent immigrants to the Milky Way galaxy's globular cluster system, coming from nearby dwarf galaxies that are currently in close encounters with our Galaxy, and in the process of disintegration: M79 from the Canis Major Dwarf, and M54 from SagDEG.

Links:

Map of Star Clusters and Nebulae within 10,000 light years, by Richard Powell. From his "An Atlas of the Universe" project.

Hartmut Frommert
Christine Kronberg
[contact]

Last Modification: November 24, 2003