Messier Object Data as estimated by Don Machholz

While a more or less homogeneous data collection of the Messier objects is hardly available from professional sources, amateur Don Machholz has estimated apparent visual magnitudes and apparent angular diameters of all Messier objects under about the same conditions, with a 6-inch reflector. It is remarkable that according to his estimate, all objects ar brighter than apparent magnitude 10, which might explain that Messier could observe them all. His estimates are compared here to the values used in our database.
Type:
1=Open Cluster, 2=Globular Cluster, 3=Planetary Nebula, 4=Diffuse Nebula, 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 2000.0
dec:
declination in degrees minutes. Epoch 2000.0
m:
apparent visual magnitude, value in our database
m_M:
apparent visual magnitude, as estiamted by Don Machholz
D:
apparent (angular) diameter in arc minutes, value in our database
D_M:
apparent (angular) diameter in arc minutes, as estiamted by Don Machholz 

Link  M#   NGC# Con Type  ra    dec    m   m_M     D     D_M


  M1  001  1952 Tau 9 05 34.5 +22 01  8.4  8.7    6x4     7x4
  M2  002  7089 Aqr 2 21 33.5 -00 49  6.5  7.0   12.9     8
  M3  003  5272 CVn 2 13 42.2 +28 23  6.2  6.4   16.2     8
  M4  004  6121 Sco 2 16 23.6 -26 32  5.6  6.9   26.3    14
  M5  005  5904 Ser 2 15 18.6 +02 05  5.6  6.2   17.4    10
  M6  006  6405 Sco 1 17 40.1 -32 13  5.3  5.3   15.0    30x24
  M7  007  6475 Sco 1 17 53.9 -34 49  4.1  5.0   80.0    32x26
  M8  008  6523 Sgr 4 18 03.8 -24 23  6.0  6.3   60x35   25x20
  M9  009  6333 Oph 2 17 19.2 -18 31  7.7  7.3    9.3     4
 M10  010  6254 Oph 2 16 57.1 -04 06  6.6  6.7   15.1     9
                                                                                   
 M11  011  6705 Sct 1 18 51.1 -06 16  6.3  6.0   14.0     8
 M12  012  6218 Oph 2 16 47.2 -01 57  6.7  6.8   14.5     8
 M13  013  6205 Her 2 16 41.7 +36 28  5.8  6.2   16.6    13
 M14  014  6402 Oph 2 17 37.6 -03 15  7.6  7.7   11.7     8
 M15  015  7078 Peg 2 21 30.0 +12 10  6.2  7.4   12.3     7
 M16  016  6611 Ser 1 18 18.8 -13 47  6.4  7.1    7.0    25x25
 M17  017  6618 Sgr 4 18 20.8 -16 11  7.0  6.6   11.0    15x8
 M18  018  6613 Sgr 1 18 19.9 -17 08  7.5  7.1    9.0     8x6
 M19  019  6273 Oph 2 17 02.6 -26 16  6.8  7.9   13.5     6
 M20  020  6514 Sgr 4 18 02.6 -23 02  9.0  6.8   28.0    16x10
                                                                                   
 M21  021  6531 Sgr 1 18 04.6 -22 30  6.5  7.5   13.0     7x4
 M22  022  6656 Sgr 2 18 36.4 -23 54  5.1  5.4   24.0    17
 M23  023  6494 Sgr 1 17 56.8 -19 01  6.9  6.2   27.0    20x15
 M24  024 >6603 Sgr B 18 16.9 -18 29  4.6  4.5   90      80x35
 M25  025 I4725 Sgr 1 18 31.6 -19 15  6.5  5.9   40.0    35x30
 M26  026  6694 Sct 1 18 45.2 -09 24  8.0  7.8   15.0     7
 M27  027  6853 Vul 3 19 59.6 +22 43  7.4  8.8  8.0x5.7   7
 M28  028  6626 Sgr 2 18 24.5 -24 52  6.8  8.4   11.2     5
 M29  029  6913 Cyg 1 20 23.9 +38 32  7.1  7.4    7.0     7
 M30  030  7099 Cap 2 21 40.4 -23 11  7.2  8.4   11.0     4
                                                                          
 M31  031   224 And 5 00 42.7 +41 16  3.4  4.5  178x63  145x20
 M32  032   221 And 6 00 42.7 +40 52  8.1  8.6    8x6     2
 M33  033   598 Tri 5 01 33.9 +30 39  5.7  6.2   73x45   22x18
 M34  034  1039 Per 1 02 42.0 +42 47  5.5  6.3   35.0    25x15
 M35  035  2168 Gem 1 06 08.9 +24 20  5.3  4.8   28.0    25x18
 M36  036  1960 Aur 1 05 36.1 +34 08  6.3  5.8   12.0    13
 M37  037  2099 Aur 1 05 52.4 +32 33  6.2  6.2   24.0    18
 M38  038  1922 Aur 1 05 28.4 +35 50  7.4  6.0   21.0    11
 M39  039  7092 Cyg 1 21 32.2 +48 26  4.6  5.4   32.0    30x20
 M40  040  Win4 UMa C 12 22.4 +58 05  8.4  8.7    0.8     1
                                                                                   
 M41  041  2287 CMa 1 06 46.0 -20 44  4.6  5.8   38.0    25
 M42  042  1976 Ori 4 05 35.4 -05 27  4.0  4.3   85x60   40x30
 M43  043  1982 Ori 4 05 35.6 -05 16  9.0  8.3   20x15    5
 M44  044  2632 Cnc 1 08 40.1 +19 59  3.7  3.3   95.0    60x50
 M45  045     - Tau 1 03 47.0 +24 07  1.6  2.0  110.0    70x40
 M46  046  2437 Pup 1 07 41.8 -14 49  6.0  6.7   27.0    18x15
 M47  047  2422 Pup 1 07 36.6 -14 30  5.2  5.6   30.0    17x12
 M48  048  2548 Hya 1 08 13.8 -05 48  5.5  6.2   54.0    40x35
 M49  049  4472 Vir 6 12 29.8 +08 00  8.4  8.6    9x7.5   4
 M50  050  2323 Mon 1 07 03.2 -08 20  6.3  7.1   16.0     8x6
                                                                                   
 M51  051  5194 CVn 5 13 29.9 +47 12  8.4  7.9   11x7    14x11
 M52  052  7654 Cas 1 23 24.2 +61 35  7.3  7.6   13.0     9x7
 M53  053  5024 Com 2 13 12.9 +18 10  7.6  7.4   12.6     3
 M54  054  6715 Sgr 2 18 55.1 -30 29  7.6  8.2    9.1     2
 M55  055  6809 Sgr 2 19 40.0 -30 58  6.3  6.1   19.0    12
 M56  056  6779 Lyr 2 19 16.6 +30 11  8.3  9.1    7.1     5
 M57  057  6720 Lyr 3 18 53.6 +33 02  8.8  8.8  1.4x1.0   2
 M58  058  4579 Vir 5 12 37.7 +11 49  9.7  9.2  5.5x4.5   4
 M59  059  4621 Vir 6 12 42.0 +11 39  9.6  9.4    5x3.5   3x2
 M60  060  4649 Vir 6 12 43.7 +11 33  8.8  9.2    7x6     4x3
                                                                                   
 M61  061  4303 Vir 5 12 21.9 +04 28  9.7  9.0    6x5.5   5
 M62  062  6266 Oph 2 17 01.2 -30 07  6.5  8.1   14.1     5
 M63  063  5055 CVn 5 13 15.8 +42 02  8.6  8.7   10x6     8x4
 M64  064  4826 Com 5 12 56.7 +21 41  8.5  8.7  9.3x5.4   8x4
 M65  065  3623 Leo 5 11 18.9 +13 05  9.3  8.9    8x1.5  11x4
 M66  066  3627 Leo 5 11 20.2 +12 59  8.9  8.6    8x2.5   9x5
 M67  067  2682 Cnc 1 08 50.4 +11 49  6.1  7.6   30.0    12x10
 M68  068  4590 Hya 2 12 39.5 -26 45  7.8  8.4   12.0     5
 M69  069  6637 Sgr 2 18 31.4 -32 21  7.6  7.9    7.1     3
 M70  070  6681 Sgr 2 18 43.2 -32 18  7.9  8.4    7.8     2
                                                                          
 M71  071  6838 Sge 2 19 53.8 +18 47  8.2  8.8    7.2     7
 M72  072  6981 Aqr 2 20 53.5 -12 32  9.3  9.0    5.9     4
 M73  073  6994 Aqr A 20 58.9 -12 38  9.0  9.5    2.8     2
 M74  074   628 Psc 5 01 36.7 +15 47  9.4  9.5 10.2x9.5   9
 M75  075  6864 Sgr 2 20 06.1 -21 55  8.5  8.7    6.0     2
 M76  076   650 Per 3 01 42.4 +51 34 10.1  9.6  2.7x1.8   3x2
 M77  077  1068 Cet 5 02 42.7 -00 01  8.9  8.9    7x6     2
 M78  078  2068 Ori 4 05 46.7 +00 03  8.3  8.4    8x6     8
 M79  079  1904 Lep 2 05 24.5 -24 33  7.7  8.1    8.7     3
 M80  080  6093 Sco 2 16 17.0 -22 59  7.3  8.1    8.9     3
                                                                          
 M81  081  3031 UMa 5 09 55.6 +69 04  6.9  8.2   21x10    9x3
 M82  082  3034 UMa 7 09.55.8 +69 41  8.4  8.3    9x4     9x2
 M83  083  5236 Hya 5 13 37.0 -29 52  7.6  7.9   11x10   10x7
 M84  084  4374 Vir 8 12 25.1 +12 53  9.1  8.8    5.0     5
 M85  085  4382 Com 8 12 25.4 +18 11  9.1  8.9  7.1x5.2   4
 M86  086  4406 Vir 8 12 26.2 +12 57  8.9  8.8  7.5x5.5   5
 M87  087  4486 Vir 6 12 30.8 +12 24  8.6  8.7    7.0     5
 M88  088  4501 Com 5 12 32.0 +14 25  9.6  9.4    7x4     8x3
 M89  089  4552 Vir 6 12 35.7 +12 33  9.8  9.1    4.0     3
 M90  090  4569 Vir 5 12 36.8 +13 10  9.5  9.3  9.5x4.5   6x2
                                                                          
 M91  091  4548 Com 5 12 35.4 +14 30 10.2  9.9  5.4x4.4   3
 M92  092  6341 Her 2 17 17.1 +43 08  6.4  6.9   11.2     8
 M93  093  2447 Pup 1 07 44.6 -23 52  6.0  5.8   22.0    12x8
 M94  094  4736 CVn 5 12 50.9 +41 07  8.2  8.4    7x3     4
 M95  095  3351 Leo 5 10 44.0 +11 42  9.7  9.5  4.4x3.3   7
 M96  096  3368 Leo 5 10 46.8 +11 49  9.2  9.1    6x4     8x4
 M97  097  3587 UMa 3 11 14.8 +55 01  9.9  9.7  3.4x3.3   6
 M98  098  4192 Com 5 12 13.8 +14 54 10.1  9.8  9.5x3.2   8x3
 M99  099  4254 Com 5 12 18.8 +14 25  9.9  9.4  5.4x4.8   6
M100  100  4321 Com 5 12 22.9 +15 49  9.3  9.6    7x6     7
                                                                          
M101  101  5457 UMa 5 14 03.2 +54 21  7.9  8.8   22.0    14
M102? 102? 5866 Dra 8 15 06.5 +55 46  9.9  9.6  5.2x2.3   4x2
M103  103   581 Cas 1 01 33.2 +60 42  7.4  7.0    6.0     8
M104  104  4594 Vir 5 12 40.0 -11 37  8.0  8.8    9x4     7x4
M105  105  3379 Leo 6 10 47.8 +12 35  9.3  9.1    2.0     4
M106  106  4258 CVn 5 12 19.0 +47 18  8.4  8.8   19x8    11x5
M107  107  6171 Oph 2 16 32.5 -13 03  7.9  9.0   10.0     5
M108  108  3556 UMa 5 11 11.5 +55 40 10.0  9.4    8x1     7x2
M109  109  3992 UMa 5 11 57.6 +53 23  9.8  9.6    7x4     4
M110  110   205 And 6 00 40.4 +41 41  8.5  8.7   17x10   10x8
Hartmut Frommert
Christine Kronberg
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Last Modification: February 14, 1998