Messier catalog

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The Messier catalog is a listing of 110 stationary astronomical objects (mainly galaxies , star clusters, and nebulae ) that appear foggy and are not comets. It is the first in a long series of fog catalogs .

The French astronomer Charles Messier published this catalog for the first time in 1771. It contained 45 objects. After mediation by Jérôme Lalande , there was a collaboration with Pierre Méchain , with whose help the catalog grew to 103 objects in two further publications by 1784. It was later "filled" up to 110 objects by science historians. Most of the catalog items had not been known before.

The Messier catalog was and is of great practical importance. It was one of the starting points for the systematic exploration of galaxies, nebulae and star clusters. The numbers given by him are still the usual designation for many important celestial objects.

History of origin

Charles Messier's research interest was “comet hunting”. By 1801 he had discovered the impressive number of 20 new comets . In his search for comets he repeatedly came across diffuse “spots” that looked similar to comets, but in contrast to comets did not noticeably change their position in the sky. This non-existent proper motion indicated that these are objects far outside the solar system.

In order to avoid confusion and in order not to waste time on these objects in the further search for a comet, Messier created a catalog of foggy objects, whose position and visible properties he recorded. Catalog number 1, in today's parlance "Messier 1" or M1 , was given to the Crab Nebula (Crab Nebula) in the constellation Taurus . The other objects were numbered in the order in which they were added to the catalog. The Andromeda galaxy , a galaxy in the constellation Andromeda , for example, is called M31 .

The actual catalog ultimately contained the objects M1 to M103 and was published in three parts:

  • in 1774: M1 to M45 in Mémoires de l'Academie 1771 ,
  • in 1780: M1 to M70 in Connaissance des temps 1783 and
  • in 1781: M1 to M103 in Connaissance des temps 1784 .

Today the Messier catalog also includes objects M104 to M110:

  • M104 was handwritten by Messier in his own copy of his catalog.
  • In 1781 and 1782 Méchain discovered the objects M105 to M109 and were mentioned in a letter to Johann III Bernoulli . Messier himself mentioned M108 and M109 in his description of the M97 object , but for unknown reasons did not include them as independent objects in his catalog.

All of these objects were only added to the Messier catalog retrospectively, between 1921 and 1966, by science historians on the grounds that they would most likely have found their way into the planned but never published fourth version of Messier's catalog. In particular the last objects never published by Messier, but also some objects in the published catalog, were later rediscovered by various astronomers (such as Wilhelm Herschel ) independently of Messier's observations.

meaning

The Messier catalog was not the first of its kind, but it was the first of its kind that was largely complete and error-free so that it could be used for practical observations. Even today, most of the objects in the catalog are mainly known by their Messier numbers.

At the time the Messier catalog was drawn up, the nature of the objects listed there was unclear. The research that clarified what galaxies , nebulae and star clusters were all about started from the Messier Catalog, the New General Catalog and the Index Catalog .

The Messier catalog is particularly popular among amateur astronomers and in public observatories , as the objects listed in it can already be observed with smaller telescopes or powerful binoculars . The Messier marathons represent a special observation task , during which each participant has to observe all Messier objects over the course of a single night.

Faults and limits

The catalog has at most one incorrect entry: There is no consensus among science historians whether Messier 102 is an incorrect second performance of the Messier 101 object or an observation of the spindle galaxy NGC 5866, which functions as M102 in modern versions of the catalog.

Furthermore, the Messier catalog has two entries that do not designate two-dimensional objects, namely Messier 40 , actually the double star Winnecke 4 , and Messier 73 , a group of stars that are a random fluctuation in star density on this line of sight.

A number of nebulae known today cannot be found in the Messier catalog because they are too faint. These include the Horsehead Nebula and some brighter galaxies that were later listed in the New General Catalog (1888) and in the Index Catalog (first version 1895, second version 1908). Also some lighter objects like the double star cluster h + Chi in Perseus and the Hyades do not have a catalog entry.

In the Messier catalog only objects visible from the northern hemisphere were taken into account, it only contains objects north of the −35 ° declination .

Overview map

Star map with the location of the 110 Messier objects

List of Messier objects

Abbreviations
Object type Object type Object type
Gal. Galaxy in general SpiG Spiral galaxy BaSpiG Barred spiral galaxy
EllG Elliptical galaxy Ling Lenticular galaxy SeyG Seyfert Galaxy
RaG Radio galaxy ZwG Dwarf galaxy IrrG Irregular galaxy
OfSH Open star cluster KuSH Globular clusters SH Star clusters in general
St. star DS Double star Branch. Asterism
VrS Variable star VrDS Changeable Double star You where Dark cloud
GNb Gas mist in general PlNb Planetary nebula EmNb Emission nebula
ReNb Reflection fog DiNb Diffuse fog SuNo Supernova remnant

Galaxies star clusters stars nebulae____________

Everything green !are galaxies. The remaining objects are part of our Milky Way.

No. NGC No. Surname Object
type
Removal
( lj )
Constellation Size
(mag)
image
M1 NGC 1952 Crab Nebula SuNo 6,300 bull  8.4 Crab Nebula.jpg
M2 NGC 7089   KuSH 37,500 Aquarius  6.5 Messier2 - HST - Potw1913a.jpg
M3 NGC 5272   KuSH 30,600 Hunting dogs  6.2 Messier3 - SDSS DR14 (panorama) .jpg
M4 NGC 6121   KuSH 6,800 Scorpio  5.6 The globular star cluster Messier 4.jpg
M5 NGC 5904   KuSH 22,800 Snake  5.6 Messier5 - SDSS DR14 (panorama) .jpg
M6 NGC 6405 Butterfly cluster OfSH 2,000 Scorpio  5.3 M6a.jpg
M7 NGC 6475 Ptolemy's star cluster OfSH 800 Scorpio  4.1 Open-cluster-Messier-7.jpeg
M8 NGC 6523 Lagoon fog DiNb 5,200 Sagittarius  6.0 Lagoon Nebula (ESO) .jpg
M9 NGC 6333   KuSH 26,400 Snake bearer  7.7 Messier 9 Hubble WikiSky wfpc2 patched.jpg
M10 NGC 6254   KuSH 13,400 Snake bearer  6.7 M10 allthesky.jpg
M11 NGC 6705 Wild duck pile OfSH 6,000 sign  6.3 Eso1430a.jpg
M12 NGC 6218   KuSH 17,600 Snake bearer  6.6 M12HunterWilson.jpg
M13 NGC 6205 Hercules cluster KuSH 22,200 Hercules  5.7 M13s 32-inch Schulman Telescope.jpg
M14 NGC 6402   KuSH 27,400 Snake
bearer
 7.7 M14HunterWilson.jpg
M15 NGC 7078   KuSH 32,600 Pegasus  6.0 M15 Globular Cluster from the Mount Lemmon SkyCenter Schulman Telescope courtesy Adam Block.jpg
M16 NGC 6611 Eagle Nebula OfSH +
DiNb
7,000 Snake  6.4 Eagle Nebula from ESO.jpg
M17 NGC 6618 Omega nebula DiNb 5,000 Sagittarius  7.5 ESO-The Omega Nebula-phot-25a-09-fullres.jpg
M18 NGC 6613   OfSH 4,900 Sagittarius  7.5 Messier18.jpg
M19 NGC 6273   KuSH 27,100 Snake bearer  6.6 Messier object 019.jpg
M20 NGC 6514 Trifid
nebula
DiNb 5,200 Sagittarius  9.0 Trifid.nebula.arp.750pix.jpg
M21 NGC 6531   OfSH 4,250 Sagittarius  6.5 M21.jpg
M22 NGC 6656   KuSH 10.100 Sagittarius  5.9 M22atlas crop.jpg
M23 NGC 6494   OfSH 2,150 Sagittarius  6.9 Messier object 023.jpg
M24 IC 4715 Sagittarius cloud /
dent
caustiche
Branch. 10,000 Sagittarius 4.6 Caustiche.jpg
M25 IC 4725   OfSH 2,000 Sagittarius  6.5 Messier object 025.jpg
M26 NGC 6694   OfSH 5,000 sign  9.3 MESSIER 026 2MASS.jpg
M27 NGC 6853 Dumbbell nebula PlNb 1,250 Fox  7.4 Messier27.jpg
M28 NGC 6626   KuSH 15,000 Sagittarius  7.3 Messier 28 HST11615 02 06625 05R814GB390asinh.jpg
M29 NGC 6913   OfSH 7,200 swan  7.1 Messier object 029.jpg
M30 NGC 7099   KuSH 25,000 Capricorn  8.4 Messier 30 (captured by the Hubble Space Telescope) .jpg
M31 NGC 224 Andromeda Galaxy SpiG
(Sb)
2,900,000 Andromeda  3.4 Andromeda Galaxy (with h-alpha) .jpg
M32 NGC 221   ZwG 2,900,000 Andromeda 8.1 Utraviolet Light Source in an Old Galaxy (9464531619) .jpg
M33 NGC 598 Triangle nebula SpiG
(Sc)
3,000,000 triangle  5.7 M33 2 PS wiki.jpg
M34 NGC 1039   OfSH 1,400 Perseus  5.5 M34 2mass atlas.jpg
M35 NGC 2168   OfSH 2,800 Twins  5.3 Messier35.jpg
M36 NGC 1960   OfSH 4,100 Carter  6.3 M36a.jpg
M37 NGC 2099   OfSH 4,400 Carter  6.2 M37.jpg
M38 NGC 1912   OfSH 4,200 Carter  7.4 M38a.jpg
M39 NGC 7092   OfSH 825 swan  4.6 M39a.jpg
M40 no Winnecke 4 DS
(Ast.)
510 Big Bear  8.4 Messier object 40.jpg
M41 NGC 2287   OfSH 2,300 Big dog  4.5 Messier 041 2MASS.jpg
M42 NGC 1976 Orion Nebula DiNb 1,300 Orion  4.0 Orion Nebula - Hubble 2006 mosaic.jpg
M43 NGC 1982 de Mairans
nebula seen

in the picture
above left
; is now
considered part of the Orion Nebula M42
DiNb 1,300 Orion  9.0 Orion Nebula - Hubble 2006 mosaic 18000.jpg
M44 NGC 2632 Nativity Scene (Praesepe) OfSH 577 cancer  3.7 Messier 44 2018.jpg
M45 NGC 1435 Pleiades OfSH 440 bull  1.6 Pleiades large.jpg
M46 NGC 2437   OfSH 5,400 Aft deck of the ship  6.0 M46a.jpg
M47 NGC 2422   OfSH 1,600 Aft deck of the ship  4.5 Eso1441a.jpg
M48 NGC 2548   OfSH 1,500 Water snake  5.5 Messier48 - SDSS DR14 (panorama) .jpg
M49 NGC 4472   EllG 60,000,000 Virgin  8.4 Messier49 - SDSS DR14 (panorama) .jpg
M50 NGC 2323   OfSH 3,200 unicorn  5.9 Messier object 50.jpg
M51 NGC 5194+
NGC 5195
Whirlpool
galaxy
SpiG
(Sc1)
37,000,000 Hunting dogs  M51: 8.4
M51b: 9.6
Messier51.jpg
M52 NGC 7654   OfSH 5,000 Cassiopeia  7.3 M52atlas.jpg
M53 NGC 5024   KuSH 58,000 Berenike's hair  7.6 Messier53 - SDSS DR14 (panorama) .jpg
M54 NGC 6715   KuSH 87,400 Sagittarius  7.6 Messier 54 HST.jpg
M55 NGC 6809   KuSH 17,300 Sagittarius  6.3 M55-3point6-m copy.jpg
M56 NGC 6779   KuSH 32,900 lyre  8.3 Messier 56 HST.jpg
M57 NGC 6720 Ring
nebula
PlNb 4,100 lyre  8.8 Ring Nebula.jpg
M58 NGC 4579   BaSpiG
(Sb / SBb)
60,000,000 Virgin 9.7 M58s (visible) .jpg
M59 NGC 4621   EllG 60,000,000 Virgin 9.6 Messier59 - HST - Potw1921a.jpg
M60 NGC 4649   EllG 60,000,000 Virgin 8.8 Arp116 Hubble.jpg
M61 NGC 4303   SpiG
(Sc)
60,000,000 Virgin 9.7 Messier61 - ESO - Potw1901a.tif
M62 NGC 6266   KuSH 22,500 Snake
bearer
 6.5 Messier 62 Hubble WikiSky.jpg
M63 NGC 5055 Sunflower galaxy SpiG
(Sb)
37,000,000 Hunting dogs  8.6 M63s.jpg
M64 NGC 4826 Black-eye
galaxy
SpiG
(Sb)
12,000,000 Berenike's hair  8.5 Blackeyegalaxy.jpg
M65 NGC 3623   SpiG 35,000,000 lion 9.3 M65 Galaxy from the Mount Lemmon SkyCenter Schulman Telescope courtesy Adam Block.jpg
M66 NGC 3627   BaSpiG 35,000,000 lion 8.9 Phot-33c-03-fullres.jpg
M67 NGC 2682   OfSH 2,700 cancer  6.1 NGC2682 - SDSS DR14 (panorama) .jpg
M68 NGC 4590   KuSH 33,300 Water snake  7.8 A Ten Billion Year Stellar Dance.jpg
M69 NGC 6637   KuSH 29,700 Sagittarius  7.6 Messier 69 -Lhlsp acsggct hst acs-wfc ngc6637 606-AB R814B435.png
M70 NGC 6681   KuSH 29,300 Sagittarius  7.9 Messier70-HST-Potw1215a.jpg
M71 NGC 6838   KuSH 13,000 arrow  8.2 M71.jpg
M72 NGC 6981   KuSH 55,400 Aquarius   9.3 Potw1001a.jpg
M73 NGC 6994   Branch. 2,500 Aquarius  9.0 MESSIER 073 2MASS.jpg
M74 NGC 628   SpiG 35,000,000 fishes 9.4 Messier 74 by HST.jpg
M75 NGC 6864   KuSH 67,500 Sagittarius  8.5 Messier 75 -hst11628 10 08723 43-Lasinh ABR555B438log.png
M76 NGC 650+
NGC 651
Small dumbbell nebula PlNb 3,400 Perseus  10.1 Little Dumbbell Nebula.jpg
M77 NGC 1068   SpiG 60,000,000 whale   8.9 M77s.jpg
M78 NGC 2068   ReNb 1,600 Orion  8.3 Messier 78.jpg
M79 NGC 1904   KuSH 42,100 Hare  7.7 Messier79 -hst 06607 02 06095 04R555GB336 435.png
M80 NGC 6093   KuSH 32,600 Scorpio  7.3 A Swarm of Ancient Stars - GPN-2000-000930.jpg
M81 NGC 3031 Bode
fog
SpiG
(Sb)
12,000,000 Big Bear  6.9 Messier 81 HST.jpg
M82 NGC 3034 Cigar
galaxy
SpiG
(SBc)
11,000,000 Big Bear  8.4 M82 HST ACS 2006-14-a-large web.jpg
M83 NGC 5236 southern firewheel
galaxy
SpiG 15,000,000 Water snake  7.6 MESSIER 083 ESO XXL.jpg
M84 NGC 4374   EllG (E0) 60,000,000 Virgin 9.1 Messier84 - SDSS DR14 (panorama) .jpg
M85 NGC 4382   EllG (E0) 60,000,000 Berenike's hair 9.1 Messier85 - SDSS DR14 (panorama) .jpg
M86 NGC 4406   EllG (E0) 60,000,000 Virgin 8.9 Messier86 - SDSS DR14 (panorama) .jpg
M87 NGC 4486 Virgo A
galaxy
EllG 60,000,000 Virgin 8.6 Messier 87 Hubble WikiSky.jpg
M88 NGC 4501   SpiG 60,000,000 Berenike's hair 9.6 M88s.jpg
M89 NGC 4552   EllG 60,000,000 Virgin 9.8 Messier89 - SDSS DR14 (panorama) .jpg
M90 NGC 4569   SpiG 60,000,000 Virgin 9.5 Messier90 - SDSS DR14 (panorama) .jpg
M91 NGC 4548   SpiG 60,000,000 Berenike's hair 10.2 M91s.jpg
M92 NGC 6341   KuSH 26,700 Hercules  6.4 Messier92 - SDSS DR14 (panorama) .jpg
M93 NGC 2447   OfSH 3,600 Aft deck of the ship  6.0 Messier object 093.jpg
M94 NGC 4736   SpiG 14,500,000 Hunting dogs  8.2 Messier 94.jpg
M95 NGC 3351   SpiG 38,000,000 lion 9.7 The VLT goes lion hunting.jpg
M96 NGC 3368   SpiG 38,000,000 lion 9.2 NGC 3368 ESO.jpg
M97 NGC 3587 Owl Nebula PlNb 2,600 Big Bear 9.9 M97-stargazer-obs 2.jpg
M98 NGC 4192   SpiG 60,000,000
Berenike's hair
10.1 M-98.jpg
M99 NGC 4254   SpiG 60,000,000
Berenike's hair
9.9 Messier99 - SDSS DR14 (panorama) .jpg
M100 NGC 4321   SpiG 60,000,000
Berenike's hair
9.3 Messier 100 and Supernova SN 2006X.jpg
M101 NGC 5457 Firewheel
galaxy
SpiG 27,000,000 Big Bear  7.9 M101 hires STScI-PRC2006-10a.jpg
M102 NGC 5866   EllG (E0) 45,000,000 Dragon  9.9 Ngc5866 hst big.jpg
M103 NGC 581   OfSH 8,500 Cassiopeia  7.4 Messier object 103.jpg
M104 NGC 4594 Sombrero Galaxy SpiG (Sa) 50,000,000 Virgin  8.0 M104 ngc4594 sombrero galaxy hi-res.jpg
M105 NGC 3379   EllG 38,000,000 lion 9.3 M105.jpg
M106 NGC 4258   SpiG 25,000,000 Hunting dogs  8.4 Messier 106 visible and infrared composite.jpg
M107 NGC 6171   KuSH 20,900 Snake
bearer
 7.9 Messier 107 Hubble WikiSky.jpg
M108 NGC 3556   SpiG 45,000,000 Big Bear 10.0 Messier108 - SDSS DR 14 (panorama) .jpg
M109 NGC 3992   SpiG 55,000,000 Big Bear  9.8 Messier109 - SDSS DR14 (panorama) .jpg
M110 NGC 205   EllG 2,900,000 Andromeda  8.5 Messier110 - SDSS DR14 (panorama) .jpg

See also

Web links

Commons : Messier Catalog  - collection of images, videos and audio files


Individual evidence

  1. Michael Odenkirchen, Caroline Soubiran: NGC 6994 - clearly not a physical stellar ensemble. In: Astronomy and Astrophysics . Vol. 383, No. 1, 2002, pp. 163-170, doi: 10.1051 / 0004-6361: 20011730 .
  2. Daniela B. Pavani, Eduardo Bica: Characterization of open cluster remnants. In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. Vol. 468, No. 1, 2007, pp. 139-150, doi: 10.1051 / 0004-6361: 20066240 .
  3. a b the messier objects on SEDS