[FEATURE REQUEST] Add support for the full set of Messier objects

[seanpm2001]

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[FEATURE REQUEST] Add support for the full set of Messier objects

I plan to start adding more parts of space for the user to explore through feature requests. There are so many cool things in the Galaxy, so I am starting with some of the best ones that we know of. I have already requested:

• Boötes void

• Barnard Objects

• Andromedia Galaxy

• Messier 51 (Whirlpool Galaxy)

This is the first Messier object I have defined. This issue covers all the messier objects. Issues help me file features better, and I hope to come back and add them in the future.

There are 110 messier objects. I don't have the time to take all the [references] out of this, so this is a direct copy and paste:

Messier number NGC/IC number Common name Picture Object type Distance (kly) Constellation Apparent magnitude Right ascension Declination

M1[17] NGC 1952 Crab Nebula Supernova remnant 4.9–8.1 Taurus 8.4 05h 34m 31.94s +22° 00′ 52.2″

M2[18] NGC 7089 – Globular cluster 33 Aquarius 6.3 21h 33m 27.02s −00° 49′ 23.7″

M3[19] NGC 5272 – Globular cluster 33.9 Canes Venatici 6.2 13h 42m 11.62s +28° 22′ 38.2″

M4[20] NGC 6121 – Globular cluster 7.2 Scorpius 5.9 16h 23m 35.22s −26° 31′ 32.7″

M5[21] NGC 5904 – Globular cluster 24.5 Serpens 6.7 15h 18m 33.22s +02° 04′ 51.7″

M6[22] NGC 6405 Butterfly Cluster Open cluster 1.6 Scorpius 4.2 17h 40.1m −32° 13′

M7[23] NGC 6475 Ptolemy Cluster Open cluster 0.65–1.31 Scorpius 3.3 17h 53m 51.2s −34° 47′ 34″

M8[24] NGC 6523 Lagoon Nebula Nebula with cluster 4.1 Sagittarius 6.0 18h 03m 37s −24° 23′ 12″

M9[25] NGC 6333 – Globular cluster 25.8 Ophiuchus 8.4 17h 19m 11.78s −18° 30′ 58.5″

M10[26] NGC 6254 – Globular cluster 14.3 Ophiuchus 6.4 16h 57m 8.92s −04° 05′ 58.07″

M11[27] NGC 6705 Wild Duck Cluster Open cluster 6.2 Scutum 6.3 18h 51.1m −06° 16′

M12[28] NGC 6218 – Globular cluster 15.7 Ophiuchus 7.7 16h 47m 14.18s −01° 56′ 54.7″

M13[29] NGC 6205 Great Globular Cluster in Hercules Globular cluster 22.2 Hercules 5.8 16h 41m 41.24s +36° 27′ 35.5″

M14[30] NGC 6402 – Globular cluster 30.3 Ophiuchus 8.3 17h 37m 36.15s −03° 14′ 45.3″

M15[31] NGC 7078 – Globular cluster 33 Pegasus 6.2 21h 29m 58.33s +12° 10′ 01.2″

M16[32] NGC 6611 Eagle Nebula H II region nebula with cluster 7 Serpens 6.0 18h 18m 48s −13° 49′

M17[33] NGC 6618 Omega, Swan, Horseshoe, or Lobster Nebula H II region nebula with cluster 5–6 Sagittarius 6.0 18h 20m 26s
−16° 10′ 36″

M18[34] NGC 6613 – Open cluster 4.9 Sagittarius 7.5 18h 19.9m −17° 08′

M19[35] NGC 6273 – Globular cluster 28.7 Ophiuchus 7.5 17h 02m 37.69s −26° 16′ 04.6″

M20[36] NGC 6514 Trifid Nebula H II region nebula with cluster 5.2 Sagittarius 6.3 18h 02m 23s −23° 01′ 48″

M21[37] NGC 6531 – Open cluster 4.25 Sagittarius 6.5 18h 04.6m −22° 30′

M22[38] NGC 6656 Sagittarius Cluster Globular cluster 9.6–11.6 Sagittarius 5.1 18h 36m 23.94s −23° 54′ 17.1″

M23[39] NGC 6494 – Open cluster 2.15 Sagittarius 6.9 17h 56.8m −19° 01′

M24[40] IC 4715 Small Sagittarius Star Cloud Milky Way star cloud ~10 Sagittarius 2.5 18h 17m −18° 33′

M25[41] IC 4725 – Open cluster 2.0 Sagittarius 4.6 18h 31.6m −19° 15′

M26[42] NGC 6694 – Open cluster 5.0 Scutum 8.0 18h 45.2m −09° 24′

M27[43] NGC 6853 Dumbbell Nebula Planetary nebula 1.148–1.52 Vulpecula 7.5 19h 59m 36.340s +22° 43′ 16.09″

M28[44] NGC 6626 – Globular cluster 17.9 Sagittarius 7.7 18h 24m 32.89s −24° 52′ 11.4″

M29[45] NGC 6913 Cooling Tower Open cluster 7.2 Cygnus 7.1 20h 23m 56s +38° 31′ 24″

M30[46] NGC 7099 – Globular cluster 27.8–31 Capricornus 7.7 21h 40m 22.12 −23° 10′ 47.5″

M31[47] NGC 224 Andromeda Galaxy Spiral galaxy 2,430–2,650 Andromeda 3.4 00h 42m 44.3s +41° 16′ 9″

M32[48] NGC 221 Small Andromeda Galaxy Dwarf elliptical galaxy 2,410–2,570 Andromeda 8.1 00h 42m 41.8s +40° 51′ 55″

M33[49] NGC 598 Triangulum/Pinwheel Galaxy Spiral galaxy 2,380–3,070 Triangulum 5.7 01h 33m 50.02s +30° 39′ 36.7″

M34[50] NGC 1039 – Open cluster 1.5 Perseus 5.5 02h 42.1m +42° 46′

M35[51] NGC 2168 – Open cluster 2.8 Gemini 5.3 06h 09.1m +24° 21′

M36[52] NGC 1960 – Open cluster 4.1 Auriga 6.3 05h 36m 12s +34° 08′ 4″

M37[53] NGC 2099 – Open cluster 4.511 Auriga 6.2 05h 52m 18s +32° 33′ 02″

M38[54] NGC 1912 Starfish Cluster Open cluster 4.2 Auriga 7.4 05h 28m 42s +35° 51′ 18″

M39[55] NGC 7092 – Open cluster 0.8244 Cygnus 5.5 21h 31m 42s +48° 26′ 00″

M40[56] – Winnecke-4 Star System 0.51 Ursa Major 9.7 12h 22m 12.5s +58° 4′ 59″

M41[57] NGC 2287 – Open cluster 2.3 Canis Major 4.5 06h 46.0m −20° 46′

M42[58] NGC 1976 Orion Nebula H II region nebula 1.324–1.364 Orion 4.0 05h 35m 17.3 −05° 23′ 28″

M43[59] NGC 1982 De Mairan's Nebula H II region nebula (part of the Orion Nebula)

1.6 	Orion 	9.0 	05h 35.6m 	−05° 16′

M44[60] NGC 2632 Beehive Cluster or Praesepe Open cluster 0.577 Cancer 3.7 08h 40.4m +19° 59′

M45[61] – Pleiades Open cluster 0.39–0.46 Taurus 1.6 03h 47m 24s +24° 07′ 00″

M46[62] NGC 2437 – Open cluster 5.4 Puppis 6.1 07h 41.8m −14° 49′

M47[63] NGC 2422 – Open cluster 1.6 Puppis 4.2 07h 36.6m −14° 30′

M48[64] NGC 2548 – Open cluster 1.5 Hydra 5.5 08h 13.7m −05° 45′

M49[65] NGC 4472 – Elliptical galaxy 53,600–58,200 Virgo 9.4 12h 29m 46.7s +08° 00′ 02″

M50[66] NGC 2323 – Open cluster 3.2 Monoceros 5.9 07h 03.2m −08° 20′

M51[67] NGC 5194, NGC 5195 Whirlpool Galaxy Spiral galaxy 19,000–27,000 Canes Venatici 8.4 13h 29m 52.7s +47° 11′ 43″

M52[68] NGC 7654 – Open cluster 5.0 Cassiopeia 5.0 23h 24.2m +61° 35′

M53[69] NGC 5024 – Globular cluster 58 Coma Berenices 8.3 13h 12m 55.25s +18° 10′ 05.4″

M54[70] NGC 6715 – Globular cluster 87.4 Sagittarius 8.4 18h 55m 03.33s −30° 28′ 47.5″

M55[71] NGC 6809 – Globular cluster 17.6 Sagittarius 7.4 19h 39m 59.71s −30° 57′ 53.1″

M56[72] NGC 6779 – Globular cluster 32.9 Lyra 8.3 19h 16m 35.57s +30° 11′ 00.5″

M57[73] NGC 6720 Ring Nebula Planetary nebula 1.6–3.8 Lyra 8.8 18h 53m 35.079s +33° 01′ 45.03″

M58[74] NGC 4579 – Barred Spiral galaxy ~63,000 Virgo 10.5 12h 37m 43.5s +11° 49′ 05″

M59[75] NGC 4621 – Elliptical galaxy 55,000–65,000 Virgo 10.6 12h 42m 02.3s +11° 38′ 49″

M60[76] NGC 4649 – Elliptical galaxy 51,000–59,000 Virgo 9.8 12h 43m 39.6s +11° 33′ 09″

M61[77] NGC 4303 – Spiral galaxy 50,200–54,800 Virgo 10.2 12h 21m 54.9s +04° 28′ 25″

M62[78] NGC 6266 – Globular cluster 22.2 Ophiuchus 7.4 17h 01m 12.60s −30° 06′ 44.5″

M63[79] NGC 5055 Sunflower Galaxy Spiral galaxy 37,000 Canes Venatici 9.3 13h 15m 49.3s +42° 01′ 45″

M64[80] NGC 4826 Black Eye Galaxy Spiral galaxy 22,000–26,000 Coma Berenices 9.4 12h 56m 43.7s +21° 40′ 58″

M65[81] NGC 3623 Leo Triplet Barred Spiral galaxy 41,000–42,000 Leo 10.3 11h 18m 55.9s +13° 05′ 32″

M66[82] NGC 3627 Leo Triplet Barred Spiral galaxy 31,000–41,000 Leo 8.9 11h 20m 15.0s +12° 59′ 30″

M67[83] NGC 2682 – Open cluster 2.61–2.93 Cancer 6.1 08h 51.3m +11° 49′

M68[84] NGC 4590 – Globular cluster 33.6 Hydra 9.7 12h 39m 27.98s −26° 44′ 38.6″

M69[85] NGC 6637 – Globular cluster 29.7 Sagittarius 8.3 18h 31m 23.10s −32° 20′ 53.1″

M70[86] NGC 6681 – Globular cluster 29.4 Sagittarius 9.1 18h 43m 12.76s −32° 17′ 31.6″

M71[87] NGC 6838 – Globular cluster 13.0 Sagitta 6.1 19h 53m 46.49s +18° 46′ 45.1″

M72[88] NGC 6981 – Globular cluster 53.40–55.74 Aquarius 9.4 20h 53m 27.70s −12° 32′ 14.3″

M73[89] NGC 6994 – Asterism ~2.5 Aquarius 9.0 20h 58m 54s −12° 38′

M74[90] NGC 628 Phantom Galaxy[91] Spiral galaxy 24,000–36,000 Pisces 10.0 01h 36m 41.8s +15° 47′ 01″

M75[92] NGC 6864 – Globular cluster 67.5 Sagittarius 9.2 20h 06m 04.75s −21° 55′ 16.2″

M76[93] NGC 650, NGC 651 Little Dumbbell Nebula Planetary nebula 2.5 Perseus 10.1 01h 42.4m +51° 34′ 31″

M77[94] NGC 1068 Cetus A Spiral galaxy 47,000 Cetus 9.6 02h 42m 40.7s −00° 00′ 48″

M78[95] NGC 2068 – Diffuse nebula 1.6 Orion 8.3 05h 46m 46.7s +00° 00′ 50″

M79[96] NGC 1904 – Globular cluster 41 Lepus 8.6 05h 24m 10.59s −24° 31′ 27.3″

M80[97] NGC 6093 – Globular cluster 32.6 Scorpius 7.9 16h 17m 02.41s −22° 58′ 33.9″

M81[98] NGC 3031 Bode's Galaxy Spiral galaxy 11,400–12,200 Ursa Major 6.9 09h 55m 33.2s +69° 3′ 55″

M82[99] NGC 3034 Cigar Galaxy Starburst galaxy 10,700–12,300 Ursa Major 8.4 09h 55m 52.2s +69° 40′ 47″

M83[100] NGC 5236 Southern Pinwheel Galaxy Barred Spiral galaxy 14,700 Hydra 7.5 13h 37m 00.9s −29° 51′ 57″

M84[101] NGC 4374 – Lenticular galaxy 57,000–63,000 Virgo 10.1 12h 25m 03.7s +12° 53′ 13″

M85[102] NGC 4382 – Lenticular galaxy 56,000–64,000 Coma Berenices 10.0 12h 25m 24.0s +18° 11′ 28″

M86[103] NGC 4406 – Lenticular galaxy 49,000–55,000 Virgo 9.8 12h 26m 11.7s +12° 56′ 46″

M87[104] NGC 4486 Virgo A Elliptical galaxy 51,870–55,130 Virgo 9.6 12h 30m 49.42338s +12° 23′ 28.0439″

M88[105] NGC 4501 – Spiral galaxy 39,000–56,000 Coma Berenices 10.4 12h 31m 59.2s +14° 25′ 14″

M89[106] NGC 4552 – Elliptical galaxy 47,000–53,000 Virgo 10.7 12h 35m 39.8s +12° 33′ 23″

M90[107] NGC 4569 – Spiral galaxy 55,900–61,500 Virgo 10.3 12h 36m 49.8s +13° 09′ 46″

M91[108] NGC 4548 – Barred Spiral galaxy 47,000–79,000 Coma Berenices 11.0 12h 35m 26.4s +14° 29′ 47″

M92[109] NGC 6341 – Globular cluster 26.7 Hercules 6.3 17h 17m 07.39s +43° 08′ 09.4″

M93[110] NGC 2447 – Open cluster 3.6 Puppis 6.0 07h 44.6m −23° 52′

M94[111] NGC 4736 Croc's Eye or Cat's Eye Spiral galaxy 14,700–17,300 Canes Venatici 9.0 12h 50m 53.1s +41° 07′ 14″

M95[112] NGC 3351 – Barred Spiral galaxy 31,200–34,000 Leo 11.4 10h 43m 57.7s +11° 42′ 14″

M96[113] NGC 3368 – Spiral galaxy 28,000–34,000 Leo 10.1 10h 46m 45.7s +11° 49′ 12″

M97[114] NGC 3587 Owl Nebula Planetary nebula 2.03 Ursa Major 9.9 11h 14m 47.734s +55° 01′ 08.50″

M98[115] NGC 4192 – Spiral galaxy 44,400 Coma Berenices 11.0 12h 13m 48.292s +14° 54′ 01.69″

M99[116] NGC 4254 – Spiral galaxy 44,700–55,700 Coma Berenices 10.4 12h 18m 49.6s +14° 24′ 59″

M100[117] NGC 4321 – Spiral galaxy 55,000 Coma Berenices 10.1 12h 22m 54.9s +15° 49′ 21″

M101[118] NGC 5457 Pinwheel Galaxy Spiral galaxy 19,100–22,400 Ursa Major 7.9 14h 03m 12.6s +54° 20′ 57″

M102[119] NGC 5866 Spindle Galaxy Lenticular galaxy 50,000 Draco 10.7 15h 06m 29.5s +55° 45′ 48″

M103[120] NGC 581 – Open cluster 10 Cassiopeia 7.4 01h 33.2m +60° 42′

M104[121] NGC 4594 Sombrero Galaxy Spiral galaxy 28,700–30,900 Virgo 9.0 12h 39m 59.4s −11° 37′ 23″

M105[122] NGC 3379 – Elliptical galaxy 30,400–33,600 Leo 10.2 10h 47m 49.6s +12° 34′ 54″

M106[123] NGC 4258 – Spiral galaxy 22,200–25,200 Canes Venatici 9.1 12h 18m 57.5s +47° 18′ 14″

M107[124] NGC 6171 – Globular cluster 20.9 Ophiuchus 8.9 16h 32m 31.86s −13° 03′ 13.6″

M108[125] NGC 3556 – Barred Spiral galaxy 46,000 Ursa Major 10.7 11h 11m 31.0s +55° 40′ 27″

M109[126] NGC 3992 – Barred Spiral galaxy 59,500–107,500 Ursa Major 10.6 11h 57m 36.0s +53° 22′ 28″

M110[127] NGC 205 – Dwarf elliptical galaxy 2,600–2,780 Andromeda 9.0 00h 40m 22.1s +41° 41′ 07″

Learn more about Messier objects

See an overview on the Messier objects from Wikipedia

NASA's research on Messier objects

Learn more about Charles Messier through a Wikipedia overview

Encyclopædia Britannica: Charles Messier (biography)

Search deeper for Messier objects (DuckDuckGo)

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