Charles Messier's Catalogue of Nebulae and Star Clusters

• the first edition appeared in the "Memoires de l'Academie" for 1771 (published 1774) and covered the objects M1--M45. Also in 1774, it was printed in Lalande's Ephemerides for 1775-84 (according to Owen Gingerich).
• the first supplement (to M68) was published in the "Connaissance des Temps" for 1783 (published 1780), together with a reprint of the first catalog edition. The objects M69 and M70 were added in a separate contribution to the same volume. Messier provided an introduction to his catalog, and following the catalog, a list was printed of objects reported by previous observers but not verified by Messier when he had looked for them, and Lacaille's Catalog of Nebulae of the Southern Sky. (We have this reprint version of Lacaille's catalog online, which contains remarks by Messier)
• the final published version of the catalog appeared in the "Connaissance des Temps" for 1784 (published 1781), containing the objects up to M103. Again, the introduction and the list of failed object observations was printed after the catalog, followed by Lacaille's Catalog of Nebulae of the Southern Sky. This version of the catalog was reprinted unchanged in the "Connaissance des Temps" for 1787 (published 1784) together with all its appendices.

Thanks to the help of Dave Nash, we can present here a History of the Messier Catalog.

Here, Messier's final catalog version is presented, with the additional objects attached, and some comments where appropriate (in the opinion of the present author), e.g. explaining reasons and the circumstances of identification of the 4 once missing Messier objects. Many of the English translations are leaned to those of Kenneth Glyn Jones, published in his book Messier's Nebulae and Star Clusters, some more to those by Owen Gingerich from his Sky & Telescope articles which are reprinted in Mallas & Kreimer's Messier Album. This book also served as a source for the French version, which is reprinted there in facsimile. Moreover, the present author was lucky to obtain a photo copy of Messier's personal copy of the catalog, including some of his personal notes, which is part of the Bibliotheque de Camille Flammarion; this copy was generously provided by Dr. Donald J. Greeley, who had obtained it himself from Adoin Dollfus. It will serve as source for future improvements of the translations, and as source for further comments.

We also have a translation of Messier's introduction to his catalog online.

Messier's catalog was an important milestone in the history of deepsky discovery. The 110 objects collected in the version presented here and in our Messier Catalog database represent the lot of deepsky objects visible from northern latitudes (Paris) and discovered before William Herschel's comprehensive scan of the northern sky with large instruments.

Our image shows Messier's colophon, as he put it to his published catalog in the Connaissance des Temps (both versions).

1. 5h 20m 02s (80d 00' 33") +21d 45' 17"

(September 12, 1758) `Nebulosity above the southern horn of Taurus. It contains no star; it is a whitish light, elongated like a flame of taper, discovered while observing the comet of 1758. Observed by Dr Bevis in about 1731. It is reported on the English Celestial Atlas.'

(A note in Messier's handwriting added in the margin of his copy of the Connaissance des Temps for 1784 reads: `Seen by Dr Bevis about 1731 according to his letter to me of 10th June 1771')

2. 21h 21m 08s (320d 17' 00") -1d 47' 00"

(September 11, 1760) `Nebula without star, center brilliant; surrounded by a circular light resembling the nucleus of a comet. (Diam. 4')'

3. 13h 31m 25s (202d 51' 19") +29d 32' 57"

(May 3, 1764) `Nebula without stars; center brilliant, gradually fading away; round. In a dark sky, visible in a telescope of 1-foot [FL]. Plotted on the chart of comet of 1779. (Diam. 3')'

4. 16h 09m 08s (242d 16' 56") -25d 55' 40"

(May 8, 1764) `Cluster of very small stars: with an inferior telescope, it appears more like a nebula; this cluster is situated near Antares and on the same parallel. Observed by M. de la Caille and reported in his catalogue. Reviewed Jan 30 & Mar 22, 1781. (Diam 2.5')'

5. 15h 06m 36s (226d 39' 04") +2d 57' 16"

(May 23, 1764) `A fine nebula which I am sure contains no stars. Round; seen well in a good sky in a telescope of 1-foot [FL]. Plotted on chart of comet of 1763. (Diam. 3')'

6. 17h 24m 42s (261d 10' 39") -32d 10' 34"

(May 23, 1764) `A cluster of small stars between the bow of Sagittarius and the tail of Scorpius. To the naked eye it resembles a nebula without stars, but even a small telescope reveals it as a cluster of small stars. (Diam. 15')'

7. 17h 38m 02s (264d 30' 24") -34d 40' 34"

(May 23, 1764) `A cluster considerably larger than the preceding (M6). It appears to the naked eye as a nebulosity; it is situated a short distance from the preceding, between the bow of Sagittarius and the tail of Scorpius. (Diam. 30')'

8. 17h 49m 58s (267d 29' 30") -24d 21' 10"

(May 23, 1764) `A small nebulosity like the tail of a comet with numerous stars .. like the more transparent and whitish localities in the Milky Way. (Diam. 30')'

9. 17h 05m 22s (256d 20' 36") -18d 13' 26"

(May 28, 1764) `Nebula without star on the right leg of Ophiuchus. Round and faint. Reviewed March 22, 1781. (Diam. 3')'

10. 16h 44m 48s (251d 12' 06") -3d 42' 18"

(May 29, 1764) `Nebula without stars in the belt of Ophiuchus. Fine and round. Seen in 3-foot telescope. Reported on 2nd chart of track of comet of 1769. (Diam. 4')'

(manuscript note in Messier's personal copy: `Reviewed in the morning of March 6, 1781. "Always very fine." Reviewed in the morning of March 10, 1790. Night-glass of Rebour.')

11. 18h 30m 23s (279d 35' 43") -6d 31' 01"

(May 30, 1764) `Cluster of a great number of small stars which can be seen in a good telescope. In a 3-foot (FL) instrument it looks like a comet. The cluster is mingled with a faint light. 8th mag. star in cluster. Seen by Kirch in 1681. Reported on the English Great Atlas.' (diam. 4')

12. 16h 34m 53s (248d 43' 10") -2d 30' 28"

(May 30, 1764) `Contains no star; round, faint; nearby is a 9 mag star. Reported on the 2nd chart of the comet of 1769.' (diam. 3')

13. 16h 33m 15s (248d 18' 48") +36d 54' 44"

(June 1, 1764) `A nebula without a star. Round and brilliant; the center is brighter than the edges. Near two 8-mag stars. Reported on the chart of comet of 1779. It is reported in the English Celestial Atlas.' (diam. 6')

14. 17h 25m 14s (261d 18' 29") -3d 05' 45"

(June 1, 1764) `Nebula without star, not large, faint, visible in 3.5-foot [FL] telescope. Round; near it is a 9-mag star. Reported on chart of comet of 1769. Reviewed March 22, 1781.' (diam. 7')

15. 21h 18m 41s (319d 40' 19") +10d 40' 03"

(June 3, 1764) `Nebula without a star; it is round and brilliant in the center. M. Maraldi reported this nebula in the Memoirs of the Academy in 1746, and describes it as follows: "A nebulous star, fairly bright and composed of many stars"; his right ascension is 319d 27' 6", and his declination is +11d 2' 22".' (diam. 3')

16. 18h 05m 00s (271d 15' 03") -13d 51' 44"

(June 3, 1764) `A cluster of small stars enmeshed in a faint glow. In an inferior telescope it appears like a nebula.' (diam. 8')

17. 18h 07m 03s (271d 45' 48") -16d 14' 44"

(June 3, 1764) `A train of light without stars, 5' to 6' in extent, in the shape of a spindle, a little like that in Andromeda's belt [M31] but the light is very faint. In a good sky, seen very well in a 3.5-foot [FL] telescope. Reviewed 22 March 1781.' (diam. 5')

18. 18h 06m 16s (271d 34' 03") -17d 13' 14"

(June 3, 1764) `A cluster of small stars, a little below M17; surrounded by slight nebulosity. Easier to see than M16. Appears nebulous in a 3.5-foot [FL] telescope: with a better telescope, the stars can be seen.' (diam. 5')

19. 16h 48m 07s (252d 01' 45") -25d 54' 46"

(June 5, 1764) `Nebula without star. Round, easily seen in 3.5-foot [FL] telescope. Nearest neighboring star is 28 Ophiuchi, which is of mag. 6.' (diam. 3')

20. 17h 48m 16s (267d 04' 05") -22d 59' 10"

(June 5, 1764) `Cluster of stars a little above the Ecliptic between the bow of Sagittarius and the right foot of Ophiuchus. Reviewed March 22, 1781.'

21. 17h 50m 07s (267d 31' 35") -22d 31' 25"

(June 5, 1764) `Star cluster near M20: The brightest star is 11 Sagittarii, 7 mag. The stars of both clusters are 8-9 mag. and enveloped in nebulosity.'

22. 18h 21m 55s (275d 28' 39") -24d 06' 11"

(June 5, 1764) `A round nebula without star near 25 Sagittarii (7 mag). Seen in 3.5-foot [FL] telescope. Position found from lambda Sagittarii. Abraham Ihle, a German, found it in 1665 while observing Saturn. M. Le Gentil observed it in 1747.' (diam. 6')

23. 17h 42m 51s (265d 42' 50") -18d 45' 55"

(June 20, 1764) `A star cluster between the tip of the bow of Sagittarius and the right foot of Ophiuchus, very near to 65 Ophiuchi. The stars of this cluster are very close to one another. The position was determined from mu Sagittarii.' (diam. 15')

24. 18h 01m 44s (270d 26' 00") -18d 26' 00"

(June 20, 1764) `Cluster on the parallel of the preceding [M23] and near the tip of the bow of Sarittarius, in the Milky Way: a large nabulosity in which there are many stars of different magnitudes: the light which is spread throughout this cluster is divided into several parts. The position is given for the center of this cluster.' (diam. 1d 30')

25. 18h 17m 40s (274d 25' 00") -19d 05' 00"

(June 20, 1764) `A cluster of small stars in the neighborhood of the two previous clusters. The nearest star is 21 Sagittarii, 6 mag. according to Flamsteed. The stars are seen with difficulty in the 3.5-foot [FL] telescope. No nebulosity can be seen. Position determined from mu Saguittarii.' (diam. 10')

26. 18h 32m 22s (278d 05' 25") -9d 38' 14"

(June 20, 1764) `A cluster near nu and omicron in Antinous [alpha and delta Scuti] in between which there is one brighter star. Not distinguished with a 3.5-foot [FL] telescope and it needed a better instrument. Contains no nebulosity.' (diam. 2')

27. 19h 49m 27s (297d 21' 41") +22d 04' 00"

(July 12, 1764) `Nebula without stars. Seen well in 3.5-foot [FL] telescope. Appears oval and contains no star. Recorded on chart of comet of 1779. Reviewed January 31, 1781.' (diam. 4')

28. 18h 09m 58s (272d 29' 30") -24d 57' 11"

(July 27, 1764) `Nebula containing no star. Round, seen with difficulty in 3.5-foot [FL] telescope. Position determined from lambda Sagittarii. Reviewed March 20, 1781.' (diam. 2')

29. 20h 15m 38s (303d 54' 29") +37d 11' 57"

(July 29, 1764) `A cluster of 7 or 8 very small stars. Looks like a nebula in the 3.5-foot [FL] telescope. Found from gamma Cygni. Reported on chart of comet of 1779.'

30. 21h 27m 05s (321d 46' 18") -24d 19' 04"

(August 3, 1764) `Nebula discovered near 41 Capricorni (Flamsteed). Seen with difficulty in 3.5-foot [FL] telescope. Round, contains no star. Found from zeta Capricorni. Reported on chart of comet of 1759.' (diam. 2')

31. 0h 29m 46s (7d 26' 32") +39d 09' 32"

(August 3, 1764) `The beautiful nebula, shaped like a spindle. M. Messier has investigated it with different instruments, and recognised no star. Resembles two cones or pyramides, base to base with axes NW-SE. The two points of light at the apices are about 40' apart. The common base of the pyramids is about 15'. Discovered by S. Marius, and observed by different astronomers. M. le Gentil has given a drawing in the Memoirs of the Academy for 1759, page 453. Reported on the English Atlas.' (diam. 40')

(Flammarion reports that Messier added a note in his personal copy of the catalog by hand: `I have employed different instruments, especially an excellent Gregorian telescope of 30 feet FL, the large mirror 6 inches in diameter, magnification 104x. The center of this nebula appears fairly clear in this instrument without any stars appearing. The light gradually diminishes until it becomes extinguished. The former measurements were made with a Newtonian telescope of 4.5 feet FL, provided with a silk thread micrometer. Diameter 40'. August 3, 1764.')

32. 0h 29m 50s (7d 27' 32") +38d 45' 34"

(August 3, 1764) `Small nebula without a star. Round, much fainter than M31. M. le Gentil has discovered it October 29, 1749. M. Messier first saw it 1757 and has found no change in it.' (diam. 2')

33. 1h 40m 37s (20d 09' 17") +29d 32' 25"

(August 25, 1764) `The nebula is a whitish light of almost even brightness. However, along two-third of its diameter, it is a little brighter. It contains no stars. Seen with difficulty in a 1-foot [FL] telescope. Found from alpha Trianguli. Reviewed September 27, 1780.' (diam. 15')

34. 2h 27m 27s (36d 51' 37") +41d 39' 32"

(August 25, 1764) `A cluster of small stars between the head of Medusa (Algol) and the left foot of Andromeda, a little below the parallel of gamma Andromedae. In an ordinary telescope of 3 foot [FL] one can distinguish the stars. Its position was determined by beta [Persei], the head of Medusa.' (diam. 15')

35. 5h 54m 41s (88d 40' 09") +24d 33' 30"

(August 30, 1764) `A cluster of very small stars near the left foot of Castor; a little distance from the stars mu and eta of that constellation [Gemini]. Reported on the chart of the comet of 1770, Mem. Acad. 1771, pl. VII. Reported in the English Atlas.' (diam. 20')

36. 5h 20m 47s (80d 11' 42") +34d 08' 06"

(September 2, 1764) `A cluster of stars in Auriga, near the star Phi. With an ordinary telescope of 3.5 foot [FL] it is difficult to distinguish the stars. The cluster contains no nebulosity. Position determined from phi [Aurigae].' (diam. 9')

37. 5h 37m 01s (84d 15' 12") +32d 11' 51"

(September 2, 1764) `A cluster of small stars a little removed from the preceding [M36], above the parallel of chi Aurigae; the stars are smaller, more close together and enclosing some nebulosity. With an ordinary telescope of 3.5 feet [FL], it is difficult to see the stars. Reported on the chart of comet of 1771, Mem. Acad. 1777.' (diam. 9')

38. 5h 12m 41s (78d 10' 12") +36d 11' 51"

(September 25, 1764) `A cluster of small stars in Auriga, near the star sigma, a little distance from the two preceding clusters [M36 and M37]; this one is of square shape and contains no nebulosity if examined carefully with a good telescope. It extends to 15' of arc.' (diam. 15')

39. 21h 23m 49s (320d 57' 10") +47d 25' 00"

(October 24, 1764) `A cluster of stars near the tail of the Swan, they can be seen with an ordinary telescope of 3.5 feet [FL].' (diam. 1d 00')

40. 12h 11m 02s (182d 45' 30") +59d 23' 50"

(October 24, 1764) [1771] `The same night on October 24-25, [1764] I searched for the nebula above the tail of the Great Bear, which is indicated in the book Figure of the Stars, second edition. Its position in 1660 was right ascension 183d 32' 41", declination 60d 20' 33". By means of this position, I found two stars very near each other and of equal brightness, about 9th magnitude, placed at the beginning of the tail of the Great Bear. One can hardly distinguish them in an ordinary (nonachromatic) refractor of 6 feet [FL]. Their position is 182 deg 45' 30", +59 deg 23' 50". We presume that Hevelius mistook these two stars for a nebula.'

[1781] `Two stars very close together and very small, placed at the root of the tail of the Great Bear: They are difficult to distinguish with an ordinary telescope of 6 feet [FL].'

(actually, it seems that Hevelius has observed another nearby binary, 74 Ursae Majoris, of mag 5)

41. 6h 35m 53s (98d 58' 12") -20d 33' 00"

(January 16, 1765) `A cluster of stars below Sirius; this cluster appears nebulous in an ordinary telescope of one foot [FL]; it is nothing more than a cluster of small stars.'

42. 5h 23m 59s (80d 59' 40") -5d 34' 06"

(March 4, 1769) `Position of the fine nebula in Orion's sword, around the star theta which is included there with three other stars, smaller than can be seen in some good instruments. Messier has prepared a drawing in which he has included the details of this Great Nebula with the greatest care, which can be seen in the Memoirs of the Academy for 1771, pl. VIII. Huygens discovered it in 1656. It has been observed since by many astronomers. Reported in the English Atlas.'

43. 5h 24m 12s (81d 03' 00") -5d 26' 37"

(March 4, 1769) `Position of a little star surrounded by nebulosity and which is below the nebula of Orion's sword. M. Messier has included it in the drawing of the Great Nebula.'

44. 8h 07m 22s (126d 50' 30") +20d 31' 38"

(March 4, 1769) `A cluster of stars known by the name of the nebula in Cancer. The position given is that of the star C.'

45. 3h 33m 48s (53d 27' 04") +23d 22' 41"

(March 4, 1769) `A cluster of stars, known by the name of the Pleiades. The position reported is that of the star Alcyone.'

46. 7h 31m 11s (112d 47' 43") -14d 19' 07"

(February 19, 1771) `A cluster of very small stars, between the head of the Great Dog and the two hind feet of the Unicorn, located by comparing this cluster with the 6th-magnitude star 2 Navis (according to Flamsteed); these stars can be seen only with a good refractor; the cluster contains a little nebulosity.'

47. 7h 44m 16s (116d 03' 58") -14d 50' 08"

(February 19, 1771) `Cluster of stars a short distance from the preceding; the stars are brighter; the middle of the cluster was compared with the same star, 2 Navis. The cluster contains no nebulosity.'

(At the position recorded by Messier, which also found its way into John Herschel's GC as GC 1594 and, consequently, into Dreyer's NGC as NGC 2478, no cluster is found, so that this object was missed, until Oswald Thomas identified it correctly but perhaps by chance in 1934 as Herschel's cluster H VIII.38 (NGC 2422), and T.F. Morris, in 1959, realised that Messier had done a simple sign error in RA difference when reducing the positional data.)

48. 8h 02m 24s (120d 36' 00") -1d 16' 42"

(February 19, 1771) `Cluster of very faint stars, without nebulosity; this cluster is a short distance from the three stars that form the beginning of the Unicorn's tail.'

(As for M47, Messier did a reduction error, this time giving a position exactly 5 degrees north of the object, so that M48 was missing until T.F. Morris identified it in 1959 (with Herschel's H VI.22, NGC 2548).)

49. 12h 17m 48s (184d 26' 58") +9d 16' 09"

(February 19, 1771) `Nebula discovered near rho Virginis. Seen only with difficulty in a 3.5-foot telescope. The comet of 1779 was compared by M. Messier with this nebula on April 22 and 23: The comet and the nebula had the same light. M. Messier reported this on the chart of the track of the comet. Reviewed on April 10, 1781.'

50. 6h 51m 50s (102d 57' 28") -7d 57' 42"

(April 5, 1772) `Cluster of stars, more or less brilliant. It was while observing the comet of 1772 that M. Messier observed this cluster. He reported it on the chart of that comet.'

51. 13h 20m 23s (200d 05' 48") +48d 24' 24"

(January 11, 1774) `Very faint nebula without stars.... M. Messier discovered this nebula on October 13, 1773 while he was watching the comet visible at that time. One can only see this nebula with difficulties in a telescope of 3.5 foot [FL]. It is double, each has a bright center, which are separated 4'35". The two "atmospheres" touch each other, the one is even fainter than the other. Reviewed several times.'

52. 23h 14m 38s (348d 39' 27") +60d 22' 12"

(September 7, 1774) `A cluster of very small stars mingled with nebulosity which can be seen only with an achromatic telescope. M. Messier saw this cluster close to the comet of 1774 on the 7th of September of that year. It was below the star delta Cassiopeiae and that star was used to determine the position of both comet and cluster.'

53. 13h 02m 02s (195d 30' 26") +19d 22' 44"

(February 26, 1777) `Nebula without stars discovered in Coma Berenices, a little distance from the star 42 in that constellation, after Flamsteed. This nebula is round and conspicuous. The comet of 1779 was compared directly with this nebula and M. Messier has reported it on the chart of that comet. Reviewed April 13, 1781: It resembles the nebula which is below Lepus (M79).'

54. 18h 40m 52s (280d 12' 55") -30d 44' 01"

(July 24, 1778) `Very bright nebula, discovered in Sagittarius. It is bright in the center and contains no star, seen with an achromatic telescope of 3.5 feet [FL]. Its position has been determined from zeta Sagittarii.'

55. 19h 26m 02s (291d 30' 25") -31d 26' 27"

(July 24, 1778) `A nebula which is a whitish spot. Extending for 6' around the light is even and does not appear to contain a star. Found from zeta Sagittarii. Discovered by M. l'Abbe de LaCaille, see Mem. Acad. 1755, p. 194 [Glyn Jones has erroneously 1775]. M. Messier looked for it in vain on July 29, 1764, as reported in his memoir.'

56. 19h 08m 00s (287d 00' 01") +29d 48' 14"

(January 23, 1779) `Nebula without stars, having little light; M. Messier discovered it on the same day as he found the comet of 1779, January 19. On the 23rd, he determined its position by comparing it with the star 2 Cygni, following Flamsteed. It is near the Milky Way and close to it is a 6 mag star. M. Messier reported it on the chart of the comet of 1779.'

57. 18h 45m 21s (281d 20' 08") +32d 46' 03"

(January 31, 1779) `A patch of light between gamma and beta Lyrae, found when looking for the comet of 1779 which passed close. It seems that this patch of light which is round, must be composed of very small stars but with the best telescope it is impossible to distinguish them; they are merely suspected. M. Messier reported this patch of light on the chart of the comet of 1779. M. Darquier of Toulouse discovered it when observing the same comet, and reports: "Nebula between gamma and beta Lyrae; it is very dull, but perfectly outlined; as large as Jupiter, and it looks like a fading planet".'

(was it this description which gave rise to the term, "Planetary Nebula" ?)

58. 12h 26m 30s (186d 37' 23") +13d 02' 42"

(April 15, 1779) `Very faint nebula discovered in Virgo, almost on the same parallel as epsilon [Virginis], 3rd mag. With the slightest illumination of the micrometer wires, it disappears. M. Messier reported it on the chart of the comet of 1779.'

59. 12h 30m 47s (187d 41' 38") +12d 52' 36"

(April 15, 1779) `A nebula in Virgo, in the neighborhood of the preceding [M58] on the parallel of epsilon [Virginis], which was used to determine its position. It is of the same light as the above and as faint. M. Messier reported it on the chart of the comet of 1779.'

60. 12h 32m 28s (188d 06' 53") +12d 46' 02"

(April 15, 1779) `A nebula in Virgo, a little more distinct than the two preceding [M58 and M59], on the same parallel as epsilon [Virginis] which was used to determine its position. M. Messier reported it on the chart of the comet of 1779. He discovered this three nebulae while obsrving the comet which passed very close to them. The latter passed so near on April 13 and April 14 that they were both in the same field of view and he could not see it. It was not until the 15th, while looking for the comet, that he perceived the nebula. None of the three nebulae appears to contain a star.'

61. 12h 10m 44s (182d 41' 05") +5d 42' 05"

(May 11, 1779) `A nebula, very faint and difficult to distinguish. M. Messier mistook this nebula for the comet of 1779 on the 5th, 6th, and 11th of May. On the 11th he found it was not a comet but a nebula which was on its path and in the same part of the sky.'

62. 16h 47m 14s (251d 48' 24") -29d 45' 30"

(June 4, 1779) `A very fine nebula; it resembles a little comet. It is bright in the center and is surrounded by a faint glow. M. Messier had seen this nebula before on June 7, 1771, but obtained only its approximate position. Reviewed March 22, 1781.'

63. 13h 04m 22s (196d 05' 30") +43d 12' 37"

(June 14, 1779) `Nebula discovered by M. Mechain. M. Messier looked for it; it is faint, it has nearly the same light as M59. Contains no star and with the slightest illumination of the micrometer wires, it disappears. Near to it is an 8 mag. star, preceding the nebula. M. Messier reported its position on the chart of the comet of 1779.'

64. 12h 45m 51s (191d 27' 38") +22d 52' 31"

(March 1, 1780) `Nebula discovered in Coma Berenices which is about half as bright as that which is below the hair [M53]. M. Messier has reported its position on the chart of the comet of 1779. Reviewed March 17, 1781.'

65. 11h 07m 24s (166d 50' 54") +14d 16' 08"

(March 1, 1780) `Nebula discovered in Leo: It is very faint and contains no star.'

66. 11h 08m 47s (167d 11' 39") +14d 12' 21"

(March 1, 1780) `Nebula discovered in Leo; the light is very faint and it is very close to the preceding [M65]: They both appear in the same telescopic field. The comet of 1773-74 passed between them on Nov. 2, 1773, and M. Messier no doubt missed them because of the light of the comet.'

67. 8h 36m 28s (129d 06' 57") +12d 36' 38"

(April 6, 1780) `A cluster of small stars with nebulosity below the southern claw of the Crab. The position determined from the star Alpha [Cancri].'

68. 12h 27m 38s (186d 54' 33") -25d 30' 20"

(April 9, 1780) `Nebula without stars in Hydra; it is very faint, very difficult to see in the telescope; near to it is a 6 mag. star.'

69. 18h 16m 47s (274d 11' 46") -32d 31' 45"

(August 31, 1780) `Nebula without star in Sagittarius. Near to it is a 9 mag star; the light is very faint; can be seen only in a good sky, and the least illumination of the micrometer wires extinguishes it. The position was determined from epsilon Sagittarii. This nebula has been observed by M. de La Caille and reported in his catalogue. It resembles the nucleus of a little comet.' (diam 2')

70. 18h 28m 53s (277d 13' 16") -32d 31' 07"

(August 31, 1780) `Nebula without star, near the preceding [M69] and on the same parallel. Near to it is a 9 mag star and four small telescopic stars, almost in the same straight line, close to one another and situated below the nebula as seen in a reversing telescope. The [position of the] nebula was determined from the star epsilon Sagittarii.' (diam 2')

71. 19h 43m 57s (295d 59' 06") +18d 13' 00"

Mechain: (296d 00' 04") +18d 14' 21"
(October 4, 1780) `Nebula discovered by M. Mechain on June 28, 1780, between the stars gamma and delta Sagittae. On October 4 following, M. Messier looked for it. The light is very faint and it contains no star. The least light extinguishes it. It is situated about 4 degrees below that which M. Messier discovered in Vulpecula, see No. 27. It was reported on the chart of the comet of 1779.' (diam 3.5')

72. 20h 41m 23s (310d 20' 49") -13d 20' 51"

Mechain: (310d 21' 10") -13d 21' 24"
(October 4, 1780) `Nebula seen by M. Mechain on the night of August 29-30, 1780, above the neck of Capricorn. M. Messier looked for it on the 4th and 5th October following: the light is as faint as the preceding [M71]. Near to it is a little telescopic star: the position was determined from the star nu Aquarii, 5th mag.' (diam 2')

73. 20h 46m 52s (311d 43' 04") -13d 28' 40"

(October 4 & 5, 1780) `A cluster of three or four small stars which looks like a nebula at first sight; it contains a little nebulosity: it is on the same parallel as the preceding nebula [M72]. The position was determined from the same star, nu Aquarii.'

74. 1h 24m 57s (21d 14' 09") +14d 39' 35"

Mechain: (21d 17' 00") +14d 36' 00"
(October 18, 1780) `Nebula without stars, near the star eta Piscium, seen by M. Mechain at the end of September 1780, who reports: "This nebula contains no star; it is fairly large, very obscure, and extremely difficult to observe; one can make it out with more certainty in fine, frosty conditions". M. Messier looked for it and found it as M. Mechain describes: it has been compared directly with the star eta Piscium.'

75. 19h 53m 10s (298d 17' 24") -22d 32' 23"

Mechain: (298d 17' 30") -22d 32' 00"
(October 18, 1780) `Nebula without star between Sagittarius and the head of Capricorn; seen by M. Mechain on August 27 and 28, 1780. M. Messier looked for it on the following October 5, and on October 18, compared it [i.e., its position] with the star 4 Capricorni. It seemed to M. Messier to be composed of very small stars and to contain nebulosity. M. Messier saw it on October 5 but the Moon being above the horizon, it was not until the 18th of the same month that he was able to make out its form and determine its position.'

76. 1h 28m 43s (22d 10' 47") +50d 28' 48"

Mechain: (22d 10' 26") +50d 28' 12"
(October 21, 1780) `Nebula on the right foot of Andromeda, seen by M. Mechain September 5, 1780, who reports: "This nebula contains no star; it is small and faint". On the following October 21, M. Messier looked for it with his achromatic telescope and it seemed to him that it comprised only small stars containing nebulosity abd that the least light employed to illuminate the micrometer wires causes it disappear. The position was determined from the star phi Andromedae, 4th mag.' (diam. 2')

77. 2h 31m 30s (37d 52' 33") -0d 57' 43"

Mechain: (37d 52' 58") -0d 57' 44"
(December 17, 1780) `A cluster of small stars which contains some nebulosity in the Whale and to the parallel of the star delta, reported of the 3rd mag, but which M. Messier estimates to be of the 5th. M. Mechain saw this cluster on October 29.'

78. 5h 35m 34s (83d 53' 35") -0d 01' 23"

Mechain: (83d 53' 02") -0d 00' 31"
(December 17, 1780) `A cluster of stars with much nebulosity in Orion and on the same parallel as the star delta in the belt which was used to determine its position; the cluster is 3d 41' following [east of] the star and 27'7" north. M. Mechain had seen this cluster at the beginning of 1780, and reported: "On the left side of Orion [Glyn Jones has, erroneously, the right]; 2'-3' diameter, one can see two fairly bright nuclei, surrounded by nebulosity".' (diam. 3')

79. 5h 15m 16s (78d 49' 02") -24d 42' 57"

Mechain: (78d 47' 10") -24d 44' 46"
(December 17, 1780) `Nebula without star, situated below Lepus and on the same parallel as a star of 6th mag. Seen by M. Mechain, October 26, 1780. M. Messier looked for it on the following December 17. This nebula is a fine one, the center brilliant, the nebulosity a little diffuse; its position was determined from the star epsilon Leporis, 4th mag.'

80. 16h 04m 00s (240d 59' 48") -22d 25' 13"

Mechain: (241d 00' 26") -22d 27' 58"
(January 4, 1781) `Nebula without star in the Scorpion, between the stars g. [now rho Ophiuchi] and delta; compared with g. to determine its position. This nebula is round, the center brilliant, and it resembles the nucleus of a little comet, surrounded with nebulosity. M. Mechain saw it on January 27, 1781.' (diam. 2')

81. 9h 37m 51s (144d 27' 44") +70d 07' 24"

Mechain: (144d 27' 00") +70d 04' 00"
(February 9, 1781) `A nebula near the ear of the Great Bear, on the parallel of the star d. of 4th or 5th mag. Its position was determined from that star. This nebula is a little oval, the center clear and can be seen well in an ordinary telescope of 3.5 feet [FL]. It was discovered by M. Bode at Berlin on December 31, 1774, and by M. Mechain in August 1779.'

82. 9h 37m 57s (144d 29' 22") +70d 44' 27"

Mechain: (144d 28' 13") +70d 43' 05"
(February 9, 1781) `Nebula without star, near the preceding [M81], both appearing in the same field of the telescope. This one is less distinct than the preceding; the light is faint and elongated with a telescopic star at its extremity. Seen at Berlin by M. Bode on December 31, 1774, and by M. Mechain in August 1779.'

83. 13h 24m 33s (201d 08' 13") -28d 42' 27"

(February 17, 1781) `Nebula without star near the head of Centaurus: it appears as a faint and even glow but it is difficult to see in the telescope as the least illumination of the micrometer wires makes it disappear: only with the greatest concentration is one able to see it at all. It forms a triangle with two stars estimated at 6th and 7th mag. Position was determined from the stars i, k and h in the head of Centaurus. M. de la Caille has already determined this nebula. See the end of this list.'

84. 12h 14m 01s (183d 30' 21") +14d 07' 01"

(March 18, 1781) `Nebula without star in Virgo. In the center it is pretty bright and surrounded with a slight nebulosity. The brightness and general appearance are similar to M59 and M60.'

85. 12h 14m 21s (183d 35' 21") +19d 24' 26"

Mechain: (183d 35' 45") +19d 23' 00"
(March 18, 1781) `Nebula without star, above and near to the ear of Virgo between the two stars in Coma Berenices, Nos. 11 and 14 of Flamsteed's catalogue: This nebula is very faint. M. Mechain has determined its position on March 4, 1781.'

86. 12h 15m 05s (183d 46' 21") +14d 09' 52"

(March 18, 1781) `Nebula without star in Virgo on the same parallel and very near to the nebula No. 84 above: they both have the same appearance and are seen together in the same field of the telescope.'

87. 12h 19m 48s (184d 57' 06") +13d 38' 01"

(March 18, 1781) `Nebula without star in Virgo, below and very near an 8 mag. star, the star having the same R.A. as the nebula, and its Dec. was 13d 42' 21" north. This nebula appears to have the same light as the two nebulae, Nos. 84 and 86.'

88. 12h 21m 03s (185d 15' 49") +15d 37' 51"

(March 18, 1781) `Nebula without star in Virgo, between two small stars and one of mag. 6 which appear at the same time as the nebula in the field of the telescope. It is one of the fainter nebulae and resembles the one reported in Virgo as No. 58.'

89. 12h 24m 38s (186d 09' 36") +13d 46' 49"

(March 18, 1781) `Nebula without star in Virgo, a little distance from and on the same parallel as the nebula reported above, No. 87. Its light was extremely faint and pale and it can be seen only with difficulty.'

90. 12h 25m 48s (186d 27' 00") +14d 22' 50"

(March 18, 1781) `Nebula without star in Virgo. Its light is as faint as the preceding, No. 89.'

91. 12h 26m 28s (186d 37m 00s) +14d 57' 06"

(March 18, 1781) `Nebula without star in Virgo, above the preceding No. 90: its light is still fainter than that above.'

(At the position Messier has given, no object is present which he could have seen, thus M91 was missing until 1969, when William C. Williams discovered that Messier had probably measured its position from M89, while he thought he used M58, and plotted it wrong.)

(Following the entry for M91 in the Connaissance des Temps for 1784, Messier added the note below:)
`The constellation of Virgo and especially the northern Wing is one of the constellations which encloses the most nebulae. This catalogue contains 13 which have been determined, viz. Nos. 49, 58, 59, 60, 61, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, and 91. All these nebulae appear to be without stars, and can be seen only in a good sky and near meridian passage. Most of these nebulae have been pointed to me by M. Mechain.'

(This notion is apparently the first impact of the Virgo cluster of galaxies into the scientific literature, i.e. the discovery of that galaxy cluster).

92. 17h 10m 32s (257d 38' 03") +43d 21' 59"

(March 18, 1781) `A fine, distinct and very bright nebula in Hercules; it can be easily seen in a telescope of one foot. It contains no star, the center is clear and bright, surrounded by nebulosity and it resembles the nucleus of a large comet. In size and brightness it closely resembles the nebula which is in the belt of Hercules -- see No. 13 of this catalogue. Its position has been determined by direct comparison with the star Sigma Herculis, 4th mag.: the nebula and the star are on the same parallel.' (diam. 5')

93. 7h 35m 14s (113d 48' 35") -23d 19' 45"

(March 20, 1781) `A cluster of small stars without nebulosity between Canis Major and the prown of Navis.' (diam 8')

94. 12h 40m 43s (190d 10' 46") +42d 18' 43"

Mechain: (190d 09' 38") +42d 18' 50"
(March 24, 1781) `Nebula without star above Charles' Heart [alpha Canum Venaticorum]. On the same parallel as the star Beta. It is brilliant in the center and the nebulosity is a little diffuse. It resembles the nebula which is below Lepus, No. 79, but is finer and brighter. M. Mechain made its discovery on March 22, 1781.' (diam. 2.5')

95. 10h 32m 12s (158d 03' 05") +12d 50' 21"

Mechain: (158d 06' 23") +12d 49' 50"
(March 24, 1781) `Nebula without star in Leo above star "l" (53 Leonis): its light is very faint.'

96. 10h 35m 05s (158d 46' 20") +12d 58' 09"

Mechain: (158d 48' 00") +12d 57' 33" (March 24, 1781) `Nebula without star near the preceding (No. 95): this one is less distinct; both are on the same parallel to Regulus. They resemble the two nebulae in Virgo, Nos. 84 and 86. M. Mechain saw them both on March 20, 1781.'

97. 11h 01m 15s (161d 18' 40") +56d 13' 30"

(actually, an erroneous "A" for "Australis", thus "Southern dec" appears at least in the reprint in Mallas/Kreimer's Messier Album)

(March 24, 1781) `Nebula in Ursa Major, near Beta. "It is difficulat to see," reports M. Mechain, "especially when one illuminates the micrometer wires: its light is faint, without a star." M. Mechain saw it the first time on Feb 16, 1781, and the position is that given by him. Near this nebula, he saw another one yet to be determined [M108], and also a third which is near Gamma Ursae Majoris [M109].' (diam. 2')

(The two nebulae mentioned here have been entitled M108 and M109 by Owen Gingerich in 1953, see the additional Messier objects.)

98. 12h 03m 23s (180d 50' 49") +16d 08' 15"

(April 13, 1781) `Nebula without stars, of an extremely faint light, above the northern wing of Virgo; on the same parallel as, and near to the star No. 6, 5th mag. of Coma Berenices, after Flamsteed. M. Mechain saw it on Mar 15, 1781.'

99. 12h 07m 41s (181d 55' 19") +15d 37' 12"

(April 13, 1781) `Nebula without stars, of a very pale light, nevertheless a little clearer than the preceding, M98. On the northern wing of Virgo and near the same star, 6 Comae Berenices. The nebula is between two stars of 7 and 8 mag. M. Mechain saw it on March 15, 1781.'

100. 12h 11m 57s (182d 59m 19s) +16d 59' 21"

(April 13, 1781) `Nebula without stars; it has the same light as the preceding: in the ear of Virgo. Seen by M. Mechain March 15, 1781. The three nebulae, Nos. 98, 99 and 100, are very difficult to recognize because of their feeble light: one can observe them only in good weather and near medium passage.'

101. 13h 43m 28s (208d 52' 42") +55d 24' 25"

(March 27, 1781) `Nebula without stars, very obscure and pretty large, 6' or 7' diam. between the left hand of Bootes and the tail of the Great Bear. Difficult to distinguish when graticule lit.' (diam. 7')

102.

(Mechain) `Nebula between the stars omicron Bootis and iota Draconis: it is very faint, near it is a star of 6th magnitude.'

(Handwritten position added by Messier in his personal copy: 14h 40m, +56.)

(The discoverer, Pierre Mechain, disclaimed the discovery of this object in his letter to Bernoulli, written May 6, 1783, and declared it was an erroneous reobservation of M101. However, his description matches well with an existing object, NGC 5866, as may Messier's position measurement, if one takes an error of exactly 5 degrees in right ascension into account. This issue was ever since, and is still, subject to controversial discussion. Anyway, M102 was missed for more than a century.)

103.

(Mechain) `A cluster of stars between epsilon and delta of the leg of Cassiopeia.'

(Handwritten position added by Messier in his personal copy: 1h 20m, +61.)

104. 12h 28m 39s (187d 9' 42") -10d 24' 49"

(Messier's handwritten note in his copy of the Connaissance des Temps for 1784) `May 11, 1781. Very faint nebula.' [A position follows which agrees with Herschel's H I.43, according to Camille Flammarion, see below]

(Mechain in his letter to Bernoulli, May 6, 1783) `On May 11, 1781, I discovered a nebula above Corvus which did not appear to contain a single star. It emits a weak light and is difficult to find if the micrometer wires are illuminated. This does not appear in the Connaissance des Temps.'

(Flammarion: `It has the position of the nebula H I.43 found by Wm. Herschel, and is No. 4594 of the NGC of Dreyer. We can add it to Messier's catalogue and give it the number 104. The result is that Messier's catalogue from now on is reckoned as numbering 104 instead of 103.')

105.

(Mechain in his letter to Bernoulli, May 6, 1783) `Near M95 and M96 there is a third, somewhat more northerly and even brighter than the others. I discovered this on March 24, 1781, four or five days after the other two.'

106.

(Mechain in his letter to Bernoulli, May 6, 1783) `In July 1781 I found another nebula close to Ursa Major, near the star No. 3 of Canes Venatici and 1 deg further south.'

107.

(Mechain in his letter to Bernoulli, May 6, 1783) `In April 1782, I discovered a small nebula on the left flank of Ophiuchus between the stars Zeta and Phi Ophiuchi.'

108.

(from the description of M97) `Nebula near [M97 and Beta UMa], [position] yet to be determined.'

(Messier added a position by hand which was identified by Owen Gingerich in 1953 as that of H V.46 = NGC 3556, which is now called M108)

109.

(from the description of M97) `A Nebula which is near Gamma UMa.'

(Messier added a position by hand which was identified by Owen Gingerich in 1953 as that of H IV.61 = NGC 3992, which is now called M109)

110.

(Messier on a drawing of M31 and companions published 1807) `Messier 1773. Petite Nebuleuse, plus faible.'

Last Modification: 7 Feb 1998, 18:10 MET