Charles Messier (June 26, 1730

Timeline of Charles Messier (June 26, 1730 – April 12, 1817)

This timeline summarizes the most important events in the life of

Charles Messier, especially of his astronomical activities.

We also have a more descriptive

biography of Charles Messier.

1730, June 26

Charles Messier was born in Badonvillier, Lorraine, France;

10th of 12 children

1741

Father of Messier dies

1744

The young Messier observes a great comet (from Lorraine still)

1748, July 25

An annular solar eclipse is visible from France, and observed by the

young Messier

1751

The 21 year old Charles Messier goes to Paris and gets employed by

Nicholas Delisle; gets advised to astronomical observing and recording

1754

Regular appointment as Depot clerk of the Navy

1757

Messier begins his search for comet Halley. First observation of

M32.

1758

Messier makes his first comet observations, and independently discovers

M1, the Crab Nebula

(August 28, measured September 12).

Comet Halley is rediscovered by Johann Georg Palitzsch (December 25)

1759

Messier independently discovers and observes comet Halley (1759 I)

1760

Messier discovers Comet 1759 II Messier (January 26) and co-discovers

the Comet 1759 III, known as the Great Comet of 1760 (January 8).

Delisle retires, Messier continues observing.

independently discovers the globular star cluster

M2 (previously recorded by Maraldi).

1761

Observation of a Venus transit.

1763

Discovery of Comet 1763 Messier (September 28). Messier was almost elected

to the Academy of Sciences.

1764

Discovery of Comet 1764 Messier (January 3). His first own deep sky

discovery of globular cluster M3, cataloged

on May 3, probably causes him to undertake a systematical search for

nebulous objects, leading to the observation and recording of the objects

M3–M40,

many of which were own discoveries, but several from old catalogs.

Messier was made a member of the Royal Society of London.

1765

M41 recorded (January 16).

1766

Messier discovers 1766 I Messier (March 8),

co-discovers 1766 II Helfenzrieder (April 8).

1769

March 4:

M42—M45

added to the catalog; first version finished.

Messier discovers Comet 1769 Messier (August 8).

1770

Messier discovers Comet 1770 I Lexell (June 14, named after its orbit

calculator).

Elected to the Academy of Sciences.

1771

Co-discovered Comet 1770 II, called Great Comet (January 10),

discovered Comet 1771 Messier (April 1).

First catalog published (list of 45).

Shortly after publication,

M46—M49,

M62.

1772

M50.

1773

M110 discovered but not cataloged,

Comet 1773 Messier (October 13).

1774

M51, M52;

introduced to Pierre Mechain.

1777

M53.

Messier reports “specks” crossing the sun.

1778

M54, M55.

1779

Messier co-discovers Comet 1779 Bode (January 19).

M56—M63.

1780

M64—M79.

Second version of the catalog published

(up to M68, with

M69 and M70

described independently in the same volume of Connaissance des Temps

for 1783).

Messier discovers Comet 1780 I Messier (October 27)

1781

A very eventful year for Charles Messier, really !

At the beginning of this year, he cataloged

M80—M100,

and added Mechain’s objects

M101—M103

without personal validation, to get his list ready

for its final publication in Connaissance des Temps for 1784.

He added M104 very shortly after publication

(May 11), and probably also positions for the hitherto undetermined

objects M102 and

M103, as well as those nebulae mentioned

at M97 (now

M108 and

M109). Mechain discovered

M105 (March) and

M106 (July).

Herschel discovered Uranus on March 13, Messier got the note in April and

observed it since. Accidental fall into the ice cellar on November 6.

1782

April: The last Messier object, M107, is

discovered by Pierre Mechain.

September 7: Herschel begins his deep-sky survey, stimulated by Messier’s

catalog.

November 9: Messier recovers from his accident.

November 12: observes Mercury transit.

1785

Messier discovers Comet 1785 I Messier-Mechain (January 7).

1786

Herschel’s first catalog of 1,000 “nebulous objects” published

1788

Messier discovers Comet 1788 I Messier (November 26)

1789

The French Revolution begins with the “Storming of the Bastille”.

1793

Comet 1793 I Messier (September 27). “Year of Terror” in France.

1798

Comet 1798 I Messier (April 12). Messier’s wife dies.

1801

First asteroid (Ceres) discovered.

Messier co-discovers Comet 1801 Pons (July 12).

1817, April 11-12

In this night, Charles Messier passed away in his 87th year, in his home

in Paris.

Sources:

Kenneth Glyn Jones:
Messier’s Nebulae and Star Clusters.

Faber & Faber, 1968; 2nd revised edition

Cambridge University Press, 1991.
Don Machholz:
The Messier Marathon Observer’s Guide.

Make Wood Products, P.O.Box 1716, Colfax, CA 95713 (USA). 1994.

Last Modification: 7 Feb 1998, 18:10 MET