Target Type R. A. Dec. Constellation Magnitude Size M45 Open Cluster 03h 47m 00s +24° 07′ 00″ Taurus +1.50 120 arcmin Overview Pierre Mechain discovered this wonderful galaxy in 1767. Messier included it in his observation notes but didn’t add it to his catalog. That was done by Camille Flammarion who discovered Messier’s list of …
Target Type R. A. Dec. Constellation Magnitude Size M42 (NGC 1976) Bright Nebula 05h 35m 24s -05° 27′ 00″ Orion +4.00 85×60 arcmin Overview M17, the brightest summer nebula in the northern hemisphere, was discovered by Philippe Loys de Cheseaux in 1745. Messier added it to his catalog 19 years later, in 1764, after discovering …
Target Type R.A. Dec. Constellation Magnitude Size M35 (NGC 2168) Open Cluster 06h 08m 54s +24° 20′ 00″ Gemini 5.1 40 arcmin Overview This stunning, bright cluster is just about visible to the naked eye under perfect dark sky conditions. It was easier to see before the days of rampant light pollution and was discovered …
Target Type R. A. Dec. Constellation Magnitude Size M1 (NGC 1952) Bright Nebula 05h 34m 00s +22° 01′ 00″ Taurus 8.4 6.0×4.0 arcmins Overview The Hercules cluster, the 13th object in the Messier catalog, is an easy to locate, rich cluster in the constellation of Hercules. It’s located in a sparsely populated area of sky …
Target Type R. A. Dec. Constellation Magnitude Size M103 (NGC 581) Open Cluster 01h 33m 23s +60° 39′ 00″ Cassiopeia +7.40 5.0 arcmin Overview M103 is the last object from the original catalog of objects compiled by Charles Messier. It is a small star cluster easily located near Ruchbar, one of the bright stars forming …
Target Type R. A. Dec. Constellation Magnitude Size M109 (NGC 3992) Spiral Galaxy 11h 57m 36s +53° 22′ 28″ Ursa Major +9.6 8.1×5.6 arcmin Overview Ursa Major, also known as the Great Bear or the Plough – depending on where you live – is a circumpolar constellation. That means it is above the horizon all the …
Challenge #4 – M109, Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major Read More »
Target Type R. A. Dec. Constellation Magnitude Size M34 (NGC 1039) Open Cluster 02h 42m 05s +42° 45′ 14″ Persius +5.2 35.0 arcmin Overview M34 was discovered by Charles Messier and included in his infamous catalog in 1764, although we have good reason to believe that the Italian astronomer Giovanni Battista Hodierna actually made note …
Target Type R. A. Dec. Constellation Magnitude Size M16 (NGC 6611) Bright Nebula 18h 18m 48s -20° 52′ 41″ Serpens +6.4 35×28 arcmins Overview Messier saw this nebula in 1764, and was the first to see its nebulosity. The first person to observe the region itself was Philippe Loys de Chéseaux in 1745 or 1746. …
Target Type R. A. Dec. Constellation Magnitude Size M104 (NGC 4594) Spiral Galaxy 12h 39m 59s -11° 37′ 23″ Virgo +8.12 8.4×4.9 arcmin Overview Pierre Mechain discovered this wonderful galaxy in 1767. Messier included it in his observation notes but didn’t add it to his catalog. That was done by Camille Flammarion who discovered Messier’s …
Target Type R. A. Dec. Constellation Magnitude Size M17 (NGC 6618) Bright Nebula 18h 20m 48s -16° 11′ 00″ Sagittarius +6.00 46×37 arcmin Overview M17, the brightest summer nebula in the northern hemisphere, was discovered by Philippe Loys de Cheseaux in 1745. Messier added it to his catalog 19 years later, in 1764, after discovering …
Challenge #3 – M17, Omega/Swan Nebula in Sagittarius Read More »
