Find and observe all 110 Messier objects
One guide for every object in Charles Messier’s catalog: whether it’s up tonight, how to star hop to it, what it will look like in your telescope, and a logbook to tick it off once you’ve seen it.
My name’s Adam, and I’ve been an astronomer for 40 years. Read my bio
The Messier Catalog is my complete course on Charles Messier’s 110 objects: the galaxies, star clusters and nebulae that every backyard astronomer ends up chasing. On this page I’ll show you the problem it solves, what’s inside, how it works at the telescope, and what it costs.
The objects you’ll be hunting
M16 · The Pillars of Creation, Eagle Nebula
M1 · Crab Nebula
M57 · Ring Nebula
M101 · Pinwheel GalaxyM51 · Whirlpool Galaxy
M42 · Orion Nebula
M104 · Sombrero GalaxyEvery object here is one of the 110, and every one has its own guide in the course. Your telescope won’t show you Hubble’s colors, but it will show you the real thing, and each guide tells you exactly what to expect at the eyepiece.
The list is easy to find. Using it is the hard part.
The Messier list is in every astronomy book and on a thousand websites. But a list won’t tell you which objects are up tonight. It won’t show you how to hop from a star you can see to a smudge you can’t. And it won’t warn you that a galaxy that looks spectacular in a photo is a soft gray glow in a backyard telescope, so you know when you’ve actually found it.
That’s the gap this course fills. Every object gets its own guide, and every guide is built to be used outside, at the eyepiece.
Everything you need to find all 110
A guide for every object
103 guides cover all 110 objects. Seven take a pair that sit close together, like M81 and M82.
Finder charts
Each guide starts from bright stars you can see and leads you step by step to the object.
Views for your telescope
Upright, upside-down or mirrored. Pick yours once and every guide remembers it.
Printable PDFs
Download any chart, or print everything for an object in one go and take it outside.
What’s up tonight
All 110 sorted by what’s well placed this evening or after midnight. Filter by season, type and difficulty.
Your logbook
Note the date and what you saw, mark it observed, and watch your count climb toward 110.
Red-light mode
One tap turns the page red. Charts switch to white stars on black and open full screen without leaving red.
Five certificates
All 110, plus the galaxies, globular clusters, open clusters and nebulae, so there’s always a goal in reach.
Here’s how it works on a real night
Pick tonight’s targets, open a guide, and tick it off when you’ve seen it.
At the telescope: switch to your telescope’s view, go red, and open any chart full screen.
Is this course right for you?
It is, if
✓You can find the Moon and the planets, and you want a real goal for the deep sky
✓You own a telescope of any type, or good binoculars for the brightest objects
✓You like ticking things off a list and seeing your progress
✓You observe from the northern hemisphere
It is not, if
You want to learn astrophotography. This course is about finding objects with your own eyes
You’ve never used a telescope. Start with my Beginner’s Guide to Backyard Astronomy, which ends where this course begins
You observe from well south of the equator, where some of the northern objects never rise
From members of the Virtual Astronomy Club
“I finally managed to see my first galaxy and cluster.”
NM, VAC Member
“We both saw our first DSOs. We’re both so happy because we’d tried for so long [before the VAC] without success.”
MV and Son, VAC Member
“I only just started to work my way through the VAC and it’s made finding things easier already.”
SH, VAC Member
One payment, yours for life
✓103 guides covering all 110 Messier objects
✓Finder charts and views for your telescope type
✓Printable PDFs for every chart
✓The course home with the tonight filter, seasons, types and difficulty
✓Your logbook and progress toward all 110
✓Red-light mode for use at the telescope
✓Five certificates to earn along the way
✓Lifetime access on any device, with every future update
✓30-day money-back guarantee
Try it for 30 days, risk free
Join today and take a month of clear nights to put it to work. If it isn’t helping you find Messier objects, email me within 30 days and I’ll refund every cent, no questions asked.
Questions
If yours isn’t here, email me at adam@lovethenightsky.com and I’ll be glad to help.
Do I need a GoTo telescope?
No. Every guide is built around star hopping, so the charts work with any manual telescope. If you do use GoTo, the guides tell you what you’re looking at and what to expect in the eyepiece.
What size telescope do I need?
The brightest clusters and nebulae show well in binoculars. Charles Messier found every object on his list with small telescopes, and a 4 to 6 inch scope under a dark sky will show you the full list.
Can I see them all from where I live?
From most of the US, every object on the list rises high enough to see at some point in the year. That’s why the course home sorts them by season and by what’s up tonight. From farther north, a few of the southernmost objects stay very low.
Will it work on my phone at the telescope?
Yes. Every page works on a phone or tablet, and red-light mode keeps your night vision intact while you use it.
I’m already a VAC member. Do I need this?
No. The Messier Catalog is included in your membership, so you already have it.
How long do I have access?
For life. One payment gives you unlimited access on any device, including every future update. No subscription, no renewals.
What if it’s not for me?
Email me within 30 days and I’ll refund you in full, no questions asked.
Who are you?
I’m Adam Kirk. I’ve been observing for 40 years, and in 2015 I created Love the Night Sky to help people enjoy their telescopes. The Virtual Astronomy Club is where I put my full observing guides.
110 objects, and a guide to finding every one
Join today, and on the next clear night you’ll know exactly which objects are up and how to find them.
Get the Messier Catalog for $97