Unistellar Guide to the Messier Marathon

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Copyright Unistellar Corp. 2021

Copyright Unistellar Corp. 2021 Written by Whitney McChane Edited by Valerie Klavans Cover art by Ron Miller Design and layout by Whitley Mike

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

PUBLISHED BY U N I S T E L L A R C O R P. MARSEILLE, FRANCE & MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA

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DEDICATED TO THE WORLD'S STARGAZERS, SCIENTISTS AND DREAMERS. WISHING YOU CLEAR SKIES AND WIDE EYES.

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TAB LE of CONTE NTS

CHA PT E R 1: C HARLES MESSIER & HIS CATALOG

CHA PT E R 2 : THE MESSIER MARATHON

C HA PT E R 3 : THE UNISTELLAR MARATHON

C HA PT E R 4: STAR PARTY ETIQUETTE

C HA PT E R 5 : M ESSIER OBJECTS & JOURNAL

CONTRIBUTORS

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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CHAPTER ONE

CHARLES MESSIER

A N D H I S C ATA L O G

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CHARLES MESSIER B O R N J U N E 2 6 , 1 7 3 0 , B A D O N V I L L E R (now France)

D I E D A P R I L 1 2 , 1 8 17, PA R I S

Messier was the f irst person to compile a systematic catalog of nebul ae and star clusters. The Messier catalog includes 110 object s, including star clusters , nebul ae and gal a xies.

THE COMET FERRET Messier rose to fame af ter he discovered the G reat Comet of 1769 . Messier recieved royal recognition from the King of Prussia and sent the king a map of his cometar y discover y. King Louis X V adorned him with what ultimately became is popul ar nickname, the “Ferret of Comet s ,” due to his high number of discoveries. Messier discovered 13 comet s during his lifetime.

Star chart with the observed path of the comet of 1764, according to Messier’s positional measurements

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Image sources: Wikimedia Commons

T H E M E S S I E R C ATA L O G : A C ATA L O G O F N O N - C O M E T S

The catalog’s purpose was to make comet-hunting easier.

Messier was frustrated when comet-like object s he obser ved turned out not to be comet s. He kept a log of these object s to help other comet-hunters avoid wasting their time on them.

On August 28, 1758, Messier discovered his f irst nebul a . A faint blur in the sk y, which showed promise as a potential comet , was in fact a nebul a , previously discovered by John Bevis (English astronomer, doctor, and electrical researcher) in 1731 . Now commonly known as the Crab Nebul a , or M1 , it simply appeared as a non-moving, misty patch in Taurus. If only a catalog existed, to avoid making this pesk y mistake again! By 1781 , Messier had documented 103 nebul ae in his now-famous catalog, including 40 nebul ae discovered by Messier himself.

Messier’s Drawings of M31/32/110 (1807)

A s chance would have it , the nebul ae Messier documented have signif icantly more cosmological signif icance than the comet s he loved and gained fame for.

Orion Nebula (M42) - graphic by Charles Messier (1771)

Image sources: Wikimedia Commons

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OBJECTS MESSIER CATALOG

IN

THE

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O PE N CLUSTE R

Loose grouping of stars that formed from the same stellar nursery.

M103, David Rowe

G LO BU L AR CLUSTE R

Region of our galaxy where hundreds of thousands of stars formed at the same time from the same dust cloud.

M13: Hercules Globular Cluster, Nicole Ruel & Jacques Bérard

STAR CLOU D

Region where stars appear numerous and close together.

M24: Sagittarius Star Cloud, Jean-Marie Laugier

A STE RI S M

Small pattern or group of stars, which is not one of the 88 constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union.

M73, Gerd Waloszek

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SU PE RN OVA RE M NANT

Layers of matter that remain after the explosion of a giant star.

M1: Crab Nebula, Jim Sweitzer

S PI R AL G AL A X Y

Twisted system of stars, dust, interstellar gas, and dark matter held together by gravity.

M51: Whirlpool Galaxy, Jon Burton

E LLI P TI CAL G AL A X Y

Galaxy with a generally ellipsoidal shape, and no apparent internal structure or spiral arms.

M87: Virgo A, David Rowe

LE NTI CU L AR G AL A X Y

Type of galaxy intermediate, between a spiral and elliptical galaxy.

M102: Spindle Galaxy, Jean-Marie Laugier

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D I FFUS E N E BU L A

An extended interstellar cloud of dust, hydrogen, helium and other ionized gases, which has no well-defined boundaries M8: Lagoon Nebula, B. Guinement

PL AN E TARY N E BU L A

Type of emission nebula with an expanding, glowing shell of ionized gas ejected from red giant stars late in their lives.

M27: Dumbell Nebula, Ken Meloche

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CHAPTER T WO

MESSIER MARATHON THE

T H E M E S S I E R M A R AT H O N I S A F R I E N D LY COMPETITION TO OBSERVE ALL 110 O B J E C T S I N M E S S I E R ’ S C ATA L O G I N O N E N I G H T. T Y P I C A L M A R AT H O N S A R E D U S K T O - D AW N S O C I A L G AT H E R I N G S T H AT B R I N G S TA R G A Z E R S O F A L L B A C K G R O U N D S TO G E TH ER TO ENJ OY TH I S TE S T O F S K I LL ,

FORTITUDE AND GOOD FORTUNE.

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M E S S I E R M A R AT H O N :

MA JOR SUCCE SS FAC TORS P H A S E of the M O O N LIGHT POLLUTION

W E AT H E R

T I M E of Y E A R

O R D E R of O B S E R V A T I O N S

TELESCOPE + TOOL S

O B J E C T S V I S I B L E at your L A T I T U D E and H O R I Z O N

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M E S S I E R M A R AT H O N :

ITE MS TO B RING TO THE ME SS IE R MAR ATHON

•

UNISTELLAR EVSCOPE

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WA R M C LOT H E S

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COMFY CHAIR OR PICNIC BLANKET

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P O R TA B L E B AT T E R Y C H A R G E R

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FOOD + DRINKS

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RED LIGHT HEAD LAMP OR FLASHLIGHT

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WHITE LIGHT FLASHLIGHT FOR CLEANUP

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TOUCHSCREEN GLOVES

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A D E TA I L E D P L A N F O R Y O U R O B S E R VAT I O N S

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F R I E N D S + F A M I LY

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P R E PA R AT I O N I S T H E K E Y T O S U C C E S S

TOP 1 0 TIP S FOR PLANNING A MESSIER M A R AT H O N

FORM OR

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JOIN A TEAM

A Messier marathon is meant to be a social activity, where communities of space -lovers connect and converse under the stars. A stronomy’s most dif f icult challenge is signif icantly more rewarding when you have a group of friends or fellow stargazers to suppor t , encourage and celebrate your ef for t s.

Reach out to fellow members of the Unistell ar Network, and see if they want to form a team.

Professional and amateur astronomers alike are active in the community, which includes 4 ,000 eVscope users in Europe, Japan and Nor th America . eVscope users are active, suppor tive members of the astronomy community, and they frequently host vir tual event s and obser vations.

If you choose an in-person event , par ticul arly in Covid-19 times , discuss and agree upon safety protocol early on.

Masks make for great face -warmers on chilly night s! If in-person gatherings don’ t feel safe for you, join or host a vir tual obser vation event.

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DETERMINE YO U R D AT E S

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The full Messier marathon can only be successfully completed during a limited time of year, typically mid-March through early April . Because of the faint nature of these deep -sk y object s , you must choose a date that is as close as possible to the new moon. Other wise, some object s will not be visible.

Many astronomy clubs choose a Saturday night for their Messier marathon, since the event requires par ticipant s to stay up all night. But f lexibility will be key, since Mother Nature is unpredictable.

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IDENTIFY AN IDEAL

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L O C AT I O N

Charles Messier was from France, and so the object s he discovered are located in the nor thern hemisphere.

A s such, obser vers must al so be in the nor thern hemisphere —specif ically within cer tain degrees l atitude —in order to successfully obser ve all 110 object s in one evening. Other wise, some object s will not be obser vable because they’re too close to the sun (and therefore too faint ) or located below the horizon.

Whether you go for the full marathon or a shor ter race, you must al so consider your horizon, and how many trees , buildings or other items may obstruct your view of cer tain object s. Some of the obser vations are quite low to the horizon during their visible period.

A dr y-run at your chosen location will help determine if you’ll encounter challenges during your scheduled pl an.

Determine how dark your location is.

The Bor tle scale measures the night sk y’s brightness in a par ticul ar location using a 1- 9 scale. Check interactive light pollution maps online, or use a smar tphone app to check your sk y quality.

L astly, are there any bright light s in your immediate area that could unexpectedly pollute your sk y? Check your location at night , not during the day, just to be sure.

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INVEST IN THE RIGHT GEAR

Most Messier object s are invisible to the naked eye, so you’ll have to invest in binocul ars or a telescope to obser ve them. It can be ex tremely complicated to locate these object s and view their rich color and detail , so don’ t hesitate to rely on high-tech gear such as smar tphone apps and automated pointing-andtracking systems.

Unistell ar’s eVscope is a power ful par tner for this thrilling and challenging task. Proprietar y low-light and imaging technology allows for real-time views of color ful deep -sk y object s , including nebul ae, gal a xies, star clusters and more. What previously required ex tensive knowledge and hours of obser vation time can now be completed by novices , in little time.

The eVscope is equipped with Autonomous Field Detection technology, providing ex tremely accurate and easy-to -use pointing and tracking, as well as detailed information about the object s you are obser ving. The eVscope al so features patented Enhanced Vision technology that allows for accumul ation of light that is imperceptible to the human eye, providing users with an unparallelled live obser vation of faint object s

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C O N S U LT THE

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EXPERTS

The Marathon is a test of pl anning and preparedness , as much as it is a test of skill . And par t of the fun in par ticipating is learning the Messier stor y and savoring the beauty of the object s.

Read a book about the Messier Marathon, such as this ver y ebook, The Unistell ar Guide to the Messier Marathon. Other books provide an ex treme level of detail on each object , including detailed star char t s , but can be a cumbersome read. If you have a lot of time on your hands , consider The Year-Round Messier Marathon Field Guide by H. C . Pennington or The Obser ving Guide to the Messier Marathon: A Handbook and Atl as by Donald Machhol z.

Consult with members of the Unistell ar Network using the dedicated eVscope user groups on Facebook, or the private Sl ack channel dedicated to citizen science.

Professional and amateur astronomers alike are active in the community, which is fun, suppor tive, inspiring and diverse. You can get encouragement and suppor t in multiple l anguages , including English, French, Japanese, and G erman.

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C R E AT E A N O B S E R VAT I O N PLAN

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First , refer to the Unistell ar Guide and obser vation pl an, which of fers a general recommendation for your viewing order and timing, along with brief descriptions and images of each object.

Save the guide on your smar tphone or tablet , or print a version for easy reference and notetaking.

Nex t , print a highly detailed pl an based on your obser ving date and location. We recommend using the online tool “L arr y McNish’s Messier Marathon Pl anner Version 1 .52 ,” a fast and detailed web tool that will let you know which object s cannot be obser ved in your location, and why. View the tool at https://calgar y.rasc.ca/darksk y/messierpl anner.htm.

You can input horizon limit s , and select from a few high- quality viewing sequences.

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PR ACTICE , PR ACTICE , PR ACTICE

A s with a traditional marathon, training is essential to success. You can’ t show up for a highly challenging marathon and expect to wing it.

Practice key por tions of your obser vation pl an in the days and weeks leading up to your of f icial event.

You don’ t have to complete the full marathon during training, simply choose the most challenging legs of your race. Then, invest a few hours of obser vation time each week, or whenever Mother Nature provides the oppor tunity.

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P R E PA R E FOR AN ALL-NIGHTER

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Waking up for a middle - of-the -night training obser vation will give you a keen understanding of how tired, cold or hangr y you may get during the actual event. You’ll likely be more tired, cold, hungr y and thirsty than anticipated. Nocturnal living can be a challenge!

Don’ t skimp on the warm clothes and bl anket s , comf y chairs , snacks and beverages. Figure out where you’ll go when you need to use the restroom. Bring red l amps to protect your night vision, and white light f l ashlight s to help when you drop something or need to clean up. Invest in power banks and ex ternal batter y packs.

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BE MINDFUL O F S TA R P A R T Y ETIQUETTE

Each astronomy club has it s own rules , or you can establish your own. Check out Unistell ar’s Star Par ty Etiquette Guide for ideas. Understanding and adhering to star par ty etiquette will ensure ever yone has a good time during a long night of darkness.

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S H A R E YO U R LOVE OF T H E S TA R S

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Obser ving a Messier marathon is a thrilling experience; sharing your obser vations with other stargazers can be equally gratif ying. Share your obser vations on social media using the #Unistell arMarathon hashtag to join a global conversation about the Messier marathon and astronomy. Be sure you set your image privacy to “Public” or this sharing may not be visible to the global astronomy community.

If you’re competing with an eVscope, don’ t forget to save and share your images with Unistell ar, and compete for fun prizes and bragging right s. Fellow members of the eVscope user groups on Facebook always appreciate seeing your beautiful captures.

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CHAPTER THREE

THE

UNISTELLAR MARATHON

I F Y O U H A V E O N E N I G H T, O R I F Y O U O N LY H A V E O N E H O U R , YO U CAN J O I N TH E U N I S TELL AR M A R AT H O N . C H E C K O U T R A C E O P T I O N S A N D P I C K T H E O N E T H AT ’ S J U S T R I G H T F O R Y O U , D E P E N D I N G O N T H E D I F F I C U LT Y Y O U P R E F E R A N D T H E T I M E YO U H AV E AVA I L A B L E .

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The

U N I S T E L L A R M A R AT H O N

NAME

THE CHALLENGE

TIME

DIFFICULTY

PRO TIPS

MESSIER MARATHON

Observe all Messier objects in one evening.

8 pm 6:30 am

Extremely Challenging

Only observers within specific latitudes can complete the task, during mid-March to early April.

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Your night of observations must be conducted as close as possible to the new moon, otherwise not all objects will be visible.

Extensive planning and training are critical to success.

Invite people to join and support you - it’s going to be a long night.

MESSIER HALF MARATHON

Observe half of the Messier objects in one evening.

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8 pm 6:30 am

Extremely Challenging

(Or a portion of the evening depending on your observation plan)

Perfect for first-time marathoners, or people who cannot view all objects due to their latitude.

Don’t let the “half” fool you; it’s still a long night and extremely difficult task.

Plan and train as if it were the full marathon, but enjoy more time between observations.

MESSIER RELAY 3

Work with a team of 2 or more people to complete the Messier Marathon or any Galactic Race in one evening.

1-4 hours (Depending on the size of your team)

Challenging to Approachable

Extend a friendly challenge to other clubs or teams

(Depending on the size of your team)

Strong communication is critical; be sure to check your data and internet connection in your observing location Practice, practice, practice to be a strong + prepared teammate

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The

U N I S T E L L A R M A R AT H O N

NAME

THE CHALLENGE

TIME

DIFFICULTY

BORTLE CLASS FINISHERS

Messier finishers in each of the 9 classes of the Bortle scale: Good luck, urban participants!

8 pm 6:30 am

Challenging

Observe all Messier objects in one evening, and prove that age is but a number.

8 pm 6:30 am

Challenging

Observe as many Messier objects as possible from 8 p.m. to Midnight.

8 pm Midnight

Challenging

Observe as many Messier objects as possible, starting at 4 a.m.

4 am 6:30 a.m.

Intermediate

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YOUNGEST & OLDEST MESSIER FINISHERS 5 (Individually or as part of a relay team)

MESSIER ‘TILL MIDNIGHT 6

MESSIER IN THE MORNING 7

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The

U N I S T E L L A R M A R AT H O N

NAME

THE CHALLENGE

TIME

DIFFICULTY

MESSIER 6K

Observe 6 Messier objects in one evening: one object from each category of the Messier catalog.

1-3 hours

Intermediate

GALAXY SPRINT

Observe as many Messier galaxies as possible in two hours.

NEBULA SPRINT

STAR CLUSTER SPRINT

(Varies depending on your location and observation plan)

2 hours

Approachable

Observe as many Messier nebulae as possible in two hours.

2 hours

Approachable

Observe as many Messier star clusters as possible in two hours.

2 hours

Approachable

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The

U N I S T E L L A R M A R AT H O N

NAME

THE CHALLENGE

TIME

DIFFICULTY

MAJESTIC CAPTURE

Capture the “most majestic” image of any Messier object; stitching and other post-processing is allowed.

No limit.

Just for Fun

OUTSTANDING OBSERVATION

Capture the “most outstanding” observation of any Messier object, without any postprocessing.

No limit.

Just for Fun

STELLAR STARGAZING SHOT

Share a quality stargazing image of you and/or your telescope and/or your team, taken from your observing location.

No limit.

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Just for Fun

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CHAPTER FOUR

STAR PARTY ETIQUETTE

S TA R P A R T I E S A R E S O C I A L E V E N T S . B U T U N L I K E A T R A D I T I O N A L B O I S T E R O U S PA R T Y, T H E S E E V E N T S ARE OFTEN QUIET AND SERENE, WITH GUESTS WA S H E D I N DA R K N E S S . K E E P T H E S E G E N E R A L G U I D E L I N E S I N M I N D T O B E A G R E AT G U E S T A N D S N A G A R E P E AT I N V I T E .

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S TA R P A R T Y E T I Q U E T T E

USE RED LIGHTS, POINTED DOWN AND SPARINGLY

WATCH WHERE YOU WALK

White light will destroy a stargazer’s hard- earned night vision, which can take 15 or more minutes to develop.

Even red light s can damage your night vision, so point them down when in use, and tr y to use them sparingly.

It’s easy to stumble in the darkness , especially when power cords or other wires are spread across the ground.

If you bring a telescope, consider using ref lective tape on or around your telescope, to aid guest s who are navigating the darkness.

WARN OTHERS IF WHITE LIGHT MUST BE USED

DON’T RUN

It’s okay to use a f l ashlight if you drop something, but keep the light focused and shout out a warning to your fellow stargazers.

You might trip over a wire, run into a fellow stargazer, or create enough turbulent ground to ruin a prized longexposure image. Take your time as you navigate the obser vation site. Remind children to do the same.

DON’T TAKE FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY AFTER SUNSET

ASK BEFORE YOU TOUCH

This seems obvious , but is easy to forget when you want to take a proud group shot or the per fect self ie. Learn nighttime photography, or take a group photo before sunset. Set your smar tphone’s f l ash to “of f ” if you pl an to use it.

A stronomy equipment can be expensive and precisely positioned; you don’ t want to accidentally damage someone’s telescope or obser vation.

Of ten, if you ask, people are happy to let you enjoy a view through their telescope. A reminder: Never touch any gl ass optical sur face.

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S TA R P A R T Y E T I Q U E T T E

KEEP FOOD, DRINK AND CIGARETTE SMOKE AWAY FROM EQUIPMENT

ASK QUESTIONS!

Walking around with food and beverage in the dark is not advised, and cer tainly not recommended near expensive telescopes. Find a safe pl ace to sit and enjoy yourself. Event organizers may designate special areas for smoking; if not , ensure you are downwind from obser vers.

Don’ t feel shy about your l ack of experience. Even professional astronomers will tell you: There’s always someone smar ter than you about something. Learning and expanding your knowledge is something to be proud of. Most amateur astronomers appreciate the oppor tunity to share, teach and coll aborate.

REMEMBER: SOUND TRAVELS

In calm, open spaces , noises tend to carr y. Learn the par ty’s rules regarding music. Avoid conversations that could be of fensive to children or other par ty guest s … they can likely hear you, even if you are speaking in a hushed tone.

PARK AWAY FROM THE OBSERVING SITE

Headlight s are the worst , but even backup light s or interior dome light s can quickly erode night vision. If you have a telescope or other heav y gear, it’s okay to park near the viewing site, but orient your headlight s away from obser vers when you arrive, park and depar t.

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CHAPTER FIVE

THE

MESSIER OBJECTS & JOURNAL

AN OVERVIEW OF THE 110 MESSIER OBJECTS, LISTED IN M A R AT H O N O B S E R V I N G O R D E R , WITH R O O M FO R N OTE S .

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The M E S S I E R M A R A T H O N O B J E C T S

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M 74

2

M 77

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M 33

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Spiral Galaxy

Pisces

Spiral Galaxy

Pisces

Spiral Galaxy

Triangulum

95,000 light years in diameter

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M 31

50 million light years from Earth

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M 32

Triangulum Galaxy

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Common Name

M 110

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Spiral Galaxy

Andromeda

Elliptical Galaxy

Andromeda

Elliptical Galaxy

Andromeda

Andromeda Galaxy

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Common Name

M 52

Satellite galaxy of the Andromeda galaxy

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M 103

17,000 light years in diameter

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M 76

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Open Cluster

Cassiopeia

Open Cluster

Cassiopeia

Planetary Nebula

Perseus

Contains around 1,200 stars

15 light years in diameter

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Little Dumbbell Nebula

Common Name

NOTES

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The M E S S I E R M A R A T H O N O B J E C T S

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M 34

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M 45

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M 79

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Open Cluster

Perseus

Open Cluster

Taurus

Globular Cluster

Lepus

Pleiades

Diameter of 22 light years

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M 42

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40,000 light years from Earth

Common Name

M 43

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M 78

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Diffuse Nebula

Orion

Diffuse Nebula

Diffuse Nebula

Diffuse Nebula

Diffuse Nebula

Common Name

Member of a group of 4 nebulae

Orion Nebula

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De Mairan’s Nebula

Common Name

M1

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M 37

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M 36

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Supernova Remnant

Taurus

Open Cluster

Auriga

Open Cluster

Auriga

Crab Nebula

Common Name

Contains about 500 stars

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Contains about 60 stars

NOTES

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The M E S S I E R M A R A T H O N O B J E C T S

19

M 38

20

M 35

21

M 41

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Open Cluster

Auriga

Open Cluster

Gemini

Open Cluster

Canis Major

Diameter 26 light years

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Diameter of 22 light years

M 50

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M 47

Diameter of 25 light years

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M 46

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Open Cluster

Monoceros

Open Cluster

Puppis

Open Cluster

Puppis

Heart-Shaped Cluster

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Common Name

M 93

Contains about 500 stars

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M 48

250 million years old

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M 44

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Open Cluster

Puppis

Open Cluster

Hydra

Open Cluster

Cancer

Contains around 80 stars

Contains about 400 stars

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Beehive Cluster

Common Name

NOTES

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The M E S S I E R M A R A T H O N O B J E C T S

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M 67

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M 81

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M 82

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Open Cluster

Cancer

Spiral Galaxy

Ursa Major

Spiral Galaxy

Ursa Major

Contains around 1,100 stars

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M 108

Bode’s Galaxy

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Cigar Galaxy

Common Name

M 97

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Common Name

M 109

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Spiral Galaxy

Ursa Major

Planetary Nebula

Ursa Major

Spiral Galaxy

Ursa Major

110,000 light years in diameter

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M 106

Owl Nebula

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180,000 light years in diameter

Common Name

M 40

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M 95

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Spiral Galaxy

Canes Venatici

Optical Double Star

Hydra

Spiral Galaxy

Leo

135,000 light years in diameter

Winnecke 4

Common Name

52

Diameter: 50,000 light years

NOTES

53

The M E S S I E R M A R A T H O N O B J E C T S

37

M 96

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M 105

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M 65

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Spiral Galaxy

Leo

Elliptical Galaxy

Leo

Spiral Galaxy

Leo

100,000 light years in diameter

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M 66

40 million light years from Earth

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M 51

35 million light years from Earth

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M 63

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Spiral Galaxy

Leo

Spiral Galaxy

Canes Venatici

Spiral Galaxy

Canes Venatici

35 million light years from Earth

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M 101

Whirlpool Galaxy

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Common Name

M 94

Sunflower Galaxy

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Common Name

M 102

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Spiral Galaxy

Ursa Major

Spiral Galaxy

Canes Venatici

Lenticular Galaxy

Draco

Pinwheel Galaxy

Common Name

Contains around 40,000 billion stars

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Spindle Galaxy

Common Name

NOTES

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The M E S S I E R M A R A T H O N O B J E C T S

46

M 53

47

M 64

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M3

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Globular Cluster

Coma Berenices

Spiral Galaxy

Coma Berenices

Globular Cluster

Canes Venatici

220 light years in diameter

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M 98

Black Eye Galaxy

50

33,900 light years from Earth

Common Name

M 85

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M 99

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Spiral Galaxy

Ursa Major

Lenticular Galaxy

Coma Berenices

Spiral Galaxy

Coma Berenices

110,000 light years in diameter

52

M 100

60 million light years from Earth

53

M 84

55 million light years from Earth

54

M 86

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Spiral Galaxy

Coma Berenices

Lenticular Galaxy

Virgo

Lenticular Galaxy

Virgo

55 million light years from Earth

55 million light years from Earth

56

135,000 light years in diameter

NOTES

57

The M E S S I E R M A R A T H O N O B J E C T S

55

M 87

56

M 89

57

M 90

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Elliptical Galaxy

Virgo

Elliptical Galaxy

Virgo

Spiral Galaxy

Virgo

Virgo A

58

60 million light years from Earth

Common Name

M 88

59

M 91

Diameter 90 light years

60

M 58

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Spiral Galaxy

Coma Berenices

Spiral Galaxy

Coma Berenices

Spiral Galaxy

Virgo

100,000 light years in diameter

61

M 59

63 million light years from Earth

62

M 60

60 million light years from Earth

63

M 49

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Elliptical Galaxy

Virgo

Elliptical Galaxy

Virgo

Elliptical Galaxy

Virgo

60 million light years from Earth

60 million light years from Earth

58

Has 5,900 globular clusters

NOTES

59

The M E S S I E R M A R A T H O N O B J E C T S

64

M 61

65

M 104

66

M 68

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Spiral Galaxy

Virgo

Elliptical Galaxy

Virgo

Globular Cluster

Hydra

60 million light years from Earth

67

M 83

Sombrero Galaxy

68

140 light years in diameter

Common Name

M5

69

M 13

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Type

Spiral Galaxy

Ursa Major

Globular Cluster

Serpens

Globular Cluster Hercules

Southern Pinwheel Galaxy

70

Common Name

M 92

Made up of 100,000 to 500,000 stars

71

M 57

Constellation

Hercules Globular Cluster

72

Common Name

M 56

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Globular Cluster

Hercules

Planetary Nebula

Lyra

Globular Cluster

Lyra

Around 14 billion years old

Ring Nebula

Common Name

60

60 light years in diameter

NOTES

61

The M E S S I E R M A R A T H O N O B J E C T S

73

M 29

74

M 39

75

M 27

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Open Cluster

Cygnus

Open Cluster

Cygnus

Planetary Nebula

Vulpecula

Moving closer to Earth at a speed of 28 km/s

76

M 71

Contains about 30 stars

77

M 107

Dumbbell Nebula

78

Common Name

M 10

Type

Constellation

Type

Globular Cluster

Sagittarius

Globular Cluster Ophiuchus

Globular Cluster Ophiuchus

80 light years in diameter

60 million light years from Earth

26 light years in diameter

79

M 12

80

Constellation

M 14

Type

81

Constellation

M9

Type

Constellation

Type

Type

Constellation

Globular Cluster

Ophiuchus

Globular Cluster Ophiuchus

Globular Cluster

Ophiuchus

Contains 1 million stars

60 million light years from Earth

Contains 80,000 stars

Constellation

62

NOTES

63

The M E S S I E R M A R A T H O N O B J E C T S

82

M4

83

M 80

84

M 19

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Globular Cluster

Scorpius

Globular Cluster

Scorpius

Globular Cluster

Ophiuchus

95 light years in diameter

Diameter 70 light years

85

M 62

86

Contains 1 million stars

M6

87

M7

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Globular Cluster

Ophiuchus

Open Cluster

Scorpius

Open Cluster

Scorpius

Contains more than a million stars

88

M 11

Butterfly Cluster

89

Ptolemy’s Cluster

Common Name

M 26

90

Common Name

M 16

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Open Cluster

Scutum

Open Cluster

Scutum

Diffuse Nebula

Serpens

Wild Duck Cluster

Common Name

Diameter of 22 light years

64

Eagle Nebula

Common Name

NOTES

65

The M E S S I E R M A R A T H O N O B J E C T S

M 17

M 24

M 18

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Diffuse Nebula

Sagittarius

Open Cluster

Sagittarius

Star Cloud

Sagittarius

Omega Nebula

Common Name

Contains about thirty blue giants

M 25

Sagittarius Star Cloud

Common Name

M 21

M 23

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Open Cluster

Sagittarius

Open Cluster

Sagittarius

Open Cluster

Sagittarius

Contains around 80 stars

Is located at 2000 light years

M 20

Very young, only 5 million years old

M 28

M8

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Diffuse Nebula

Sagittarius

Diffuse Nebula

Sagittarius

Globular Cluster

Sagittarius

Trifid Nebula

Common Name

Lagoon Nebula

Common Name

66

Contains 500,000 stars

NOTES

67

The M E S S I E R M A R A T H O N O B J E C T S

M 22

M 70

M 69

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Globular Cluster

Sagittarius

Globular Cluster

Sagittarius

Globular Cluster

Sagittarius

Sagittarius Cluster

Common Name

Contains around 200,000 stars

M 54

70 light years in diameter

M 75

M 55

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Type

Globular Cluster

Sagittarius

Globular Cluster

Sagittarius

Globular Cluster Sagittarius

87,000 light years from Earth

Contains 270,000 stars

M 15

Constellation

135 light years in diameter

M2

M 72

Type

Constellation

Type

Pegasus

Constellation

Type

Globular Cluster

Constellation

Globular Cluster

Aquarius

Globular Cluster

Aquarius

Great Pegasus Cluster

Common Name

Contains 150,000 stars

68

Contains around 170,000 stars

NOTES

69

The M E S S I E R M A R A T H O N O B J E C T S

109

M 73

110

M 30

Type

Constellation

Type

Constellation

Asterism

Aquarius

Global Cluster

Capricornus

4 stars, independent of each other

Contains 150,000 stars

NOTES

70

NOTES

71

72

CONTR IB U TOR S A ND BIBLIOG R A P HY

73

CONTR IBUTOR S Messier # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55

M 74 M 77 M 33 M 31 M 32 M 110 M 52 M 103 M 76 M 34 M 45 M 79 M 42 M 43 M 78 M 1 M 37 M 36 M 38 M 35 M 41 M 50 M 47 M 46 M 93 M 48 M 44 M 67 M 81 M 82 M 108 M 97 M 109 M 106 M 40 M 95 M 96 M 105 M 65 M 66 M 51 M 63 M 101 M 94 M 102 M 53 M 64 M 3 M 98 M 85 M 99 M 100 M 84 M 86 M 87

Contributor

Messier #

Michael McCann Jean-Marie Laugier Nicole Ruel & Jacques Bérard Romain Girard Romain Girard Gerd Waloszek Nicole Ruel & Jacques Bérard David Rowe Nicole Ruel & Jacques Bérard Jean-Marie Laugier David Rowe Jean-Marie Laugier Gary Wingerd Romain Girard Nicole Ruel & Jacques Bérard Jim Sweitzer Jean-Marie Laugier Gerd Waloszek Gerd Waloszek Jean-Marie Laugier Gerd Waloszek Gerd Waloszek Jean-Marie Laugier Ian Storrs Jean-Marie Laugier Gerd Waloszek Nicole Ruel & Jacques Bérard Jim Sweitzer Nicole Ruel & Jacques Bérard Jean-Marie Laugier Jean-Marie Laugier Gary Wingerd Nicole Ruel & Jacques Bérard Michael McCann Jean-Marie Laugier Gerd Waloszek Gerd Waloszek David Rowe David Rowe Gerd Waloszek Jon Burton Jon Burton Gerd Waloszek Nicole Ruel & Jacques Bérard Jean-Marie Laugier David Rowe Nicole Ruel & Jacques Bérard Gerd Waloszek Jean-Marie Laugier Gerd Waloszek Duane Morse Jean-Marie Laugier Jean-Marie Laugier Jean-Marie Laugier David Rowe

56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110

74

M 89 M 90 M 88 M 91 M 58 M 59 M 60 M 49 M 61 M 104 M 68 M 83 M 5 M 13 M 92 M 57 M 56 M 29 M 39 M 27 M 71 M 107 M 10 M 12 M 14 M 9 M 4 M 80 M 19 M 62 M 6 M 7 M 11 M 26 M 16 M 17 M 18 M 24 M 25 M 23 M 21 M 20 M 8 M 28 M 22 M 69 M 70 M 54 M 55 M 75 M 15 M 2 M 72 M 73 M 30

Contributor Jean-Marie Laugier Gerd Waloszek Gerd Waloszek Gerd Waloszek Gerd Waloszek Jean-Marie Laugier Jean-Marie Laugier Jean-Marie Laugier Jean-Marie Laugier Gerd Waloszek Jean-Marie Laugier Jean-Marie Laugier Nicole Ruel & Jacques Bérard Nicole Ruel & Jacques Bérard David Rowe Nicole Ruel & Jacques Bérard Mike McCann Gerd Waloszek David Rowe Ken Meloche David Rowe Jean-Marie Laugier Jean-Marie Laugier Gerd Waloszek Jean-Marie Laugier Nicole Ruel & Jacques Bérard Gerd Waloszek Gerd Waloszek Gerd Waloszek Gerd Waloszek Jean-Marie Laugier Jean-Marie Laugier Yann Dufaut Gerd Waloszek Nicole Ruel & Jacques Bérard B. Guinement Gerd Waloszek Jean-Marie Laugier Gerd Waloszek Jean-Marie Laugier Jean-Marie Laugier Nicole Ruel & Jacques Bérard B. Guinement Gerd Waloszek Nicole Ruel & Jacques Bérard Jean-Marie Laugier Jean-Marie Laugier Jean-Marie Laugier Nicole Ruel & Jacques Bérard Gerd Waloszek David Rowe Gerd Waloszek Nicole Ruel & Jacques Bérard Gerd Waloszek Gerd Waloszek

SOURCES

1 .

“Charles Messier.” A stronomy & Space: From the Big Bang to the Big Crunch, Gale, 2008.

2 .

“Charles Messier.” Brittannica .com. https://w w w.britannica .com/biography/Charles-Messier.

Accessed Feb. 7, 2021 .

3 .

“E xplore - The Night Sk y | Hubble’s Messier C atalog” NASA .com. https://w w w.nasa .gov/content / goddard/hubble -s-messier- catalog. Accessed Feb. 7, 2021 .

4 .

“L arr y McNish’s Messier Marathon Pl anner Version 1 .52 .” https://calgar y.rasc.ca/darksk y/ messierpl anner.htm. Accessed Feb. 7, 2021 .

5 .

A drawing of Saturn by Charles Messier. Stoyan R . et al . Atl as of the Messier Object s: Highlight s of the Deep Sk y. — C ambridge: C ambridge Univercity Press , 2008. — P. 34

6.

Bakich, Michael . “Take a deep -sk y treasure hunt: one special night can show you the nor thern sk y’s 109 best object s.” A stronomy, vol . 34 , no. 3 , Mar. 2006, p. 74 .

7.

Charles Messier, French astronomer, at the age of 40, circa 17 70. Stoyan R . et al . Atl as of the Messier Object s: Highlight s of the Deep Sk y. — C ambridge: C ambridge Univercity Press , 2008. — P. 15 .

8.

Charles Messier, por trait. The Royal Librar y: The National Librar y of Denmark and Copenhagen University Librar y

9 .

Drawing of the Hôtel de Cluny, from the beginning of the nineteenth centur y. The wood an gl ass structure at the top is the Marine Obser vator y where astronomer Charles Messier discovered 15 comet s and obser ved object s he compiled into his “Messier catalogue” of 110 astronomical object s. Stoyan R . et al . Atl as of the Messier Object s: Highlight s of the Deep Sk y. — C ambridge: C ambridge Univercity Press , 2008. — P. 16.

10. Messier’s Drawings of M31 /32/110 (1807). SEDS from the Recueil de l’ Institute, Vol . 8, p. 213 11 . Occultation of Saturn by the Moon on the 18th of Februar y 17 75 . Drawing by Charles Messier.

Stoyan R . et al . Atl as of the Messier Object s: Highlight s of the Deep Sk y. — C ambridge: C ambridge Univercity Press , 2008. — P. 34 .

12 . Orion Nebul a (M42) - graphic by Charles Messier (17 71 ). An addition to the 1 st version of the Messier C atalog in the Histoire de l’Académie royale des sciences avec les mémoires de mathématique & de physique for 17 71 , between pages 460 & 461 .

13 . Star char t with the obser ved path of the comet of 1764 , according to Messier’s positional measurement s. Stoyan R . et al . Atl as of the Messier Object s: Highlight s of the Deep Sk y. — C ambridge: C ambridge University Press , 2008. — P. 30 1 4 . Stoyan, Ronald. “ Who was the real Charles Messier? His catalog of deep -sk y object s may be world famous , but most people don’ t know much about the man behind it.” A stronomy, vol . 37, no. 8, Aug. 2009 , p. 5 4 .

15 . The f irst catalog page of Messier’s third version from 1781 with the object s M 1 to M 5 . Stoyan R . et al . Atl as of the Messier Object s: Highlight s of the Deep Sk y. — C ambridge: C ambridge Univercity Press , 2008. — P. 39 .

16. The Year-Round Messier Marathon Field Guide: With Complete Maps , Char t s and Tips to Guide You to Enjoying the Most Famous List of Deep -Sk y Object s. H. C . Pennington. July 1 , 19 97.

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