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The Messier catalogue: all 110 deep-sky objects

Charles Messier's list of 110 deep-sky objects is the classic observing checklist for amateur astronomers. This is the full catalogue with object type, constellation and magnitude for each.

What is the Messier catalogue?

The Messier catalogue is a list of 110 deep-sky objects compiled by the French astronomer Charles Messier in the eighteenth century. Messier was a comet hunter and logged these fixed fuzzy objects so he would not mistake them for comets. The list turned out to be a superb tour of the brightest galaxies, nebulae and star clusters visible from the northern hemisphere, and it remains the standard observing checklist for amateur astronomers.

Can I see all of the Messier objects?

Almost all of them are within reach of a small telescope from a reasonably dark site, and many of the brightest, such as the Orion Nebula, the Pleiades and the Andromeda Galaxy, are visible to the naked eye or in binoculars. The faintest members need more aperture and darker skies. Observers often try to see the whole list, and a Messier marathon in spring can catch all 110 in a single night from a good site.

Which Messier objects are best for a beginner?

Start with the brightest and largest: M42 the Orion Nebula, M45 the Pleiades, M31 the Andromeda Galaxy, M13 the great globular cluster in Hercules, and M44 the Beehive Cluster. These are easy to find and forgiving of light pollution, and they show well at low magnification with a wide-field eyepiece.

How do I work out the right magnification for a Messier object?

Magnification is your telescope's focal length divided by your eyepiece's focal length. Most Messier objects are extended, so they are framed best at low to medium power with a wide true field; only small, bright planetary nebulae take high magnification well. Use the Fit My Telescope tool with your telescope's focal length to see the magnification, true field of view and exit pupil each of your eyepieces gives, and pick the one that frames the object.

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Sources: Wikidata (CC0) · Messier object (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)