Messier Objects

M31 and Satellites
M31, M32 (Arp 168) behind M31, and M110, foreground. We’ve now captured all 110 Messier objects. M17 was our first, on November 18, 2022 and we captured the last 6 during the early morning hours of October 4, 2024, between 3:55 and 5:24 AM. All of the last 6 were located near Orion, in order of capture: M79, M78, M50, M93, M47, and M41.

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Messier observations 41-50 of 110 total to date.

Catalog # Thumbnail Title/link Designation(s) Date Observed Comment
M41
M41 / NGC 2287 / Little Beehive Cluster
M41, NGC 2287, Little Beehive Cluster2024-10-04 05:24:00An attractive open cluster in Canis Major
M42
M42 / Great Orion Nebula / Sh2-281
M42, Sh2-281, NGC 19762023-11-17 05:02:00Stunning capture of a classic target on a magical night
M43
M43 / NGC 1982
M43, NGC 19822023-02-18 23:43:00The little bulb on the Orion Nebula has its own Messier number!
M44
M44 / Beehive Cluster
M44, NGC 26322024-04-20 21:54:00My favorite binocular target
M45
M45 / Pleiades
M452023-11-16 22:24:00An utterly charming cluster, with the naked eye or with a telescope
M46
M46 / NGC 2437 / NGC 2438
M 46, NGC 2437, NGC 24382024-02-05 11:03:00Beautiful, small planetary nebula inside an open cluster
M47
M47 / NGC 2422
M47, NGC 24222024-10-04 05:03:00Another Messier open cluster, this one in Puppis.
M48
M48 / NGC 2548
M48, NGC 25482024-04-20 21:58:00It took a woman to get it right!
M49
M49 / NGC 4472
M49, NGC 44722024-05-03 21:53:00Lucky capture using SeeStar of the brightest galaxy in the Virgo Cluster
M50
M50 / NGC 2323 / Heart Shaped Cluster
M50, NGC 2323, Heart Shaped Cluster2024-10-04 04:52:00An open cluster with an impressive starfield.