MESSIER OBJECT CATALOGUE M1 TO M20

Dear Viewers,

In this post we are going to discuss about the Messier Objects. Messier Objects are famous spot in the sky, with the help of small telescope we can only able to see some high magnitude (low in number) Messier Objects. These objects are first listed by a French Astronomer named Charles Messier in the year of 1771. So far there are 110 Messier objects in the list.

Due to its large list in this post we are going to see the first 20 Messier objects in the Messier catalogue, and the remaining will follow. Once again I convey my credits to Google, Wikipedia, NASA and all. 

The Messier objects are categorized into five different Deep Sky Objects,

1.)  Diffuse Nebulae

2.)  Planetary Nebulae

3.)  Open Clusters

4.)  Globular Clusters

5.)  Galaxies

Let us see each category in detail,

1.)  Diffuse Nebulae

Diffuse Nebulae or Nebulae is an interstellar cloud of dust, hydrogen, helium and other ionized gases.  Originally nebulae was a name for any diffuse astronomical object in and out of our Milky Way galaxy. Most nebulae can be described as Diffuse Nebulae, which means that they are extended and contains no-well defined boundaries.

Example:-         

M8 – Diffuse Nebulae – Lagoon Nebulae

 

2.)  Planetary Nebulae

A Planetary Nebulae is kind of emission nebulae consisting of an expanding glowing shell of ionized gas ejected from an old red giant star late in their lives. They are faint objects and is not visible through naked eye.  Planetary nebulae plays a very crucial role in evolution of galaxy and information about chemical abundances. 

Example:-
 

Cat’s Eye Nebulae   

3.)  Open Cluster

An open cluster is a group of stars that were formed from the same giant molecular cloud and have roughly the same age.  So far there are totally 1,100 open cluster have been discovered within the Milky Way Galaxy and many more thought to exist. A number of open cluster such as Pleiades, Hyades are visible with the naked eye in the dark night sky. 

Example:-

M11 – A wild duck cluster

4.)  Globular Cluster

A globular cluster is a spherical collection of stars that orbits a galactic core as a satellite. Globular clusters are very tightly bound by gravity, which gives them their spherical shapes and relatively high stellar densities toward their centers.

Example:-

M80 – Globular cluster 

5.)  Galaxies

A galaxy is a massive, gravitationally bound system consisting of stars, stellar remnants, an interstellar medium of gas and dust.   Galaxies have been historically categorized according to their apparent shape, usually referred to as their visual morphology.  There are probably more than 170 billion galaxies in the observable universe.  

Example:-  

M31 Galaxy in Andromeda 

 

Messier Catalogue M1 to M20

 M1 Supernova Remnant in Taurus
Common Names: Crab Nebula
NGC Number: 1952
Visual Magnitude: 8.4

The Crab Nebula, M1, was the first nebulous object observed by Charles Messier. It is a cloud of expanding gas left over from a supernova explosion. In the center of this nebula is a 16th magnitude star that is the collapsed core of the supernova. It is a pulsar, perhaps even a rotating neutron star. A telescope will bring out more of the nebula's fine details.

 

M2 Globular Cluster in Aquarius
Common Names: None
NGC Number: 7089
Visual Magnitude: 6.5

M2 is a globular cluster of stars located in the constellation of Aquarius. This cluster is located about 50,000 light-years from Earth. It is believed to be about 175 light-years in diameter. M2 is one of the brightest and largest globular clusters in the sky. This cluster's visual magnitude of 6.5 means it can easily be found with a pair of binoculars. A telescope will be required to resolve the cluster's individual stars.  

M3 Globular Cluster Canes Venatici
Common Names: None
NGC Number: 5272
Visual Magnitude: 6.2

 

Located in the constellation Canes Venatici, M3 is a tight cluster of almost 500,000 stars. This cluster is located approximately 30,000 light-years from Earth. It contains about 170 faint variable stars, which is more than any other globular cluster. A visual magnitude of 6.2 makes this bright cluster an easy target for binoculars and telescopes alike.

 

M4 Globular Cluster in Scorpius
Common Names: None
NGC Number: 6121
Visual Magnitude: 5.6

M4 is a globular cluster that lies in the constellation of Scorpius. It is located about 7,000 light-years from the Earth. This makes M4 one of the closest of the globular clusters. It is also one of the most open, or loose globular clusters. M4 is receding from us at a rate of 65 km/sec. With a visual magnitude of 5.6, this cluster can easily be seen with the naked eye on a dark, clear night. With the aid of a small telescope, it displays a central band of bright stars in a linear formation.

M5 Globular Cluster in Serpens
Common Names: None
NGC Number: 5904
Visual Magnitude: 5.6

Located in the constellation Serpens, globular cluster M5 is one of the few to show an elliptical shape. It is believed to be one of the oldest of the globular clusters, at an age of about 13 billion years. M5 is located about 23,000 light-years from Earth, and has a diameter of about 130 light-years. This cluster's visual magnitude of 5.6 males it easy to spot on a clear night with dark skies and a pair of binoculars. A telescope will resolve the cluster's individual stars.

M6 Galactic Cluster in Scorpius
Common Names: Butterfly Cluster
NGC Number: 6405
Visual Magnitude: 5.3

 

M6 is a galactic, or open cluster of stars found in the constellation of Scorpius. It has a diameter of about 20 light-years and lies about 2,000 light-years from Earth. This cluster is composed mainly of blue and white stars with the brightest being a yellow or orange giant. The shape of this cluster somewhat resembles that of a butterfly, giving rise to its more common name, the butterfly cluster. At magnitude 5.3 it is an easy find with binoculars.  

M7 Galactic Cluster in Scorpius
Common Names: Ptolemy's Cluster
NGC Number: 6475
Visual Magnitude: 4.1

          Another galactic cluster to be found in the rich hunting grounds of the constellation of Scorpius is M7, also known as Ptolemy's cluster. It is a large group of about 80 stars set against the background of fainter and more distant Milky Way stars. M7 is about 18 light-years in diameter and lies about 800 light-years from us. The brightest star of the cluster is a yellow giant with a magnitude of 5.6. This bright cluster makes a sine target for the binocular observer.

M8 Diffuse Nebula in Sagittarius
Common Names: Lagoon Nebula
NGC Number: 6523
Visual Magnitude: 6.0

 

          Known more commonly as the Lagoon Nebula, M8 is a beautiful cloud of gas illuminated by a 5.9 magnitude star inside. The nebula is about 150 light-years in diameter and lies about 5,200 light-years from Earth. M8 is a stellar nursery where many new stars are being formed from the great clouds of gas. With a visual magnitude of 6, this nebula can be easily seen in the constellation of Sagittarius with the naked eye on a dark, clear night.  

M9 Globular Cluster in Ophiuchus
Common Names: None
NGC Number: 6333
Visual Magnitude: 7.7

 

          M9 is a globular cluster of stars located within the constellation of Ophiuchus. It is located at the edge of a dark patch of dark nebulosity. This cluster is about 26,000 light-years from us and has a diameter of about 70 light-years. The central region of the cluster has a distinct oval shape. M9's visual magnitude of 7.7 makes it a bit more challenging to find than some of the other globular clusters. It can be found with binoculars, and can be quite impressive in a 4-inch telescope.

M10 Globular Cluster in Ophiuchus
Common Names: None
NGC Number: 6254
Visual Magnitude: 6.6

          Globular cluster M10 lies in the constellation of Ophiuchus. This is a very bright cluster with a central region that appears slightly pear-shaped. It is about 70 light-years in diameter and lies about 16,000 light-years from Earth. With a visual magnitude of 6.6 and an apparent diameter of 15 arc minutes, this is one of the best clusters to be viewed with both binoculars and small telescopes.

M11 Galactic Cluster in Scutum
Common Names: Wild Duck Cluster
NGC Number: 6705
Visual Magnitude: 6.3

          Located in the constellation Scutum, M11 has been described as one of the richest and most compact open clusters. This cluster lies 6,000 light-years from Earth and has a diameter of about 21 light-years. It is composed of more than 2,900 stars, 600 of which have a visual magnitude brighter than 15. To some, the shape of the cluster resembles that of a flock of flying ducks. This has helped it to earn the name, Wild Duck Cluster. 

M12 Globular Cluster in Ophiuchus
Common Names: None
NGC Number: 6218
Visual Magnitude: 6.7

Globular cluster M12, in the constellation Ophiuchus, is nearly a twin of M10. It is just a bit fainter and only slightly larger. Like its twin, it does not contain a lot of variable stars. M12 lies at a distance of 18,000 light-years from Earth and has a diameter of about 75 light-years. Visually it is a fairly remarkable sight. Its visual magnitude of 6.7 makes it an easy target to find with a telescope will bring out its slightly irregular shape.

M13 Globular Cluster in Hercules
Common Names: Hercules Cluster
NGC Number: 6205
Visual Magnitude: 5.8

Also known as the Hercules cluster, M13 is perhaps the finest and most well-known globular cluster in the Northern hemisphere. It originally was discovered by Edmond Halley in 1714. Halley noted that the cluster could easily be seen with the naked eye on dark, moonless nights. As its common name would imply, M13 lies in the constellation Hercules. It is about 25,000 light-years from us, and has an impressive diameter of about 150 light-years.

M14 Globular Cluster in Ophiuchus
Common Names: None
NGC Number: 6402
Visual Magnitude: 7.6

Located in the constellation Ophiuchus, globular cluster M14 has a slightly elliptical shape to it. This cluster is noticeably smaller than M10 and M12, but it contains a large number of variable stars, over 70 in all. This cluster has a diameter of about 55 light-years and lies about 23,000 light-years from Earth. It was the sight of a nova in 1938. With a magnitude of 7.6. 

M15 Globular Cluster in Pegasus
Common Names: None
NGC Number: 7078
Visual Magnitude: 6.2

M15 is a globular cluster of stars in the constellation Pegasus. It is perhaps the densest of all the globular clusters in the Milky Way. It is also the only known globular cluster to contain a planetary nebula. M15 contains over 100 variable stars, which ranks it third for variables. It also contains 9 known pulsars. This cluster is 40,000 light-years distant, and with a visual magnitude of 6.2, is a beautiful sight in binoculars and telescopes alike.  

M16 Cluster & Nebula in Serpens
Common Names: Eagle Nebula, Star Queen Nebula
NGC Number: 6611
Visual Magnitude: 6.4

M16 is an open star cluster and cloud of hot gas about 7,000 light-years away in the constellation Serpens. It contains a diffuse nebula and several dark dust lanes known as the Eagle Nebula. The name comes from the shape of the nebula, which resembles a flying eagle. The stars in the cluster formed from the gasses in this nebula, and new stars are still in the process of forming. This bright object can easily be seen with any optical instrument.   

M17 Nebula & Cluster in Sagittarius
Common Names: Omega / Horseshoe / Swan / Lobster Nebula
NGC Number: 6618
Visual Magnitude: 7.0

Located in the constellation Sagittarius, M17 is an open cluster of about 35 stars within a cloud of gas. As with M16, the hot stars cause the nebula to shine brightly. Located about 6,000 light-years from Earth, this is an area of active star formation. A small telescope will reveal the shape that gives this nebula its name, resembling a horseshoe or swan's neck. The glow of the nebula can be seen in a small telescope, while photographs will show the nebula's red and pink colors.

M18 Galactic Cluster in Sagittarius
Common Names: None
NGC Number: 6613
Visual Magnitude: 7.5

            M18 is a small open cluster of about 20 stars located in the constellation Sagittarius. It lies about 5,000 light-years away with a diameter of about 17 light-years. The cluster contains only 12 fairly bright stars, and the cluster is rather loose in appearance. It is not one of the best examples of a galactic cluster, but it is a pretty sight in a small telescope. This a fairly young cluster, containing bright blue as well as yellow and orange stars.

M19 Globular Cluster in Ophiuchus
Common Names: None
NGC Number: 6273
Visual Magnitude: 6.8

Globular cluster M19 can be found in the constellation Ophiuchus. It is situated about 20,000 light-years from Earth and has a diameter of about 30 light-years. M19 lies very close to the galactic center, only 4,600 light-years from it in fact. This is a relatively bright globular cluster, and is easily identifiable with binoculars. A telescope will reveal the fact that the cluster has an elliptical shape to it.  

M20 Diffuse Nebula in Sagittarius
Common Names: Trifid Nebula
NGC Number: 6514
Visual Magnitude: 9.0

The Trifid Nebula, M20, is probably best known for its three-lobed appearance. The dark areas are lanes of dark dust that obscure the nebula's light. This diffuse nebula is very large, and is located about 5,000 light-years from Earth. It is illuminated by a hot 7th-magnitude star located deep within. M20 is a magnificent object easily visible with a pair of binoculars.