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M1 The Crab Nebula
Image from the Digitized Sky Survey
(NGS-POSS)
Image from the Digitized Sky Survey
(NGS-POSS)
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M8 The Lagoon Nebula
Image from the Digitized Sky Survey
(NGS-POSS)
Image from the Digitized Sky Survey
(NGS-POSS)
M31 The Andromeda Galaxy
A naked eye Messier object
A naked eye Messier object
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M20 The Trifid Nebula
Image by The Royal Observatory, Edinburgh/Anglo-Australian Observatory
Image by The Royal Observatory, Edinburgh/Anglo-Australian Observatory
Messier Catalogue
The Messier Objects are very popular as you do not require big telescopes to be able to observe them. French comet hunter Charles Messier started compiling this catalogue around 1700 in order to make sure he did not confuse them with comets.
Click here for an overview of images of Messier Objects made by local amateur astronomers as can be found in our Photo Gallery.
The Nineplanets website is a very useful source of information on Messier and other objects. To find out more about a particular Messier object, please use the drop down menu below, or go directly to the Nineplanets main website.
