Astronomy magazine podcast: Messier marathon

Contributing Editors Glenn Chaple and Phil Harrington preview their annual battle to spy the most Messier objects in a single night.

Published: March 15, 2007

Charles Messier was a French astronomer and comet hunter who discovered 13 comets independently and codiscovered a half-dozen others. While hunting for comets, Messier compiled a list of fuzzy objects that were not comets in order to avoid them. These catalog entries were later identified as star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies. These objects became the Messier Catalog. Published in various versions beginning in 1771, the catalog grew to 103 objects by 1781. Charles Messier lived from June 26, 1730 to April 12, 1817.

Photo by SEDS

March 13, 2007
This weekend marks the best time of the year to attempt the Messier marathon — an observing event where observers try to spy all 109 Messier objects in one night. In this week's show, Contributing Editors Glenn Chaple and Phil Harrington give advice on pacing yourself during the marathon, list tips for first-time "runners," and discuss their annual competition to best each other.

After you listen, e-mail us here and let us know what you think.

To subscribe to our podcast, click here.

Downloadable File(s)

Messier marathon (23926 kB)

Messier marathon
Messier Number	NGC Number	Constellation	Type	Magnitude
M77	1068	Cetus	Gal	8.9
M74	628	Pisces	Gal	8.5
M33	598	Triangulum	Gal	5.7
M31	224	Andromeda	Gal	3.4
M32	221	Andromeda	Gal	8.2
M110	205	Andromeda	Gal	8.0
M52	7654	Cassiopeia	OC	6.9
M103	581	Cassiopeia	OC	7.4
M76	650	Perseus	PN	10.1
M34	1039	Perseus	OC	5.2
M45	-	Taurus	OC	1.5
M79	1904	Lepus	GC	7.7
M42	1976	Orion	N	3.7
M43	1982	Orion	N	6.8
M78	2068	Orion	N	8.0
M1	1952	Taurus	SNR	8.0
M35	2168	Gemini	OC	5.1
M37	2099	Auriga	OC	5.6
M36	1960	Auriga	OC	6.0
M38	1922	Auriga	OC	6.4
M41	2287	Canis Major	OC	4.5
M93	2447	Puppis	OC	6.2
M47	2422	Puppis	OC	5.7
M46	2437	Puppis	OC	6.1
M50	2323	Monoceros	OC	5.9
M48	2548	Hydra	OC	5.8
M44	2632	Cancer	OC	3.1
M67	2682	Cancer	OC	6.0
M95	3351	Leo	Gal	9.7
M96	3368	Leo	Gal	9.2
M105	3379	Leo	Gal	9.3
M65	3623	Leo	Gal	8.8
M66	3627	Leo	Gal	9.0
M81	3031	Ursa Major	Gal	6.9
M82	3034	Ursa Major	Gal	8.4
M97	3587	Ursa Major	PN	9.9
M108	3556	Ursa Major	Gal	10.0
M109	3992	Ursa Major	Gal	9.8
M40	Win4	Ursa Major	DS	9.0/9.6
M106	4258	Canes Venatici	Gal	8.3
M94	4736	Canes Venatici	Gal	8.2
M63	5055	Canes Venatici	Gal	8.6
M51	5194	Canes Venatici	Gal	8.4
M101	5457	Ursa Major	Gal	7.9
M102	5866	Draco	Gal	10.0
M53	5024	Coma Berenices	GC	7.7
M64	4826	Coma Berenices	Gal	8.5
M3	5272	Canes Venatici	GC	5.9
M98	4192	Coma Berenices	Gal	10.1
M99	4254	Coma Berenices	Gal	9.9
M100	4321	Coma Berenices	Gal	9.3
M85	4382	Coma Berenices	Gal	9.1
M84	4374	Virgo	Gal	9.1
M86	4406	Virgo	Gal	8.9
M87	4486	Virgo	Gal	8.6
M89	4552	Virgo	Gal	9.7
M90	4569	Virgo	Gal	9.5
M88	4501	Coma Berenices	Gal	9.6
M91	4548	Coma Berenices	Gal	10.1
M58	4579	Virgo	Gal	9.6
M59	4621	Virgo	Gal	9.6
M60	4649	Virgo	Gal	8.8
M49	4472	Virgo	Gal	8.4
M61	4303	Virgo	Gal	9.6
M104	4594	Virgo	Gal	8.0
M68	4590	Hydra	GC	7.6
M83	5236	Hydra	Gal	7.5
M5	5904	Serpens	GC	5.7
M13	6205	Hercules	GC	5.3
M92	6341	Hercules	GC	6.5
M57	6720	Lyra	PN	8.8
M56	6779	Lyra	GC	8.4
M29	6913	Cygnus	OC	6.6
M39	7092	Cygnus	OC	4.6
M27	6853	Vulpecula	PN	7.3
M71	6838	Sagitta	GC	8.0
M107	6171	Ophiuchus	GC	7.8
M12	6218	Ophiuchus	GC	6.8
M10	6254	Ophiuchus	GC	6.6
M14	6402	Ophiuchus	GC	7.6
M9	6333	Ophiuchus	GC	7.8
M4	6121	Scorpius	GC	5.4
M80	6093	Scorpius	GC	7.3
M19	6273	Ophiuchus	GC	6.8
M62	6266	Ophiuchus	GC	6.7
M6	6405	Scorpius	OC	4.2
M7	6475	Scorpius	OC	2.8
M11	6705	Scutum	OC	5.3
M26	6694	Scutum	OC	8.0
M16	6611	Serpens	N	6.0
M17	6618	Sagittarius	N	6.0
M18	6613	Sagittarius	OC	6.9
M24	6603	Sagittarius	SC	2.5
M25	IC 4725	Sagittarius	OC	4.6
M23	6494	Sagittarius	OC	5.5
M21	6531	Sagittarius	OC	5.9
M20	6514	Sagittarius	N	6.3
M8	6523	Sagittarius	N	3.0
M28	6626	Sagittarius	GC	6.9
M22	6656	Sagittarius	GC	5.2
M69	6637	Sagittarius	GC	7.4
M70	6681	Sagittarius	GC	7.8
M54	6715	Sagittarius	GC	7.2
M55	6809	Sagittarius	GC	6.3
M75	6864	Sagittarius	GC	8.6
M15	7078	Pegasus	GC	6.0
M2	7089	Aquarius	GC	6.3
M72	6981	Aquarius	GC	9.2
M73	6994	Aquarius	OC	8.9
M30	7099	Capricornus	GC	6.9

Key
DS = Double star	SC = Star cloud
GC = Globular cluster	OC = Open cluster
Gal = Galaxy	PN = Planetary nebula
N = Nebula	SNR = Supernova remnant

User Comments

Be the first to leave your comment below!

Only registered members of Astronomy.com are allowed to comment on this article. Registration is FREE and only takes a couple minutes.

Register Today!

	Sun	Sun	Moon
RISE	—		—	PHASE	—
SET	—		—	DISK	—