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Visitors 1790
85 photos
As I image the Messier objects, I will add them to this collection. Some of the objects will not be the featured object in the image and will simply be found there along with something else - like the Bubble Nebula image.

During the years from 1758 to 1782 Charles Messier, a French astronomer (1730 - 1817), compiled a list of approximately 100 diffuse objects that were difficult to distinguish from comets through the telescopes of the day. Discovering comets was the way to make a name for yourself in astronomy in the 18th century -- Messier's first aim was to catalog the objects that were often mistaken for comets.

Fortunately for us, the Messier Catalog became well known for a much higher purpose, as a collection of the most beautiful objects in the sky including nebulae, star clusters, and galaxies. It was one of the first major milestones in the history of the discovery of Deep Sky objects, as it was the first more comprehensive and more reliable list: Only four or five objects were initially missing because of data reduction errors, which could be figured out later though. Today's versions of the catalog usually include also later additions of objects observed by Charles Messier and his collegial friend, Pierre Méchain, but not included in his original list. The study of these objects by astronomers has led, and continues to lead, to important, incredible discoveries such as the life cycles of stars, the reality of galaxies as separate 'island universes,' and the possible age of the universe.

(From SEDS)

M1 HaRGB - Collaborative Image

M1 HaRGB - Collaborative Image

M2 in Aquarius

M2 in Aquarius

M3 in Canes Venatici

M3 in Canes Venatici

M4 in Scorpius

M4 in Scorpius

M5 in Serpens

M5 in Serpens

M8 - "Lagoon Nebula" in Sagittarius

M8 - "Lagoon Nebula" in Sagittarius

M9 in Ophiuchus With Comet C/2007 G1 (LINEAR)

M9 in Ophiuchus With Comet C/2007 G1 (LINEAR)

M10 in Ophiuchus

M10 in Ophiuchus

M11 in Scutum

M11 in Scutum

M12 in Ophiuchus

M12 in Ophiuchus

M13 in Hercules

M13 in Hercules

M14 in Ophiuchus

M14 in Ophiuchus

M15 in Pegasus

M15 in Pegasus

M16 - Single Frame

M16 - Single Frame

M17 - The "Swan Nebula" in Sagittarius

M17 - The "Swan Nebula" in Sagittarius

M18 in Sagittarius

M18 in Sagittarius

M19 in Ophiuchus

M19 in Ophiuchus

M20 - Trifid Nebula in Sagittarius

M20 - Trifid Nebula in Sagittarius

M20 and M21 in Sagittarius

M20 and M21 in Sagittarius

M22 in Sagittarius

M22 in Sagittarius