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M1, M8, M16, M17, M20, M27, M42, M43, M57, M76, M78, and M97
M1 (= NGC 1952) -- The Crab Nebula
Discovered (1731) by John Bevis (Recorded by Messier in 1758)
An 8th-magnitude supernova remnant in Taurus (RA 05 34 32, Dec +22 00 52)
Click on the image (below) or the NGC link (above) for more information
(Credit: NASA, ESA, J. Hester, A. Loll (ASU); Acknowledgement: Davide De Martin (Skyfactory), apod091025)
M8 (= NGC 6533) -- The Lagoon Nebula
6th-magnitude emission nebula discovered (1749) by Guillaume Le Gentil
Recorded (1764) by Charles Messier as M8
Independently discovered (Jun 12, 1784) by William Herschel
An emission nebula and open cluster in Sagittarius (RA 18 03 42.0, Dec -24 22 48)
Click on the image (below) or the NGC link (above) for more information
(Image credit: N. A. Sharp, REU Program, AURA, NOAO, NSF, apod021006)
M16 (= NGC 6611)
Discovered (1745-46) by Philippe de Chéseaux (Recorded by Messier in 1764)
An open cluster in Serpens (RA 18 18 48, Dec -13 48 26)
Click on the image (below) or the NGC link (above) for more information
(Image Credit: T.A.Rector (NRAO/AUI/NSF and NOAO/AURA/NSF) and B.A.Wolpa (AURA/NSF), NOAO)
M16 is the star cluster which illuminates the Eagle Nebula (IC 4703, which see for more images). It is included here because nowadays it is generally misidentified as both the star cluster and nebula. However, with Messier's telescope, even the star cluster was a slightly fuzzy (nebulous) object, and the much fainter nebula which is so gloriously depicted at the entry for IC 4703 was not noticed until the late 1800's. |
M17 (= NGC 6618) -- The Swan, or Omega Nebula
Discovered (1745) by Phillipe de Cheseaux (Recorded by Messier in 1764)
An emission nebula and open cluster in Sagittarius (RA 18 20 47, Dec -16 10 18)
Click on the image (below) or the NGC link (above) for more information
(Image Credit: Adam Block/NOAO/AURA/NSF/NOAO)
M20 (= NGC 6514) -- The Trifid Nebula
Discovered (1764) by Charles Messier
A 9th-magnitude emission nebula and open cluster in Sagittarius (RA 18 02 42, Dec -22 58 18)
Click on the image (below) or the NGC link (above) for more information
(Credit and ©: Jim Misti, Misti Mountain Observatory; used by permission)
M27 (= NGC 6853) -- The Dumbbell Nebula
Discovered (1764) by Charles Messier
A 7th-magnitude planetary nebula in Vulpecula (RA 19 59 36, Dec +22 43 18)
Click on the image (below) or the NGC link (above) for more information
(Image Credit: Joe & Gail Metcalf, Adam Block, NOAO, AURA, NSF, apod050603)
M42 (= NGC 1976) -- The Orion Nebula
Discovered (Nov 24, 1610) by Nicolas Peiresc
Earliest known drawing (sometime before 1654) by Giovanni Hodierna (list I, #5)
Recorded (Mar 4, 1769) by Messier
A 4th-magnitude emission nebula (and star cluster) in Orion (RA 05 35 17, Dec -05 23 25)
Click on the image (below) or the NGC link (above) for more information
(Image credits: NASA, ESA, M. Robberto (STScI/ESA) and
The Hubble Space Telescope Orion Treasury Project Team)
M43 (= NGC 1982)
Discovered (1731) by Jean-Jacques Mairan (Recorded by Messier in 1769)
A 7th-magnitude emission nebula in Orion (RA 05 35 31, Dec -05 16 03)
A portion of the Orion nebula (see M42, above) separated from the main portion by a dark lane.
Click on the image (below) or the NGC link (above) for more information
(Image credits: NASA, ESA, M. Robberto (STScI/ESA) and
The Hubble Space Telescope Orion Treasury Project Team)
M57 (= NGC 6720) -- The Ring Nebula
Discovered (January 1779) by Antoine Darquier (Found by Messier a few days later)
A 9th-magnitude planetary nebula in Lyra (RA 18 53 35, Dec +33 01 47)
Click on the image (below) or the NGC link (above) for more information
(Image credits: H. Bond et al., Hubble Heritage Team (STScI / AURA), NASA)
M76 (= NGC 650 + 651) -- The Little Dumbbell Nebula
Discovered (1780) by Pierre Méchain (Recorded by Messier in 1780)
A 10th-magnitude planetary nebula in Perseus (RA 01 42 18, Dec +51 34 17)
Click on the image (below) or the NGC link (above) for more information
(Image credits: Adam Block/AURA/NSF/NOAO)
M78 (= NGC 2067 and 2068)
Discovered (1780) by Pierre Méchain (Recorded by Messier in 1780)
An 8th-magnitude reflection nebula in Orion (RA 05 46 45, Dec +00 04 48)
Click on the image (below) or the NGC link (above) for more information
M78 (= NGC 2067 and 2068) is the bright bluish nebula near the center of the image below. For NGC catalog purposes, M78 is divided into two parts. The brighter region, framed by the semi-circular dark dust lane surrounding the left portion, is NGC 2068. The fainter region, to the right of the dust lane (in this image, to the right), is NGC 2067. The reflection nebula at the top of the image is not considered part of M78, and is referred to as NGC 2071. |
(Image credit: T. A. Rector/University of Alaska Anchorage, H. Schweiker/WIYN and AURA/NSF/NOAO)
M97 (= NGC 3587) -- The Owl Nebula
Discovered (1781) by Pierre Méchain (Recorded by Messier in 1781)
A 10th-magnitude planetary nebula in Ursa Major (RA 11 14 48, Dec +55 01 10)
Click on the image (below) or the NGC link (above) for more information
(Image credit: Gary White and Verlenne Monroe/Adam Block/AURA/NSF/NOAO)
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