All the things you need to know about the Messier Catalogue

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All the things you need to know about the Messier Catalogue


Charles Messier and his assistant Pierre Mechain were the astronomers who created this catalogue. Charles never intended to create a specific catalogue like this. All he wanted was to find different comets inside the solar system. But there were many outer solar system objects which blocked his way and make it difficult for him to locate the comets. He created a list of 45 such astronomical objects which blocked his search for comets. Eventually, that list was found out to have some of the most amazing astronomical objects, far more interesting than the comets. He published that list in 1774, which became well known as the Messier Catalogue.

The first version of the catalogue published in 1774 contained 45 objects (M1 to M45). 18 were discovered by Messier himself and the rest were already known. By 1780, he added 25 new objects, so the second version of the catalogue now has a total of 70 objects. The final version, published in 1781, the catalogue had a total of 103 objects. 7 new objects were also added afterwards by different astronomers. So today the Messier Catalogue has 110 objects listed in it. 

The Messier Catalogue contains many deep-sky objects that lie far beyond the solar system. The catalogue has 24 spiral galaxies, 4 barred galaxies, 8 elliptical galaxies, 4 lenticular galaxies, 6 diffuse nebulae, 4 planetary nebulae, 27 open clusters, 29 globular clusters, 1 supernova remnant, 1 asterism, 1 double star and 1 Milky Way patch. 

Today, Messier Catalogue is not only a valuable resource for professional astronomers, but it is also very helpful for amateur astronomers. The objects mentioned in this catalogue bright and large enough to be seen through a small telescope. However, one might not able to do a detailed study of these objects without a large telescope.

Here are some of the most amazing deep space objects included in the Messier catalogue.

1. M1 (Crab Nebula): The Crab Nebula was not discovered by Charles Messier but it was the first object observed by Messier, hence it ranked first in the catalogue. The Crab Nebula is an example of the most recent supernova explosion. Chinese and Arab astronomers in 1050 mentioned a bright spot of light in the sky, which was seen even in daylight. It was in 1999 when Hubble undergo a deep observation of this nebula and concluded that the bright spot was no other than the Crab Nebula. It is located 6500 light-years away from the Earth. Hence it can be concluded that the explosion would have happened about 7500 years ago. 

2. M16 (Eagle Nebula): Also known as the Pillars of Creation, M16 is one of the most beautiful nebulae ever discovered. It is given the name because it is the birthplace of thousands of stars. The pillars in this nebula are 3 to 5 light-years tall. The nebula is predicted to be a result of the supernova explosion that happened 8000- 9000 years ago. 

3. M27 (Dumbbell Nebula): Also known as the Apple Core Nebula, M27 is the first nebula to be discovered by Charles Messier. This planetary nebula is located about 1400 light-years away from the Earth. It is the best deep space object to observe for amateur astronomers. The centre of this nebula has a giant white dwarf.  

4. M31 (Andromeda Galaxy): It is a very well known galaxy. It is our neighbour galaxy and has almost similar characteristics as our home galaxy. It is an elliptical galaxy having twice the number of stars than our Milky Way. It is expected to collide with the Milky Way in a few billion years. 

5. M42 (Orion Nebula): Located about 1350 light-years away from the Earth, M42 is one the brightest nebulae in the night sky and can be seen through naked eyes. In 1880, Orion Nebula became the first-ever nebula to be photographed. It can be said that the photograph of the Orion Nebula started the era of astrophotography. M42 is a 'stellar nursery, which means it is the birthplace of hundreds of new stars (approx 700).

6. M51 (Whirlpool Galaxy): M51 is the first galaxy to be classified as a spiral galaxy. It is the favourite galaxy for both professional and amateur astronomers. Professionals study this galaxy to understand the structure and composition of spiral galaxies, while amateur astronomers can easily see this galaxy through binoculars or small telescopes. It is located 23 million light-years away from the Earth.

There are many more amazing objects in this catalogue. These objects are still studied by astronomers. Though it was an accidental catalogue, still it is considered the most important catalogue for astronomers.


   


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