Messier Program

Progress: 110/110 features observed (100%)

The Messier Catalog contains 110 of the brightest deep-sky objects visible from mid-northern latitudes. Created by French astronomer Charles Messier (1730-1817) to catalog objects that might be confused with comets, this collection includes some of the most spectacular galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters accessible to amateur astronomers.

Official AL Program: Messier Observing Program

Program Requirements

Silver Level (70 objects)

Gold Level (All 110 objects)

Complete Messier Object List

Below are all 110 Messier objects in the program, organized by seasonal observing groups:

I. The Winter Group (R.A. 0h - 6h)

II. The Early Spring Group (R.A. 8h - 12h)

III. The Late Spring Group (R.A. 12h - 13h, Virgo-Coma Region)

IV. The Mid-Summer Group (R.A. 13h - 18h)

V. The Late Summer Group (R.A. 18h - 20h, Sagittarius Region)

VI. The Fall and Early Winter Group (R.A. 19h - 2h)

Observing Tips

Equipment

Techniques

Seasonal Planning