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Images of the Messier ObjectsDuring 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 aim was to catalog the objects that were often mistaken for comets. Today, the observation of these objects is almost a rite of passage among amateur astronomers, as they try to observe each of the objects through their instruments. Some are quite challenging, but the search for each object helps to teach the intermediate-level amateur more about the night sky. It helps to find many of the objects if you have an idea of what they look like. Each object is pictured within TUMOL, but here's a collection of more detailed images for your reference. Messier Objects - click on the image for an enlargement.
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