Changes

==History==

==History==

Charles Messier produced the list with the help of his collegue Pierre Méchain and first published his list in 1774 in the journal of the French Academy of Sciences in [[Paris]] in a work entitiled "Mémoires de l’Academie".<ref name=constellation-guide/> This early version contained a total of 45 objects. A final version of the catalogue was produced in 1782 and contained a total of 103 deep sky objects. A further 7 objects were added to the catalogue after Messier's death between 1921 and 1996.<ref name=constellation-guide/> These were added as evidence was uncovered that they had been observed by Messier or Méchain.

Charles Messier produced the list with the help of his colleague Pierre Méchain and first published his list in 1774 in the journal of the French Academy of Sciences in [[Paris]] in a work entitiled "Mémoires de l’Academie".<ref name=constellation-guide/> This early version contained a total of 45 objects. A final version of the catalogue was produced in 1782 and contained a total of 103 deep sky objects. A further 7 objects were added to the catalogue after Messier's death between 1921 and 1996.<ref name=constellation-guide/> These were added as evidence was uncovered that they had been observed by Messier or Méchain.

==List==

==List==

| [[Crab nebula|M1]] || Crab Nebula || Supernova remnant || Taurus || 6,500 || 8.4 || One of the most spectacular Messier objects. The supernova occurred in 1054 AD.

| [[Crab nebula|M1]] || Crab Nebula || Supernova remnant || Taurus || 6,500 || 8.4 || One of the most spectacular Messier objects. The supernova occurred in 1054 AD.

|-

|-

| M2 ||  || [[Globular cluster]] || Aquarius || 37,500 || 6.3 || It was first discovered by Maraldi in 1746 and rediscovered by Messier 14 years later. This cluster contains 150,000 [[star]s.

| M2 ||  || [[Globular cluster]] || Aquarius || 37,500 || 6.3 || It was first discovered by Maraldi in 1746 and rediscovered by Messier 14 years later. This cluster contains 150,000 [[star]]s.

|-

|-

| M3 ||  || [[Globular cluster]] || Canes Venatici || 33,900 || 6.2 || M3 is thought to be home to at least 500,000 stars and is well known for the large number of variable stars it contains. Discovered by Messier in 1764, it is just visible to the naked eye if conditions are good.

| M3 ||  || [[Globular cluster]] || Canes Venatici || 33,900 || 6.2 || M3 is thought to be home to at least 500,000 stars and is well known for the large number of variable stars it contains. Discovered by Messier in 1764, it is just visible to the naked eye if conditions are good.

| M43 || De Mairan's Nebula || Emission-reflection nebula || Orion || 1,600 || 9.0 || Situated just below Orion's belt, it is separated from the [[Orion nebula]] by a dust lane.

| M43 || De Mairan's Nebula || Emission-reflection nebula || Orion || 1,600 || 9.0 || Situated just below Orion's belt, it is separated from the [[Orion nebula]] by a dust lane.

|-

|-

| M44 || Beehive Cluster || [[Open cluster]] || Cancer || 577 || 3.7 || Visible to the naked eye, this cluster has been knwon since ancient times. It contains at least 1000 stars and has a mass between 500 to 600 that of the [[sun]].

| M44 || Beehive Cluster || [[Open cluster]] || Cancer || 577 || 3.7 || Visible to the naked eye, this cluster has been knwon since ancient times. It contains at least 1000 stars and has a mass between 500 and 600 that of the [[sun]].

|-

|-

| M45 || Pleiades || [[Open cluster]] || Taurus || 444 || 1.6 || Also known as the Seven Sisters, the Pleiades contains over 1,000 stars, though only 14 are visible without binoculars.

| M45 || Pleiades || [[Open cluster]] || Taurus || 444 || 1.6 || Also known as the Seven Sisters, the Pleiades contains over 1,000 stars, though only 14 are visible without binoculars.

| M80 ||  || [[Globular cluster]] || Scorpius || 32,600 || 7.87 || Contains over 200,000 stars.

| M80 ||  || [[Globular cluster]] || Scorpius || 32,600 || 7.87 || Contains over 200,000 stars.

|-

|-

| M81 || Bode's Galaxy || [[Spiral galaxy]] || Ursa Major || 11,800,000 || 6.94 || This [Grand design galaxy]] is one of the largest and nearest to the [[Local Group]].

| M81 || Bode's Galaxy || [[Spiral galaxy]] || Ursa Major || 11,800,000 || 6.94 || This [[Grand design galaxy]] is one of the largest and nearest to the [[Local Group]].

|-

|-

| [[Cigar Galaxy|M82]] || Cigar Galaxy || [[Galaxy|Starburst galaxy]] || Ursa Major || 11,400,000-12,400,000 || 8.41 || One of the more impressive galaxies in Messier's catalogue, it is five times brighter than the Milky Way.

| [[Cigar Galaxy|M82]] || Cigar Galaxy || [[Galaxy|Starburst galaxy]] || Ursa Major || 11,400,000-12,400,000 || 8.41 || One of the more impressive galaxies in Messier's catalogue, it is five times brighter than the Milky Way.

| M84 ||  || [[Galaxy]] || Virgo || 60,000,000 || 10.1 || This galaxy may be [[Elliptical galaxy|elliptical]] or [[Lenticular galaxy|lenticular]] in nature. It is a member of the Virgo Cluster.

| M84 ||  || [[Galaxy]] || Virgo || 60,000,000 || 10.1 || This galaxy may be [[Elliptical galaxy|elliptical]] or [[Lenticular galaxy|lenticular]] in nature. It is a member of the Virgo Cluster.

|-

|-

| M85 ||  || [[Galaxy]] || Coma Berenices || 60,000,000 || 10 || M85 was thought to be classified as S0 (a [[lenticular galaxy) but is now thought to be E1 (an [[elliptical galaxy]]).

| M85 ||  || [[Galaxy]] || Coma Berenices || 60,000,000 || 10 || M85 was thought to be classified as S0 (a [[lenticular galaxy]]) but is now thought to be E1 (an [[elliptical galaxy]]).

|-

|-

| M86 ||  || [[Galaxy]] || Virgo || 52,000,000 || 9.8 || Messier 85 is sometimes classified as an E3 [[elliptical galaxy]] or an S0 [[lenticular galaxy]]. Nowadays, it tends to be classified as lenticular. The galaxy contains at least 400 billion stars.

| M86 ||  || [[Galaxy]] || Virgo || 52,000,000 || 9.8 || Messier 85 is sometimes classified as an E3 [[elliptical galaxy]] or an S0 [[lenticular galaxy]]. Nowadays, it tends to be classified as lenticular. The galaxy contains at least 400 billion stars.