M.A.S. Messier Album
This is a collection of the members photographs / CCD images that have been compiled into a Messier Album.
The album is not complete, but these images show just how the objects actually appear on amateurs photographs, and not what the Hubble Space Telescope can produce. Note that in a lot of cases these images were taken near or in built up areas with lots of light pollution. Many were also taken with modest equipment, in some cases with out using a telescope.
To view a larger image, just click on the small image or icon. All downloaded images are in the JPEG format.
For more details on the image see "Image Details", if available.
M1 (NGC 1952) This is the famous "Crab" nebula,
which is an expanding cloud of gas from a bright supernova observed in A.D. 1054
by Oriental astronomers. The total light from the Crab nebula is equivalent to
an 8th-9th magnitude star, with an angular size of 6 x 4 minutes of arc. In the
center of the M1 is a 16th magnitude star that is the collapsed core of the supernova,
now classed as a pulsar, which emits a pulse in radio, X-ray and optical wavelengths.
every 0.033 of a second. Image Details
M1, by Ray Grover
M2 (NGC 7089) This cluster is a collection of several
hundred thousand stars in a volume of space about 175 light years across. It is
located roughly 50,000 light years away. At low power the object appears as a
round and uniformly bright disk, raising the power to around 100x allows more
details to be seen and individual stars will be resolved in telescopes of 6 inches
and greater. The object's angular diameter is about 12 arc minutes. Image
Details
M2, by by Ray Grover
M3 (NGC 5272). The approximate angular diameter is 10 minutes of arc, but this
will vary depending on what equipment is used to make the observation. Its distance
from us about 30,000 light years and has total visual magnitude of about 6.4.
Image Details
M3, by by Ray Grover
M5 (NGC 5904) A fine example of a globular cluster,
discovered in 1702 by Gottfried Kirch. Charles Messier charted this cluster some
62 yrs later. The total light of M5 is equal to approx. 6th magnitude. M5 contains
a large number of variable stars, approx. 100 have been recorded. Image
Details
M5, by Kathleen Ollerenshaw
M6 (NGC 6405) & M7 (NGC 6475) A pair of clusters separated
by about 3 degrees, observed and noted by Messier on May 23rd, 1764. Both clusters
contain about 80 stars, although there are more bright ones in M7, which is 1
degree across and visible to the naked eye. M6 is about half the size and contains
a bright red variable BM Scorpii, which contrasts nicely with the blue of the
other stars. Image Details
M6 & M7, by Ray Grover
M8 (NGC 6523) The famous Lagoon nebula is about 1 degree
in size, visible to the naked eye and a good object for binocular viewing. The
red nebulosity is emitted by a cloud of ionised hydrogen which is excited by the
hot star 9 Sagittarii which lies within. The nebula contains dark globules of
dust which may be contracting into new stars. Image Details
M8, by Ray Grover
M11 (NGC 6705) The common name for the object is the
"Wild Duck Cluster". It is a very rich and compact open cluster. It contains over
600 stars brighter than 15th magnitude and covers an area about 12 minutes of
arc across. Image Details
M11, by Joe Billington
M13 (NGC 6205) Discovered by Edmond Halley in
1714, M13 is one of the finest globular clusters in the Northern Hemisphere. It
is also one of the nearest, at approx. 25,000 light-years distant.
CCD image of M13, by Kathleen Ollerenshaw
M13, by Ray Grover
M17 (NGC 6618) Called the Omega, Horseshoe or Swan
nebula because of its shape, M17 is a cloud of ionised hydrogen surrounding a
small cluster of stars, within a large and loose cluster spread over half a degree
of sky. Image Details
M17, by Ray Grover
M20 (NGC 6514) Common name the "Trifid Nebula", named
for it's 3 lobed appearance. It is very large extending nearly 1/2 a deg across.
Image Details
M20, by Joe Billington
M22 (NGC 6656). This is a splendid globular cluster
which rivals M13. It is a very large bright cluster containing
a great many stars, over 25 of which are known to be variables. M22 is about 10,000
light years distant, about 20 seconds of arc across and emits light equivalent
to a 6th mag star. Image Details
M22, by Ray Grover
M27 (NGC 6853) This has a characteristic hourglass
or dumbbell shape hence it's common name. Longer exposures reveals more of the
nebula giving it a more circular shape. There is another Messier object with a
similar shape called M76 in Perseus commonly called the "Little
Dubbell". M27 has an apparent size of 8 x 4 minutes of arc and is about as bright
as an 8th mag star.
M27, by Ray Grover
M27 (NGC 6853) Image Details
M27, by Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw
M31 (NGC 224) is a member of the local group of galaxies
and is about 2.2 light-years away. This is a very large galaxy with an actual
diameter of 110,000 light-years which covers about 2.5 deg in the sky, that's
5 times the diameter of the moon ! Image Details Two
other galaxies can be found next to M31, these are M32 and
M110
M31, by Michael Oates
M32 (NGC 221) is an 8.7 magnitude elliptical galaxy
that is a companion to M31. M32 is 3 minutes of arc across
and located 24 minutes of arc South of M31's core. Image
Details
M32, by Michael Oates
M33 (NGC 598) is a member of the local group of galaxies.
It is a large galaxy covering about 1 deg of sky, but due to it's large size and
very low surface brightness it is a very difficult object to observe. Image
Details
M33, by Michael Oates
M33, by Ray Grover
M34 (NGC 1039) at under 20 arc minutes across can just
be seen with the naked eye. It consists of approx. 80 stars.
M34, by Michael Oates
M35 (NGC 2168) This cluster has a visual magnitude
of 5.3 and contains about 120 stars brighter than mag. 13. Very close to M35 is
a compact cluster NGC 2158, this is much fainter at 12th magnitude. Image
Details
M35, by Joe Billington
M36 (NGC 1960) Contains about 60 stars with magnitudes
9 to 14. The cluster extends about 12 minutes of arc. Nearby in Auriga there are
2 other Messier open clusters. M37 & M38.
M36, by Michael Oates
M37 (NGC 2099) One of finest open clusters in the sky,
with in excess of 500 stars, with 150 of those brighter than mag 12.5. It is approx.
20 minutes of arc across. Nearby in Auriga there are 2 other Messier open clusters.
M36 & M38.
M37, by Michael Oates
M38 (NGC 1912) About the same apparent dia as M37 but
much more open, with fewer stars. Nearby in Auriga there are 2 other Messier open
clusters. M36 & M37.
M38, by Michael Oates
M39 (NGC 7092) is a very open cluster which covers
30 minutes of arc and consists of mag 7 - 10 stars. It is located about 10 deg
east and a little to the north of Deneb. M39 is one of the nearest clusters at
approx 900 light-years away.
M39, by Michael Oates
M42 (NGC 1976) & M43 (NGC 1982) Image
Details
M42 & M43, by Joe Billington
M44 (NGC 2632) The Praesepe or Beehive cluster can
be seen with the naked eye as a faint smudge about 1 deg across, and about as
bright as a mag 4.5 star. M44 is one of the nearest open clusters at about 500
light years distant. A fine sight in binoculars.
M44, by Ray Grover
The Pleiades (common name the Severn Sisters) observed
by naked eye most people can see 6 to 8 stars, but with a telescope several hundred
can be seen. This is a very common subject for amateurs to photograph. Long exposures
can reveal the wispy nebulosity that is associated with this cluster.
M45, by Michael Oates
M51 (NGC 5194) The Whirlpool galaxy as it is commonly
known has a companion galaxy NGC 5195 to the North. The spiral structure of M51
was first seen by the Earl of Rosse, with a 72-inch reflector in 1845. This is
one of the finest galaxies that can be seen in amateurs telescopes.
M51, by Ray Grover
M52 (NGC 7654) An Open cluster with about 200 stars
brighter than 15th mag. This cluster lies about 7000 light-years away.
M52, by Michael Oates
M53 (NGC 5024) About 3.3 minutes of arc across and
about 60,000 light years away.
M53, by Kathleen Ollerenshaw
M57 (NGC 6720) or the more common name "The Ring Nebula"
is easily found, located between Beta and Gamma Lyrae. It is about 1 minute of
arc accross and about the same brightness as a mag 9 star.
M57, by Kathleen Ollerenshaw
M64 (NGC 4826) has a total visual magnitude of about
8.5 and has extends 6 x 3 minutes on photographs. It is often called the "Black
Eye Galaxy" due to the dark feature near the centre.
M64, by Kathleen Ollerenshaw
M76 (NGC 650-1) Some times known as the "Small Dumbell"
as it has a simular shape to M27. William Herschel called M76 a double nebula,
hence the two NGC numbers allocated to it. This is one of the faintest of the
Messier objects, with a total brightness equivalent to a 10 - 11th mag star. Image
Details
M76, by Michael Oates
M79 (NGC 1904) is an 8th magnitude object about 3 minutes
of arc across. Image Details
M79, by Joe Billington
M81 (NGC 3031) has a visual magnitude of about 7.9
and photographically of 8.4. It can extend to 21 by 10 minutes of arc on long
exposure photographs. Another galaxy M82 lies close by in the
sky, as depicted in this photograph.
M81, by Michael Oates
M82 (NGC 3034) is an irregular galaxy of about mag
9, and extends about 9 by 4 minutes of arc.
M82, by Michael Oates
M82, by Ray Grover
M83 (NGC 5236) A galaxy seen nearly face on, at about
7th magnitude. Image Details
M83, by Ray Grover
M101 (NGC 5457) This is a large spiral galaxy seen
face on. It has a total brightness of an 8th mag star and anout 22 arc minutes
in diameter on photographs. Due to an error this galaxy was also called M102 in
the 18th century. Image Details
M101, by Ray Grover
M103 (NGC 581) has an apparent diameter of about 6
minutes of arc, containing around 40 stars brighter than mag 14. M103 has a total
magnitude of about 6.2.
M103, by Michael Oates
M104 (NGC 4594) The common name for this galaxy is
the "Sombrero", due to its large central bulge and dark rim of dust. It
is seen nearly edge on, with its equatorial plane tipped 6 deg to our line of
sight. The dust rim can be seen on this photograph.
M104, by Ray Grover
M106 (NGC 4258) This was not included in the original
103 object Messier catalogue, but was logged by him and his colleague Pierre Mechain.
It was added to the catalogue in 1947 by Helen Sawyer Hogg. It is a spiral galaxy
that covers an area of 19 x 8 minutes of arc (on long exposure photographs). Its
total light is equivalent to an 8th magnitude star.
M106, by Ray Grover
M110 (NGC 205) is an 8th magnitude galaxy that is a
companion to M31. M110 is 10 minutes of arc across. This is
the most recent addition to the Messier catalogue. It was seen by Messier in 1773
but he did not put it in his catalogue. This was done many years later in 1967.
Image Details
M110, by Michael Oates
M1 by Ray GroverDate: 21 Sept 1993 Exposure: 30 mins Equipment: 12" f5 Newtonian, prime focus Film: 3M 1000 Site: COAA, Portugal
M2 by Ray GroverDate: 9 Aug 1994 Time: 23:00 UT Exposure: 15 mins Equipment: 12" f5 Newtonian Film: Ektachrome 400 Site: COAA, Portugal
M3 by Ray GroverDate: 8 Aug 1994 Time: 21:45 UT Exposure: 10 mins Equipment: 12" f5 Newtonian Film: Ektachrome 400 Site: COAA, Portugal
The image shown here is a CCD image taken with the Starlight Xpress CCD camera. The telescope used was a Meade LX2000 10" with an f6.3 focal reducer. Exposure time was just under 1 min.
M5, by Kathleen Ollerenshaw
M6 and M7 by Ray GroverDate: 7 Aug 1994 Time: 23:05 UT Exposure: 10 mins Equipment: 300mm f4 Pentacon lens on SP mount Film: Ektachrome 400 Site: COAA, Portugal
M8, by Ray GroverDate: 17 Sept 1993 Time: not recorded Exposure: 10 mins Equipment: 12" f5 Newtonian, hand guided Film: Agfa 1000 RS, copied onto Ektachrome 200 Site: COAA, Portugal
Photograph taken from Portugal at the C.O.A.A. using the 12" f5 telescope.
Exposure: 10 min Film: Scotch 3M 1000 ASAM11, by Joe Billington
M13 by Ray GroverDate: 9 Aug 1994 Time: 22:40 UT Exposure: 15 mins Equipment: 12" f5 Newtonian Film: Ektachrome 400 Site: COAA, Portugal
M17, by Ray GroverDate: 6 Aug 1994 Time: 21:40 UT Exposure: 20 mins Equipment: 12" f5 Newtonian, hand guided Film: Scotch 400, pushed 1 stop Site: COAA, Portugal
Photograph taken from Portugal at the C.O.A.A. using the 12" f5 telescope.
Exposure: 20 min Film: Scotch 3M 1000 ASAM20, by Joe Billington
M22 by Ray GroverDate: 17 Sept 1993 Time: 22:40 UT Exposure: 10 mins Equipment: 12" f5 Newtonian, prime focus. Film: Agfa 1000RS Site: COAA, Portugal
Date: 10th June 96
Exposure: 5 mins
Equipment: 300mm f4 telephoto lens
Color Starlight XPress Camera
Site: COAA, Portugal
M3 by Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw
M31, by Michael Oates(ref. A22-2) Date: 25th Sept 1987 Time: 22:15 UT Exposure: 45 min Equipment: 300mm FL f4.5 telephoto lens (Zenith) Film: Kodak Tec Pan 2415 Developed: D19 for 8min @ 20 deg C Site: Prestwich, Manchester. England.
M32, by Michael Oates(ref. A22-2) Date: 25th Sept 1987 Time: 22:15 UT Exposure: 45 min Equipment: 300mm FL f4.5 telephoto lens (Zenith) Film: Kodak Tec Pan 2415 Developed: D19 for 8min @ 20 deg C Site: Prestwich, Manchester. England.
This image was produced from 2 separate exposures which were sandwiched together in the enlarger to make the print.
Exposure 1 (ref. A27-4)
Exposure 2 (ref. A28-1)
Notes:Equipment: 300mm FL f4.5 telephoto lens (Zenith) Film: Kodak Tec Pan 2415 Developed: D19 for 8min @ 20 deg C Site: Prestwich, Manchester. England. (a light polluted area)
The camera was mounted on a home made equatorial drive, motor driven on both axis. Guiding was undertaken with a 50mm refractor. The first exposure was stopped due to nearby house lights being switch on.
By combining 2 negatives the resulting image is both better defined and shows less grain.
M33, by Michael Oates
Photograph taken from Portugal at the C.O.A.A. using the 12" f5 telescope.
Exposure: 20 min Film: Scotch 3M 1000 ASAM35, by Joe Billington
Photograph taken from Portugal at the C.O.A.A. using the 12" f5 telescope.
Exposure: 10 min Film: Scotch 3M 1000 ASAM42, by Joe Billington
M76, by Michael Oates(ref. A22-6) Date: 26th Sept 1987 Time: 01:38 UT Exposure: 15 min Equipment: 300mm FL f4.5 telephoto lens (Zenith) Film: Kodak Tec Pan 2415 Developed: D19 for 8min @ 20 deg C Site: Prestwich, Manchester. England.
Photograph taken from Portugal at the C.O.A.A. using the 12" f5 telescope.
Exposure: 10 min Film: Scotch 3M 1000 ASAM79, by Joe Billington
M82 by Ray GroverDate: 26 May 1995 Time: 10:10 UT Exposure: 20 mins Equipment: 12" f5 Newtonian Film: Kodak Panther 1600 Site: COAA, Portugal
M83 by Ray GroverDate: 30 May 1995 Time: 23:13 UT Exposure: 10 mins Equipment: 20" f4.5 Newtonian Film: Kodak Panther 1600 Site: COAA, Portugal
M101 by Ray GroverDate: 28 May 1995 Exposure: 25 mins Equipment: 12" f5 Newtonian Film: Kodak Panther 1600 Site: COAA, Portugal
M110, by Michael Oates(ref. A22-2) Date: 25th Sept 1987 Time: 22:15 UT Exposure: 45 min Equipment: 300mm FL f4.5 telephoto lens (Zenith) Film: Kodak Tec Pan 2415 Developed: D19 for 8min @ 20 deg C Site: Prestwich, Manchester. England.
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