Messier objects

[PatrickO]

I'm planning my first Messier object viewing run.

Does anyone know of a table of Messier objects which includes an image of what each looks like through an amateur telescope?

I've seen several helpful tables which include beautiful astrophotography images. Also I can look up telescope images individually in my "Turn Left at Orion". It would be good to have it all in one place.

This isn't a make or break thing, more of a nice to have.

[John]

This is the Messier list from the Deep Sky Corner website:

Messier Catalogue / Object Descriptions | Deep⋆Sky Corner (deepskycorner.ch)

Clicking on an object gives observing tips, finder charts and illustrations of many can look in an eyepiece as well as the more spectacular images.

[josefk]

Hi @PatrickO - i remember this being posted by another SGL member on here last year re. a representative eyepiece view: 

When it was originally posted I checked M31, M33, M51 and M77 (extended galaxies) and i don't see them as well where i live as shown in this guide.

On the other hand i checked M45 and M57 and i see them better so i guess it will all be a little bit +/- depending the aperture you are using and where you live.

Cheers

Visual_Guide_to_Messier-objects_HT-Vgy_2023_ENG.pdf

 

[josefk]

3 minutes ago, John said:

This is the Messier list from the Deep Sky Corner website:

Messier Catalogue / Object Descriptions | Deep⋆Sky Corner (deepskycorner.ch)

Clicking on an object gives observing tips, finder charts and illustrations of many can look in an eyepiece as well as the more spectacular images.

Thats a nice resource John 👍

[josefk]

this is also a nice "everything in one place" guide but not so much a guide to the eyepiece view even imagining it inverted (more detail here on the extended objects than i would see with my kit in my location)...

DSO-guide-Messier.pdf

 

[Waddensky]

You can download the charts for several alternative telescopes (sadly, not the originals from the paper version) from the Turn Left website and create your own table with them.

[westmarch]

Ive always found the, “What to expect” section of @Qualia pinned guide to be one of the best ways to manage observational expectations.

John

[Cornelius Varley]

The Ultimate Messier Object Log  Download TUMOL (softpedia.com)

[mikeDnight]

8 hours ago, PatrickO said:

I'm planning my first Messier object viewing run.

Does anyone know of a table of Messier objects which includes an image of what each looks like through an amateur telescope?

I've seen several helpful tables which include beautiful astrophotography images. Also I can look up telescope images individually in my "Turn Left at Orion". It would be good to have it all in one place.

This isn't a make or break thing, more of a nice to have.

This was the first book about the Messier objects that I first bought over forty years ago. The Messier Album is a collection of visual observations made by the late John Mallas using a 4" Unitron refractor, and corresponding photographs by Kramer. I love it for Mallas's drawings, though I've personally seen many of them better than he sketched them. Although out of print I'd imagine you'd soon pick up a copy if you placed a wanted ad on SGL and Astro Buy & Sell.

Edited March 1 by mikeDnight

[Stu]

It’s worth having a look through Mike73’s Sketches; he did a project to sketch all the Messier objects, all viewed from a dark site through 12” and 16” scopes. I thought there was a gallery or website with them hosted on but they seem to have lapsed, so have a look through this thread. I think I have them all saved so can post them up somewhere if that is easier?

 

[PatrickO]

9 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

This was the first book about the Messier objects that I first bought over forty years ago. The Messier Album is a collection of visual observations made by the late John Mallas using a 4" Unitron refractor, and corresponding photographs by Kramer. I love it for Mallas's drawings, though I've personally seen many of them better than he sketched them. Although out of print I'd imagine you'd soon pick up a copy if you placed a wanted ad on SGL and Astro Buy & Sell.

Looks good. I've just ordered it from eBay. Thanks 

[PatrickO]

1 hour ago, Stu said:

It’s worth having a look through Mike73’s Sketches; he did a project to sketch all the Messier objects, all viewed from a dark site through 12” and 16” scopes. I thought there was a gallery or website with them hosted on but they seem to have lapsed, so have a look through this thread. I think I have them all saved so can post them up somewhere if that is easier?

 

Those are wonderful sketches. Would be great if they were all gathered in one place 

[Stu]

1 hour ago, PatrickO said:

Those are wonderful sketches. Would be great if they were all gathered in one place 

Let me see what I can do. They may be somewhere already so I’ll post a link, otherwise we may be able to get them into a gallery.

[DirkSteele]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Deep-Sky-Companions-Stephen-James-OMeara-dp-1107018374/dp/1107018374/ref=dp_ob_title_bk

Stephen James O'Meara is a very skilled observer and he sketched all the Messier objects using a 4" scope from dark sites which gives a decent indication of what will be seen. 

[mikeDnight]

19 hours ago, PatrickO said:

I'm planning my first Messier object viewing 

 It would be good to have it all in one place.

This could be the start of a personal project for you. Sharpen those pencils! 🙂

[wookie1965]

Be nice to see what they look like through a 4 or 5" Refractor obviously going to be smaller and from light polluted skies. 

[mikeDnight]

The longer you study them the more subtle the detail. Mallas was more of an inspiration to me in a way, because I saw things that I considered to be easily discernable, but that he didn't record. Mind you, his Unitron eyepieces were far removed from what we use today. Steve O'Meara on the other hand, although also using a 4" refractor, makes too much of a big deal about observing from the slopes of a Hawaiian volcano. This has definitely led some to imagine their own more mainland suburban situation is hopeless for Messier hunting, which is simply untrue!

Here are just a few from the suburbs of a misty, often cloud plagued, north of England mill town.

M1 (5" refractor)

M45 and the Merope nebula (4" refractor)

M57 the Ring Nebula (4" refractor)

M27 the Dumbbell Nebula (4" refractor)

M97 the Owl Nebula (4" refractor)

M33 spiral galaxy (4" refractor)

M78 nebula in Orion (4" refractor)

M82 edge on galaxy  (4" refractor)

Mrs the Great Orion Nebula (4" refractor)

M81 face on spiral (4" refractor)

 

 

[wookie1965]

34 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

The longer you study them the more subtle the detail. Mallas was more of an inspiration to me in a way, because I saw things that I considered to be easily discernable, but that he didn't record. Mind you, his Unitron eyepieces were far removed from what we use today. Steve O'Meara on the other hand, although also using a 4" refractor, makes too much of a big deal about observing from the slopes of a Hawaiian volcano. This has definitely led some to imagine their own more mainland suburban situation is hopeless for Messier hunting, which is simply untrue!

Here are just a few from the suburbs of a misty, often cloud plagued, north of England mill town.

M1 (5" refractor)

M45 and the Merope nebula (4" refractor)

M57 the Ring Nebula (4" refractor)

M27 the Dumbbell Nebula (4" refractor)

M97 the Owl Nebula (4" refractor)

M33 spiral galaxy (4" refractor)

M78 nebula in Orion (4" refractor)

M82 edge on galaxy  (4" refractor)

Mrs the Great Orion Nebula (4" refractor)

M81 face on spiral (4" refractor)

 

 

Those are really cracking drawings and mostly done with a 4" I'm bortle 8 so I doubt I will get all of them. I have had M42, M57. M13 was like a smudge and I couldn't even get M1. 

[DirkSteele]

1 hour ago, mikeDnight said:

The longer you study them the more subtle the detail. Mallas was more of an inspiration to me in a way, because I saw things that I considered to be easily discernable, but that he didn't record. Mind you, his Unitron eyepieces were far removed from what we use today. Steve O'Meara on the other hand, although also using a 4" refractor, makes too much of a big deal about observing from the slopes of a Hawaiian volcano. This has definitely led some to imagine their own more mainland suburban situation is hopeless for Messier hunting, which is simply untrue!

Here are just a few from the suburbs of a misty, often cloud plagued, north of England mill town.

M1 (5" refractor)

M45 and the Merope nebula (4" refractor)

M57 the Ring Nebula (4" refractor)

M27 the Dumbbell Nebula (4" refractor)

M97 the Owl Nebula (4" refractor)

M33 spiral galaxy (4" refractor)

M78 nebula in Orion (4" refractor)

M82 edge on galaxy  (4" refractor)

Mrs the Great Orion Nebula (4" refractor)

M81 face on spiral (4" refractor)

 

 

Beautiful work!  And really captures the views through 4" class scopes which shows a lot can be seen at this aperture with some patient study (which sketching forces).

[Nicola Fletcher]

There are some really excellent resources listed here, thank you! I am also hoping to observe and sketch all of the Messier objects and am patiently working on them bit by bit through the clouds. I have decided not to limit my observing to one scope, but to try and take the time to properly sketch each object every time I am out observing. This means the views will vary from a 3” refractor to a 12” dob, but I am trying to make multiple sketches of some objects using several scopes on different nights. 

I am also using Mallas’ book and Stephen James O’Meara’s Messier book, but to organise the objects by season, I’ve been using the RASC website which is very useful: http://www.messier.seds.org/xtra/similar/dataRASC.html.

[The60mmKid]

2 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

The longer you study them the more subtle the detail. Mallas was more of an inspiration to me in a way, because I saw things that I considered to be easily discernable, but that he didn't record. Mind you, his Unitron eyepieces were far removed from what we use today. Steve O'Meara on the other hand, although also using a 4" refractor, makes too much of a big deal about observing from the slopes of a Hawaiian volcano. This has definitely led some to imagine their own more mainland suburban situation is hopeless for Messier hunting, which is simply untrue!

Here are just a few from the suburbs of a misty, often cloud plagued, north of England mill town.

M1 (5" refractor)

M45 and the Merope nebula (4" refractor)

M57 the Ring Nebula (4" refractor)

M27 the Dumbbell Nebula (4" refractor)

M97 the Owl Nebula (4" refractor)

M33 spiral galaxy (4" refractor)

M78 nebula in Orion (4" refractor)

M82 edge on galaxy  (4" refractor)

Mrs the Great Orion Nebula (4" refractor)

M81 face on spiral (4" refractor)

 

 

Totally inspiring.

Tak really ought to send you an endorsement contract.

[mikeDnight]

1 hour ago, wookie1965 said:

Those are really cracking drawings and mostly done with a 4" I'm bortle 8 so I doubt I will get all of them. I have had M42, M57. M13 was like a smudge and I couldn't even get M1. 

M1 can be a pig! Back in the early 80's i could find it on most nights when well placed through my 12X60 binoculars. Today it can give me the run-around. I recon much depends on sky transparency, I blame aircraft vapour trails and all these astronomers flying abroad in search of clear skies! ✈🛩🛫🛬

It's close to a year since I saw it last. It was the first object I looked for using my new Altair 30mm Ultra Flat after getting home from the practical astronomy show. The sky must have been transparent as M1 immediately stood out as large as life in my FC100DZ. I haven't looked for it since!

 I've found it helps to block out peripheral stray light using a black blanket or hood, as its often the light around us that causes most harm.

 

Edited March 1 by mikeDnight

[wookie1965]

21 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

M1 can be a pig! Back in the early 80's i could find it on most nights when well placed through my 12X60 binoculars. Today it can give me the run-around. I recon much depends on sky transparency, I blame aircraft vapour trails and all these astronomers flying abroad in search of clear skies! ✈🛩🛫🛬

It's close to a year since I saw it last. It was the first object I looked for using my new Altair 30mm Ultra Flat after getting home from the practical astronomy show. The sky must have been transparent as M1 immediately stood out as large as life in my FC100DZ. I haven't looked for it since!

 I've found it helps to block out peripheral stray light using a black blanket or hood, as its often the light around us that causes most harm.

 

Funny you should say that I've got a hoddie my mum has sewn extra to the hood using special material so it doesn't flop so I will try that. Although I've not been out since the 1st week in December weather has been awful, only clear night has been on a night when there has been a full moon. 

I am hoping to get to the PAS this year. 

[PatrickO]

On 01/03/2024 at 12:13, mikeDnight said:

The longer you study them the more subtle the detail. Mallas was more of an inspiration to me in a way, because I saw things that I considered to be easily discernable, but that he didn't record. Mind you, his Unitron eyepieces were far removed from what we use today. Steve O'Meara on the other hand, although also using a 4" refractor, makes too much of a big deal about observing from the slopes of a Hawaiian volcano. This has definitely led some to imagine their own more mainland suburban situation is hopeless for Messier hunting, which is simply untrue!

Here are just a few from the suburbs of a misty, often cloud plagued, north of England mill town.

M1 (5" refractor)

M45 and the Merope nebula (4" refractor)

M57 the Ring Nebula (4" refractor)

M27 the Dumbbell Nebula (4" refractor)

M97 the Owl Nebula (4" refractor)

M33 spiral galaxy (4" refractor)

M78 nebula in Orion (4" refractor)

M82 edge on galaxy  (4" refractor)

Mrs the Great Orion Nebula (4" refractor)

M81 face on spiral (4" refractor)

 

 

Wonderful drawings. Very inspiring. Thank you.

[JeremyS]

On 01/03/2024 at 12:13, mikeDnight said:

The longer you study them the more subtle the detail. Mallas was more of an inspiration to me in a way, because I saw things that I considered to be easily discernable, but that he didn't record. Mind you, his Unitron eyepieces were far removed from what we use today. Steve O'Meara on the other hand, although also using a 4" refractor, makes too much of a big deal about observing from the slopes of a Hawaiian volcano. This has definitely led some to imagine their own more mainland suburban situation is hopeless for Messier hunting, which is simply untrue!

Here are just a few from the suburbs of a misty, often cloud plagued, north of England mill town.

M1 (5" refractor)

M45 and the Merope nebula (4" refractor)

M57 the Ring Nebula (4" refractor)

M27 the Dumbbell Nebula (4" refractor)

M97 the Owl Nebula (4" refractor)

M33 spiral galaxy (4" refractor)

M78 nebula in Orion (4" refractor)

M82 edge on galaxy  (4" refractor)

Mrs the Great Orion Nebula (4" refractor)

M81 face on spiral (4" refractor)

 

 

Since when did you get a Seestar, Mike? 🤔