Messier Like Objects

[glenc (Glen)]

These are the rough guidelines for selecting Messier like objects.
Nebulae are visible in a 6" telescope.
Open clusters are brighter than magnitude 8. (Poor OC are omitted)
Globular clusters are brighter than magnitude 9.
Galaxies are brighter than magnitude 10. (Gxy with low SB are omitted)
Planetary nebulae are brighter than magnitude 11, and larger than 12" across.

[RobF (Rob)]

Mate - what a great premise, neatly delivered to the IIS community!

I've always wanted to hunt down every visible M object since my early astronomy days. With a 4.5" from the city and limited time it soon got pretty frustrating though. "2nd time around" with an 8" and cheating with the extra grunt of a DSLR and pollution filter I'm having a ball hunting M objects, even from close in at Brissy.

Now, I'm roughly half way through "surveying" the M catalague, and had started to wonder what goal I'd set myself next. It was always a concern that the M cat is heavily biased to the N hemisphere but that doesn't stop us all obsessing over seeing them! Taking on "bright" NGCs or Dunlop objects from the city had me concerned as so many are bound to disapoint.

The "Glen Catalogue" looks perfect for attacking later this year I reckon! Hats off to you Sir!

[glenc (Glen)]

Good to see that Robh & RobF like the Messier Like Catalog.
It is easy to list GC, PN and Gxy. The hard part is selecting OC and nebulae.

[glenc (Glen)]

The attached file now includes a "map" of the 359 Messier Like Objects and the best month to see them.

[RobF (Rob)]

You should try and get this put up in the resources area of IIS Glen?

[glenc (Glen)]

The next step is to add the name of the person who discovered each object.
If Messier had searched both the northern and southern sky with a modern 6" reflector he could have seen these objects.

[glenc (Glen)]

The people who discovered more than 3 of these 359 objects are:

Herschel William. 123 objects
* Dunlop James. 51 objects, 1826
Messier Charles. 40 objects
Mechain. 26 objects
* Lacaille. 19 objects, 1751-52
* Herschel John. 18 objects, 1834-38
Hodierna. 9 objects
de Cheseaux. 7 objects
Barnard. 5 objects
Herschel Caroline. 5 objects
Bode. 4 objects

* These men made the first 3 catalogues of southern clusters and nebulae.
http://www.klima-luft.de/steinicke/index_e.htm

[glenc (Glen)]

I am still refining the ALL SKY MESSIER CATALOG.

[glenc (Glen)]

The refined catalog is at: http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...948#post451948