Astronomers searching the sky for comets with the aid of early telescopes occasionally misidentified hazy, indistinct patches as distant travelers. In an effort to eliminate some of the confusion, French astronomer Charles Messier compiled a catalog of over one hundred of these objects, known as nebulae, over the course of his lifetime.
Charles Messier was the tenth of twelve children born to a wealthy French family on June 26, 1730. The loss of his father at the age of eleven changed the family's financial status, however, and Messier left formal education to be schooled at home by his older brother.
At the age of 21, Messier took a position with the Astronomer to the French Navy, where he kept careful records of the observations of the heavens. Messier went on to serve as the chief astronomer of the Marine Observatory in 1759 and later became the Astronomer of the Navy himself in 1771. He became a member of the prestigious Royal Society of London in 1764.
In 1770, at the age of 40, Messier married Marie-Francoise de Vermauchampt. Tragically, his wife died in childbirth less than two years later, along with Messier's new son.
Over the course of his career, Messier discovered forty nebulae and 13 comets. He compiled a list of nebulous objects in the Northern Hemisphere known as the Messier Catalog. Messier died on April 12, 1817, at the age of 86.
In 1757, Messier began searching for a comet whose return was predicted by Edmond Halley. However, a mistake in the calculations of his employer led to the unfortunate Messier searching in the wrong patch of sky. On August 28, 1758, Messier discovered a fuzzy patch in the constellation of Taurus. Repeated observations revealed that the patch didn't move in relation to the background stars, and so was not a comet. The nebula became the first entry in his catalog, Messier 1 or M1, also known as the Crab Nebula.
The second object in his catalog, M2, was a nebula previously discovered by an Italian astronomer. With the identification of a third nebula, a globular cluster, Messier bent himself to the task of scouring the heavens for these potentially confusing objects. He later said that he undertook his search "so that astronomers would no more confuse these same nebulae with comets just beginning to appear."
Messier applied himself to the search with determination. In a seven-month period in 1764, he added 38 objects to his catalog. On March 18, 1781, Messier recorded nine new nebulae. He also began to include nebulae discovered by other astronomers.
In addition to the Crab Nebula, the Messier Catalog also contains M31 — the Andromeda Galaxy — the Milky Way's closest neighbor. The Orion Nebula (M42 and M43) and the Pleiades (M45) are also part of the list. M40 is a binary star. [Image: Spectacular Photo Reveals Bright Nebula Near Orion's Belt]
By 1781, Messier had identified one hundred and three nebulae as part of his catalog. Forty of the objects had been discovered by Messier himself. Seven objects known to have been recorded by Messier were added to the catalog in the twentieth century, with the final entry, M110, added in 1967.
Messier's catalog still functions as a useful tool for amateur astronomers scouring the Northern Hemisphere today.
—Nola Taylor Redd
- Famous Astronomers
- 50 Fabulous Deep-Space Nebula Photos
- M78 Near Orion's Belt: Sifting the Bright Cosmic Dust | Video
- Gallery: Strange Nebula Shapes, What Do You See?
Get the Space.com Newsletter
Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more!
Nola Taylor Tillman is a contributing writer for Space.com. She loves all things space and astronomy-related, and enjoys the opportunity to learn more. She has a Bachelor’s degree in English and Astrophysics from Agnes Scott college and served as an intern at Sky & Telescope magazine. In her free time, she homeschools her four children. Follow her on Twitter at @NolaTRedd
Wataalamu wa nyota waliotafuta nyota za nyota angani kwa kutumia darubini za mapema mara kwa mara waliona kwa makosa sehemu zenye ukungu na zisizo wazi kuwa wasafiri wa mbali. Kwa sababu ya kutokuwa na uhakika kuhusu jinsi nyota hizo zilivyoonekana, Charles Messier, mtaalamu wa nyota wa Ufaransa, aliandika orodha ya nyota zaidi ya mia moja zilizokuwa zikiitwa nebulae. Charles Messier alikuwa mtoto wa kumi kati ya watoto kumi na wawili, alizaliwa katika familia tajiri ya Ufaransa mnamo Juni 26, 1730. Baada ya kupoteza baba yake akiwa na umri wa miaka kumi na moja, hali ya kifedha ya familia ilibadilika, na Messier aliacha elimu rasmi ili afundishwe nyumbani na ndugu yake mkubwa. Alipokuwa na umri wa miaka 21, Messier alijiunga na jeshi la wanamaji la Ufaransa, ambako aliandika kwa uangalifu juu ya mambo aliyoona angani. Messier alitumikia kama mkuu wa wataalamu wa nyota wa Marine Observatory mnamo 1759 na baadaye akawa mtaalamu wa nyota wa Navy mnamo 1771. Mwaka 1764 alijiunga na Royal Society ya London. Mwaka 1770 akiwa na umri wa miaka 40, Messier aliolewa na Marie-Françoise de Vermauchampt. Kwa kusikitisha, mke wake alikufa alipokuwa akizaa chini ya miaka miwili baadaye, pamoja na mwana mpya wa Messier. Katika kipindi cha kazi yake, Messier aligundua nebula 40 na kometi 13. Alitengeneza orodha ya vitu visivyoonekana vizuri katika Kizio cha Kaskazini kinachoitwa Messier Catalog. Messier alikufa Aprili 12, 1817, akiwa na umri wa miaka 86. Mnamo 1757, Messier alianza kutafuta kometi ambayo Edmond Halley alitabiri ingerudi. Hata hivyo, kosa katika hesabu za mwajiri wake lilimfanya Messier asiye na bahati atafute mahali pasipofaa angani. Mnamo Agosti 28, 1758, Messier aligundua mviringo wa mviringo katika kundi la nyota la Taurus. Uchunguzi uliorudiwa-rudiwa ulifunua kwamba sehemu hiyo haikuhama ikilinganishwa na nyota za nyuma, na hivyo haikuwa kometi. Nebula hiyo ilikuwa sehemu ya kwanza ya orodha yake, Messier 1 au M1, inayojulikana pia kama Crab Nebula. Mwili wa pili katika orodha yake, M2, ulikuwa nebula iliyogunduliwa hapo awali na mtaalamu mmoja wa nyota Mwitaliano. Baada ya kutambua nebula ya tatu, kundi la nyota lenye umbo la mviringo, Messier akaanza kuchunguza anga ili kupata vitu hivyo ambavyo vingeweza kumchanganya mtu. Baadaye alisema kwamba alifanya utafiti huo "ili wataalamu wa nyota wasiweze tena kuchanganyikiwa na nebula hizo na kometi ambazo zilikuwa zinaanza kuonekana". Messier alijitolea kutafuta kwa azimio. Katika kipindi cha miezi saba mwaka wa 1764, aliongeza vitu 38 kwenye orodha yake. Mnamo Machi 18, 1781, Messier alipiga picha ya nebula tisa mpya. Pia alianza kutia ndani nebulae zilizogunduliwa na wataalamu wengine wa nyota. Mwangaza wa Messier unaonekana katika galaxy ya M31 (Manga ya Andromeda) ambayo ni jirani ya Milky Way. Nebula ya Orion (M42) na Pleiades (M45) pia ni sehemu ya orodha hiyo. M40 ni nyota ya binary. "Mfano wa ""Nebula ya Nuru"" karibu na ukanda wa Orion: Messier aliorodhesha nebula 103 katika orodha yake ya nyota." Vitu 40 kati ya hivyo vilikuwa vimegunduliwa na Messier mwenyewe. Mifano saba ya Messier iliongezwa katika orodha hiyo katika karne ya ishirini, na ya mwisho, M110, iliongezwa mwaka wa 1967. Katalogi ya Messier bado ni chombo muhimu kwa wataalamu wa nyota wa amateur wanaochunguza Kizio cha Kaskazini leo. "Nola Taylor Redd - Wataalamu maarufu wa nyota - Picha 50 za Nebula za Angani - M78 Karibu na Ukanda wa Orion: Kuchanganua Vumbi la Cosmic Bright | Video - Gallery: Maumbo ya Nebula ya ajabu, Unaona Nini?" Kupata Space.com Newsletter Breaking nafasi ya habari, updates karibuni juu ya roketi launches, skywatching matukio na zaidi! Taylor Tillman ni mwandishi wa Space.com. Anapenda mambo yote yanayohusiana na anga na elimu ya nyota, na anafurahia fursa ya kujifunza mengi zaidi. Ana shahada ya kwanza katika Kiingereza na Astrophysics kutoka chuo cha Agnes Scott na alihudumu kama intern katika Sky & Telescope magazine. Katika wakati wake wa kupumzika, anawafundisha watoto wake wanne nyumbani. Mfuateni kwenye Twitter @NolaTrade