Charles Messier ( June 26 , 1730 -- April 12 , 1817 ) was a French astronomer who is remembered for publishing an astronomical catalogue with famous objects that came to be called the 103 `` Messier objects '' . Charles Messier ( 26 June 1730 -- 12 April 1817 ) was a French astronomer most notable for publishing an astronomical catalogue consisting of deep sky objects such as nebulae and star clusters that came to be known as the 110 `` Messier objects '' .