Flammarion's List of the Messier Objects

In his article on Messier's Nebulae and Star Clusters, Flammarion (1917), Cammille Flammarion gives a list of the Messier Objects as foillows. Note the misidentification of M24 with the small cluster NGC 6603, the correct identification of M40 with a double star, the misidentification of M47 following John Herschel, the missing identification of M48, the missing identity of M91 which Flammarion thought might be a comet, and the possibly correct identification, including the position from Messier's handwritten entry in his personal copy, of M102 with NGC 5866, with some doubt of Flammarion indicated by a question mark. The IC number for M25 is listed without comment in the NGC column. Some of the constellation assignments are outdated, as Flammarion's paper is older than the IAU definitions and he thus used the constellations of his time.
   Dates      No.   NGC  Position (Messier)   Position 1900    Constellations
    of                                                               and
Observation   (M)           RA        Dec        RA    Dec       Description

h m s deg ' " h m deg ' 1758 Sep 12 1 1952 5.20. 2 +21.45.27 5.25.5 +21.57 Taurus. Nebula. 1760 Sep 11 2 7089 21.21. 8 - 1.47. 0 21.28.3 - 1.16 Aquarius. Cluster. 1764 May 3 3 5272 13.31.25 +29.32.57 13.37.6 +28.53 Canes Venatici. Cluster. 1764 May 8 4 6121 16. 9. 8 -25.55.40 16.17.5 -26.17 Scorpius. Cluster. 1764 May 23 5 5904 15. 6.36 + 2.57.16 15.13.5 + 2.27 Serpens. Cluster. 1764 May 23 6 6405 17.24.42 -32.10.34 17.33.5 -32. 9 Sagittarius. Cluster. 1764 May 23 7 6475 17.38. 2 -34.40.34 17.47.4 -34.47 Sagittarius. Cluster. 1764 May 23 8 6523 17.49.58 -24.21.10 17.57.6 -24.23 Sagittarius. Nebula. 1764 May 28 9 6333 17. 5.22 -18.13.26 17.13.3 -18.25 Ophiuchus. Cluster. 1764 May 29 10 6254 16.44.48 - 3.42.18 16.51.9 - 3.57 Ophiuchus. Cluster. 1764 May 30 11 6705 18.38.23 - 6.31. 1 18.45.7 - 6.23 Scutum. Cluster. 1764 May 30 12 6218 16.34.53 - 2.30.28 16.42.0 - 1.46 Ophiuchus. Cluster. 1764 Jun 1 13 6205 16.33.15 +36.54.44 16.38.1 +36.39 Hercules. Famous Cluster. 1764 Jun 1 14 6402 17.25.14 - 3. 5.45 17.32.4 - 3.11 Ophiuchus. Cluster. 1764 Jun 3 15 7078 21.18.41 +10.40. 3 21.25.2 +11.44 Pegasus. Cluster. 1764 Jun 3 16 6611 18. 5. 0 -13.51.44 18.13.2 -13.49 Aquila. Cluster. 1764 Jun 3 17 6618 18. 7. 3 -16.14.44 18.15.0 -16.13 Sagittarius. Nebula. 1764 Jun 3 18 6613 18. 6.16 -17.13.14 18.14.1 -17.10 Sagittarius. Cluster. 1764 Jun 5 19 6273 16.48. 7 -25.54.46 16.56.4 -26. 7 Ophiuchus. Cluster. 1764 Jun 5 20 6514 17.48.16 -22.59.10 17.56.3 -23. 2 Sagittarius. Nebula. 1764 Jun 5 21 6531 17.50. 7 -22.31.25 17.58.6 -22.30 Sagittarius. Cluster. 1764 Jun 5 22 6656 18.21.55 -24. 6.11 18.30.3 -23.59 Sagittarius. Cluster. 1764 Jun 20 23 6494 17.42.51 -18.45.55 17.51.0 -19. 0 Sagittarius. Cluster. 1764 Jun 20 24 6603 18. 1.44 -18.26. 0 18.12.6 -18.27 Sagittarius. Cluster. 1764 Jun 20 25 4725 18.17.40 -19. 5. 0 18.25.8 -19.19 Sagittarius. Cluster. 1764 Jun 20 26 6694 18.32.22 - 9.38.14 18.39.8 - 9.30 Scutum. Cluster. 1764 Jul 12 27 6853 19.49.27 +22. 4. 0 19.55.3 +22.27 Vulpecula. Nebula. 1764 Jul 27 28 6626 18.49.58 -24.57.11 18.18.4 -24.55 Sagittarius. Cluster. 1764 Jul 29 29 6913 20.15.38 +37.11.57 20.20.3 +38.12 Cygnus. Cluster. 1764 Aug 3 30 7099 21.27. 5 -24.19. 4 21.34.7 -23.38 Capricornus. Cluster. 1764 Aug 3 31 224 0.29.46 +39. 9.32 0.37.3 +40.43 Andromeda. Great Nebula. 1764 Aug 3 32 221 0.29.50 +38.45.34 0.37.2 +40.19 Andromeda. Nebula. 1764 Aug 25 33 598 1.20.37 +29.32.25 1.28.2 +30. 9 Triangulum. Nebula. 1764 Aug 25 34 1039 2.27.27 +41.39.32 2.35.6 +42.21 Perseus. Cluster. 1764 Aug 30 35 2168 5.54.41 +24.33.30 6. 2.7 +24.21 Gemini. Cluster. 1764 Sep 2 36 1960 5.20.47 +34. 8. 6 5.29.5 +34. 4 Auriga. Cluster. 1764 Sep 2 37 2099 5.37. 1 +32.11.51 5.45.8 +32.31 Auriga. Cluster. 1764 Sep 25 38 1912 5.12.41 +36.11.51 5.22.0 +35.45 Auriga. Cluster. 1764 Oct 24 39 7092 21.23.49 +47.25. 0 21.28.6 +48. 0 Cygnus. Cluster. 1764 Oct 24 40 .... 12.11. 2 +59.23.50 12.17.4 +58.40 Ursa Major. 2 faint stars. 1765 Jan 16 41 2287 6.35.53 -20.33. 0 6.42.7 -20.38 Canis Major. Cluster. 1769 Mar 4 42 1976 5.23.59 - 5.34. 6 5.30.4 - 5.27 Orion. Celebrated Nebula. 1769 Mar 4 43 1982 5.24.12 - 5.26.37 5.30.6 - 5.20 Orion. Nebula. 1769 Mar 4 44 2632 8. 7.22 +20.31.38 8.34.3 +20.20 Cancer. Praesepe. 1769 Mar 4 45 .... 3.33.48 +23.22.41 3.41.5 +23.48 Taurus. The Pleiades. 1771 Feb 19 46 2437 7.31.11 -14.19. 7 7.37.2 -14.35 Puppis. Cluster. 1771 Feb 19 47 2478 7.44.16 -14.50. 8 7.50.2 -15. 9 Puppis. Cluster. 1771 Feb 19 48 .... 8. 2.24 - 1.16.42 8. 9.0 - 1.39 Puppis. Cluster. 1771 Feb 19 49 4472 12.17.48 + 9.16. 9 12.24.7 + 8.33 Virgo. Nebula. 1772 Apr 5 50 2323 6.51.50 - 7.57.42 6.58.2 - 8.12 Monoceros. Cluster. 1774 Jan 11 51 5194 13.20.23 +48.24.24 13.25.7 +47.43 Canes Venatici. Spiral Nebula. 1774 Sep 7 52 7654 23.14.38 +60.22.12 23.19.8 +61. 3 Cassiopeia. Cluster. 1777 Feb 26 53 5024 13. 2. 2 +19.22.44 13. 8.0 +18.42 Coma. Cluster. 1778 Jul 24 54 6715 18.40.52 -30.44. 1 18.48.7 -30.36 Sagittarius. Cluster. 1778 Jul 24 55 6809 19.26. 2 -31.26.27 19.33.7 -31.10 Sagittarius. Cluster. 1779 Jan 23 56 6779 19. 8. 0 +29.48.14 19.12.7 +30. 0 Lyra. Cluster. 1779 Jan 31 57 6720 18.45.21 +32.46. 3 18.49.9 +32.54 Lyra. Ring Nebula. 1779 Apr 15 58 4579 12.26.30 +13. 2.42 12.32.7 +12.22 Virgo. Spiral Nebula. 1779 Apr 15 59 4621 12.30.47 +12.52.36 12.37.0 +12.12 Virgo. Spiral Nebula. 1779 Apr 15 60 4649 12.32.28 +12.46. 2 12.38.6 +12. 6 Virgo. Nebula. 1779 May 11 61 4303 12.10.44 + 5.42. 5 12.16.8 + 5. 2 Virgo. Spiral Nebula. 1779 Jun 4 62 6266 16.47.14 -29.45.30 16.54.8 -29.58 Scorpius. Cluster. 1779 Jun 14 63 5055 13. 4.22 +43.12.37 13.11.3 +42.34 Canes Venatici. Spiral Nebula. 1780 Mar 1 64 4826 12.45.51 +22.52.31 12.51.8 +22.13 Coma. Spiral Nebula. 1780 Mar 1 65 3623 11. 7.24 +14.16. 8 11.13.7 +13.38 Leo. Spiral Nebula. 1780 Mar 1 66 3627 11. 8.47 +14.12.21 11.15.0 +13.32 Leo. Spiral Nebula. 1780 Apr 6 67 2682 8.36.28 +12.36.38 8.45.8 +12.11 Cancer. Cluster. 1780 Apr 9 68 4590 12.27.38 -25.30.20 12.34.2 -26.12 Hydra. Cluster. 1780 Aug 31 69 6637 18.16.47 -32.31.45 18.24.8 -32.25 Sagittarius. Cluster. 1780 Aug 31 70 6681 18.28.53 -32.31. 7 18.36.7 -32.23 Sagittarius. Cluster. 1780 Oct 4 71 6838 19.43.57 +18.13. 0 19.49.3 +18.31 Sagitta. Cluster. 1780 Oct 4 72 6981 20.41.23 -13.20.51 20.48.0 -12.55 Capricornus. Cluster. 1780 Oct 4-5 73 6994 20.46.52 -13.28.40 20.53.5 -13. 1 Capricornus. Cluster. 1780 Oct 18 74 628 1.24.57 +14.39.35 1.31.3 +15.16 Sagittarius. Cluster. 1780 Oct 18 75 6864 19.53.10 -22.32.23 20. 0.2 -22.12 Sagittarius. Cluster. 1780 Oct 21 76 650 1.28.43 +50.28.48 1.36.0 +51. 4 Andromeda. Nebula. 1780 Dec 17 77 1068 2.31.30 - 0.57.43 2.37.6 - 0.26 Cetus. Spiral Nebula. 1780 Dec 17 78 2068 5.35.34 - 0. 1.23 5.41.6 + 0. 1 Orion. Nebula. 1780 Dec 17 79 1904 5.15.16 -24.42.57 5.20.1 -24.37 Lepus. Cluster. 1781 Jan 4 80 6093 16. 4. 0 -22.25.13 16.11.1 -22.44 Scorpius. Cluster. 1781 Feb 9 81 3031 9.37.51 +70. 7.24 9.47.3 +69.32 Ursa Major. Spiral Nebula. 1781 Feb 9 82 3034 9.37.57 +70.44.27 9.47.5 +70.10 Ursa Major. Spiral Nebula. 1781 Feb 17 83 5236 13.24.33 -28.42.27 13.31.4 -29.21 Hydra. Spiral Nebula. 1781 Mar 18 84 4374 12.14. 1 +14. 7. 1 12.20.0 +13.26 Virgo. Nebula. 1781 Mar 18 85 4382 12.14.21 +19.24.26 12.20.4 +18.45 Virgo. Nebula. 1781 Mar 18 86 4406 12.15. 5 +14. 9.52 12.21.1 +13.30 Virgo. Nebula. 1781 Mar 18 87 4486 12.19.48 +13.38. 1 12.25.8 +12.57 Virgo. Nebula. 1781 Mar 18 88 4501 12.21. 3 +15.37.51 12.26.9 +14.58 Virgo. Spiral Nebula. 1781 Mar 18 89 4552 12.24.38 +13.46.49 12.30.6 +13. 6 Virgo. Nebula. 1781 Mar 18 90 4569 12.25.48 +14.22.50 12.31.8 +13.43 Virgo. Spiral Nebula. 1781 Mar 18 91 .... 12.26.28 +14.57. 6 12.36.. +13.50 Nonexistant. Prob. comet 1781 Mar 18 92 6341 17.10.32 +43.21.59 17.14.1 +43.15 Hercules. Cluster. 1781 Mar 20 93 2447 7.35.14 -23.19.45 7.40.4 -23.38 Puppis. Cluster. 1781 Mar 24 94 4736 12.40.43 +42.18.43 12.46.2 +41.40 Canes Venatici. Spiral Nebula. 1781 Mar 24 95 3351 10.32.12 +12.50.21 10.38.7 +12.14 Leo. Spiral Nebula. 1781 Mar 24 96 3368 10.35. 5 +12.58. 9 10.41.5 +12.21 Leo. Spiral Nebula. 1781 Mar 24 97 3587 11. 1.15 +56.13.30 11. 9.0 +55.34 Ursa Major. Nebula. 1781 Apr 13 98 4192 12. 3.23 +16. 8.15 12. 8.7 +15.27 Virgo. Spiral Nebula. 1781 Apr 13 99 4254 12. 7.41 +15.37.12 12.13.8 +14.58 Virgo. Spiral Nebula. 1781 Apr 13 100 4321 12.11.57 +16.59.21 12.17.9 +16.23 Virgo. Spiral Nebula. 1781 Mar 27 101 5457 13.43.28 +55.24.25 13.59.6 +54.50 Ursa Major. Spiral Nebula. - 102 5866? 14.40. 0 +56 15. 3.8 +56. 9 Ursa Major. Spiral Nebula. - 103 581 1.20 +61 1.26.6 +60.11 Cassiopeia. Cluster.
We add here Flammarion's addition or Messier 104, noted after the description of M103 (Flammarion 1921), in same format:
1781 May 11   104  4594  12.28.39  -10.24.49  12.34.8  -11.04  Virgo. Spiral Nebula.
                                              12.35.8  -11.11  (1920)

After completing and finishing his studies of Messier's objects, Flammarion investigated, in a similar manner, other "Principal Star Clusters and Nebulae" visible from France with medium-sized instruments, numbered consecutively to Messier's catalog, starting with No. 105. We also have compiled, and provide a list of Flammarion's additional objects.

References:


Hartmut Frommert
Christine Kronberg
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Last Modification: August 12, 2011