Charles Messier's Original Object Positions

Below we give a list of Charles Messier's original position measurements for the objects in his catalog, compared with modern positions. Given are Messier object number (M#), as well as Right Ascension (RA in h:m:s) and Declination (Dec in deg:m:s) as measured by Messier at the Epoch given by him (Messier's RA both in hours and degrees where given so by Messier), this Messier's position precessed to 2000.0 coordinates, and modern positions of the object. So the positions can be compared to see how far off Messier's determination was. In case of some object positions (including all missing objects), remarks are given. Separate positions by Pierre Méchain are given whenever Messier quotes them.

This position file is also available in Ascii

Additions, corrections and comments are certainly welcome; please notify me.

M#    RA (M)   Dec (M)    Epoch (M)     RA  (2000.0)  Dec     RA (2000.0) Dec  Remarks
                                             Messier             modern

1 05:20:02 +21:45:27 (Sep-12-1758) 05:34:31.4 +21:56:55 05:34.5 +22:01 (80:00:33) 2 21:21:08 -01:47:00 (Sep-11-1760) 21:33:30.6 -00:43:54 21:33.5 -00:49 (320:17:00) 3 13:31:25 +29:32:57 (May-03-1764) 13:42:17.5 +28:21:09 13:42.2 +28:23 (202:51:19) 4 16:09:08 -25:55:40 (May-08-1764) 16:23:31.4 -26:30:04 16:23.6 -26:32 (242:16:56) 5 15:06:36 +02:57:16 (May-23-1764) 15:18:29.6 +02:04:44 15:18.6 +02:05 (226:39:04) 6 17:24:42 -32:10:34 (May-23-1764) 17:40:03.2 -32:20:02 17:40.1 -32:13 (261:10:39) 7 17:38:02 -34:40:34 (May-23-1764) 17:53:43.7 -34:45:25 17:53.9 -34:49 (264:30:24) 8 17:49:58 -24:21:10 (May-23-1764) 18:04:24.5 -24:22:08 18:03.8 -24:23 (267:29:30) 9 17:05:22 -18:13:26 (May-28-1764) 17:19:08.1 -18:29:43 17:19.2 -18:31 (256:20:36) 10 16:44:48 -03:42:18 (May-29-1764) 16:57:12.4 -04:05:38 16:57.1 -04:06 (251:12:06) 11 18:30:23 -06:31:01 (May-30-1764) 18:43:01.7 -06:18:27 18:51.1 -06:16 (279:35:43) 12 16:34:53 -02:30:28 (May-30-1764) 16:47:10.9 -02:57:04 16:47.2 -01:57 (248:43:10) 13 16:33:15 +36:54:44 (Jun-01-1764) 16:41:39.3 +36:26:59 16:41.7 +36:28 (248:18:48) 14 17:25:14 -03:05:45 (Jun-01-1764) 17:37:35.1 -03:15:33 17:37.6 -03:15 (261:18:29) 15 21:18:41 +10:40:03 (Jun-03-1764) 21:30:05.7 +11:41:19 21:30.0 +12:10 (319:40:19) 16 18:05:00 -13:51:44 (Jun-03-1764) 18:18:21.2 -13:47:44 18:18.8 -13:47 (271:15:03) 17 18:07:03 -16:14:44 (Jun-03-1764) 18:20:38.2 -16:09:59 18:20.8 -16:11 (271:45:48) 18 18:06:16 -17:13:14 (Jun-03-1764) 18:19:57.0 -17:08:44 18:19.9 -17:08 (271:34:03) 19 16:48:07 -25:54:46 (Jun-05-1764) 17:02:38.9 -26:16:40 17:02.6 -26:16 (252:01:45) 20 17:48:16 -22:59:10 (Jun-05-1764) 18:02:33.4 -23:00:45 18:02.6 -23:02 (267:04:05) 21 17:50:07 -22:31:25 (Jun-05-1764) 18:04:21.4 -22:32:22 18:04.6 -22:30 (267:31:35) 22 18:21:55 -24:06:11 (Jun-05-1764) 18:36:18.0 -23:56:13 18:36.4 -23:54 (275:28:39) 23 17:42:51 -18:45:55 (Jun-20-1764) 17:56:41.7 -18:49:26 17:56.8 -19:01 (265:42:50) 24 18:01:44 -18:26:00 (Jun-20-1764) 18:15:32.4 -18:23:02 18:16.9 -18:29 (270:26:00) 25 18:17:40 -19:05:00 (Jun-20-1764) 18:31:31.5 -18:56:34 18:31.6 -19:15 (274:25:00) 26 18:32:22 -09:38:14 (Jun-20-1764) 18:45:17.7 -09:24:58 18:45.2 -09:24 (278:05:25) 27 19:49:27 +22:04:00 (Jul-12-1764) 19:59:36.7 +22:41:42 19:59.6 +22:43 (297:21:41) 28 18:09:58 -24:57:11 (Jul-27-1764) 18:24:27.0 -24:51:17 18:24.5 -24:52 (272:29:30) 29 20:15:38 +37:11:57 (Jul-29-1764) 20:24:23.0 +37:57:04 20:23.9 +38:32 (303:54:29) 30 21:27:05 -24:19:04 (Aug-03-1764) 21:40:30.9 -23:15:52 21:40.4 -23:11 (321:46:18) 31 00:29:46 +39:09:32 (Aug-03-1764) 00:42:30.4 +40:27:13 00:42.7 +41:16 (7:26:32) 32 00:29:50 +38:45:34 (Aug-03-1764) 00:42:33.9 +40:03:15 00:42.7 +40:52 (7:27:32) 33 01:40:37 +29:32:25 (Aug-25-1764) 01:54:02.6 +30:42:37 01:33.9 +30:39 (20:09:17) 34 02:27:27 +41:39:32 (Aug-25-1764) 02:42:28.6 +42:40:53 02:42.0 +42:47 (36:51:37) 35 05:54:41 +24:33:30 (Aug-30-1764) 06:09:08.0 +24:32:51 06:08.9 +24:20 (88:40:09) 36 05:20:47 +34:08:06 (Sep-02-1764) 05:36:22.2 +34:18:51 05:36.1 +34:08 (80:11:42) 37 05:37:01 +32:11:51 (Sep-02-1764) 05:52:22.0 +32:17:06 05:52.4 +32:33 (84:15:12) 38 05:12:41 +36:11:51 (Sep-25-1764) 05:28:31.8 +36:25:18 05:28.4 +35:50 (78:10:12) 39 21:23:49 +47:25:00 (Oct-24-1764) 21:32:17.5 +48:26:59 21:32.2 +48:26 (320:57:10) 40 12:11:02 +59:23:50 (Oct-24-1764) 12:22:26.8 +58:05:27 12:22.4 +58:05 (182:45:30) 41 06:35:53 -20:33:00 (Jan-16-1765) 06:45:58.2 -20:46:57 06:46.0 -20:44 correct pos, while most refs (98:58:12) are 1 min off in RA (06:47.0) 42 05:23:59 -05:34:06 (Mar-04-1769) 05:35:18.7 -05:23:55 05:35.4 -05:27 (80:59:40) 43 05:24:12 -05:26:37 (Mar-04-1769) 05:35:32.4 -05:16:30 05:35.6 -05:16 (81:03:00) 44 08:27:22 +20:31:38 (Mar-04-1769) 08:40:39.6 +19:43:37 08:40.1 +19:59 (126:50:30) 45 03:33:48 +23:22:41 (Mar-04-1769) 03:47:28.5 +24:06:45 03:47.0 +24:07 (53:27:04) 46 07:31:11 -14:19:07 (Feb-19-1771) 07:41:41.3 -14:50:21 07:41.8 -14:49 (112:47:43) 47 07:44:16 -14:50:08 (Feb-19-1771) 07:54:45.5 -15:25:18 07:36.6 -14:30 off in RA; wrong sign from 2 Pup (116:03:58) 48 08:02:24 -01:16:42 (Feb-19-1771) 08:13:59.6 -01:57:16 08:13.8 -05:48 off in Dec (120:36:00) 49 12:17:48 +09:16:09 (Feb-19-1771) 12:29:26.2 +08:00:06 12:29.8 +08:00 (184:26:58) 50 06:51:50 -07:57:42 (Apr-05-1772) 07:02:47.5 -08:16:32 07:03.2 -08:20 (102:57:28) 51 13:20:23 +48:24:24 (Jan-11-1774) 13:29:56.3 +47:14:02 13:29.9 +47:12 (200:05:48) 52 23:14:38 +60:22:12 (Sep-07-1774) 23:24:35.0 +61:36:19 23:24.2 +61:35 (348:39:27) 53 13:02:02 +19:22:44 (Feb-26-1777) 13:12:57.2 +18:11:29 13:12.9 +18:10 (195:30:26) 54 18:40:52 -30:44:01 (Jul-24-1778) 18:55:03.5 -30:28:39 18:55.1 -30:29 (280:12:55) 55 19:26:02 -31:26:27 (Jul-24-1778) 19:40:06.9 -30:57:13 19:40.0 -30:58 (291:30:25) 56 19:08:00 +29:48:14 (Jan-23-1779) 19:16:36.7 +30:11:08 19:16.6 +30:11 (287:00:01) 57 18:45:21 +32:46:03 (Jan-31-1779) 18:53:33.2 +33:01:51 18:53.6 +33:02 (281:20:08) 58 12:26:30 +13:02:42 (Apr-15-1779) 12:37:39.0 +11:49:40 12:37.7 +11:49 (186:37:23) 59 12:30:47 +12:52:36 (Apr-15-1779) 12:41:55.0 +11:39:47 12:42.0 +11:39 (187:41:38) 60 12:32:28 +12:46:02 (Apr-15-1779) 12:43:35.6 +11:33:18 12:43.7 +11:33 (188:06:53) 61 12:10:44 +05:42:05 (May-11-1779) 12:21:59.9 +04:28:33 12:21.9 +04:28 (182:41:05) 62 16:47:14 -29:45:30 (Jun-04-1779) 17:01:14.5 -30:06:22 17:01.2 -30:07 (251:48:24) 63 13:04:22 +43:12:37 (Jun-14-1779) 13:14:18.7 +42:02:17 13:15.8 +42:02 (196:05:30) 64 12:45:51 +22:52:31 (Mar-01-1780) 12:56:41.7 +21:40:40 12:56.7 +21:41 (191:27:38) 65 11:07:24 +14:16:08 (Mar-01-1780) 11:18:53.8 +13:04:13 11:18.9 +13:05 (166:50:54) 66 11:08:47 +14:12:21 (Mar-01-1780) 11:20:16.4 +13:00:20 11:20.2 +12:59 (167:11:39) 67 08:36:28 +12:36:38 (Apr-06-1780) 08:48:31.3 +11:48:50 08:50.4 +11:49 (129:06:57) 68 12:27:38 -25:30:20 (Apr-09-1780) 12:39:14.0 -26:42:58 12:39.5 -26:45 (186:54:33) 69 18:16:47 -32:31:45 (Aug-31-1780) 18:31:06.3 -32:24:07 18:31.4 -32:21 (274:11:46) 70 18:28:53 -32:31:07 (Aug-31-1780) 18:43:10.7 -32:19:39 18:43.2 -32:18 (277:13:16) 71 19:43:57 +18:13:00 (Oct-04-1780) 19:53:43.4 +18:46:29 19:53.8 +18:47 (295:59:06) PM 19:44:00 +18:14:21 (Jun-28-1780) 19:53:46.8 +18:47:53 19:53.8 +18:47 (296:00:04) 72 20:41:23 -13:20:51 (Oct-04-1780) 20:53:26.6 -12:31:13 20:53.5 -12:32 (310:20:49) PM 20:41:25 -13:21:24 (Aug-29-1780+) 20:53:29.0 -12:32:30 20:53.5 -12:32 (310:21;10) 73 20:46:52 -13:28:40 (Oct-04-1780+) 20:58:55.0 -12:38:30 20:58.9 -12:38 (311:43:04) 74 01:24:57 +14:39:35 (Oct-18-1780) 01:36:41.3 +15:47:09 01:36.7 +15:47 (21:14:09) PM 01:25:08 +14:36:00 (Sep-1780) 01:36:52.5 +15:43:35 01:36.7 +15:47 (21:17:00) 75 19:53:10 -22:32:23 (Oct-18-1780) 20:06:07.4 -21:55:52 20:06.1 -21:55 (298:17:24) PM 19:53:10 -22:32:00 (Aug-27-1780+) 20:06:07.7 -21:55:27 20:06.1 -21:55 (298:17:30) 76 01:28:43 +50:28:48 (Oct-21-1780) 01:42:23.2 +51:35:46 01:42.4 +51:34 (22:10:47) PM 01:28:42 +50:28:12 (Sep-05-1780) 01:42:22.5 +51:35:12 01:42.4 +51:34 (22:10:26) 77 02:31:30 -00:57:43 (Dec-17-1780) 02:42:41.3 -00:01:04 02:42.7 -00:01 (37:52:33) PM 02:31:32 -00:57:44 (Oct-29-1780) 02:42:40.8 -00:01:17 02:42.7 -00:01 (37:52:58) 78 05:35:34 -00:01:23 (Dec-17-1780) 05:46:16.0 +00:04:47 05:46.7 +00:03 (83:53:35) PM 05:35:32 -00:00:31 (ea.-1780) 05:46:47.2 +00:05:31 05:46.7 +00:03 (83:53:02) 79 05:15:16 -24:42:57 (Dec-17-1780) 05:24:16.8 -24:30:10 05:24.5 -24:33 (78:49:02) PM 05:15:09 -24:44:46 (Oct-26-1780) 05:24:10.1 -24:31:56 05:24.5 -24:33 (78:47:10) 80 16:04:00 -22:25:13 (Jan-04-1781) 16:17:01.7 -22:58:52 16:17.0 -22:59 (240:59:48) PM 16:04:02 -22:27:58 (Jan-27-1781) 16:17:03.6 -23:01:36 16:17.0 -22:59 (241:00:26) 81 09:37:51 +70:07:24 (Feb-09-1781) 09:56:15.1 +69:06:13 09:55.6 +69:04 (144:27:44) PM 09:37:48 +70:04:00 (Aug-1779) 09:56:17.7 +69:02:25 09:55.6 +69:04 (144:27:00) 82 09:37:57 +70:44:27 (Feb-09-1781) 09:56:35.1 +69:43:14 09:55.8 +69:41 (144:29:22) PM 09:37:53 +70:43:05 (Aug-1779) 09:56:37.6 +69:41:28 09:55.8 +69:41 (144:28:13) 83 13:24:33 -28:42:27 (Feb-17-1781) 13:36:48.7 -29:49:57 13:37.0 -29:52 (201:08:13) 84 12:14:01 +14:07:01 (Mar-18-1781) 12:25:07.3 +12:54:10 12:25.1 +12:53 (183:30:21) 85 12:14:21 +19:24:26 (Mar-18-1781) 12:25:24.7 +18:11:35 12:25.4 +18:11 (183:35:21) PM 12:14:23 +19:23:00 (Mar-04-1781) 12:25:26.7 +18:10:10 12:25.4 +18:11 (183:35:45) 86 12:15:05 +14:09:52 (Mar-18-1781) 12:26:10.9 +12:57:03 12:26.2 +12:57 (183:46:21) 87 12:19:48 +13:38:01 (Mar-18-1781) 12:30:52.8 +12:25:21 12:30.8 +12:24 (184:57:06) 88 12:21:03 +15:37:51 (Mar-18-1781) 12:32:06.2 +14:25:13 12:32.0 +14:25 (185:15:49) 89 12:24:38 +13:46:49 (Mar-18-1781) 12:35:41.3 +12:34:20 12:35.7 +12:33 (186:09:36) 90 12:25:48 +14:22:50 (Mar-18-1781) 12:36:50.5 +13:10:24 12:36.8 +13:10 (186:27:00) 91 12:26:28 +14:57:06 (Mar-18-1781) 12:37:29.9 +13:44:42 12:35.4 +14:30 pos off; measured from wrong galaxy (186:37:00) 92 17:10:32 +43:21:59 (Mar-18-1781) 17:17:14.7 +43:07:22 17:17.1 +43:08 (257:38:03) 93 07:35:14 -23:19:45 (Mar-20-1781) 07:44:30.5 -23:50:37 07:44.6 -23:52 (113:48:35) 94 12:40:43 +42:18:43 (Mar-24-1781) 12:51:03.4 +41:07:04 12:50.9 +41:07 (190:10:46) PM 12:40:38 +42:18:50 (Mar-22-1781) 12:50:58.5 +41:07:11 12:50.9 +41:07 (190:09:38) 95 10:32:12 +12:50:21 (Mar-24-1781) 10:43:46.5 +11:41:52 10:44.0 +11:42 (158:03:05) PM 10:32:26 +12:49:50 (Mar-20-1781) 10:44:00.5 +11:41:19 10:44.0 +11:42 (158:06:23) 96 10:35:05 +12:58:09 (Mar-24-1781) 10:46:39.0 +11:49:21 10:46.8 +11:49 (158:46:20) PM 10:35:12 +12:57:33 (Mar-20-1781) 10:46:46.0 +11:48:44 10:46.8 +11:49 (158:48:00) 97 11:01:15 +56:13:30 (Mar-24-1781) 11:14:04.0 +55:02:17 11:14.8 +55:01 (161:18:40) 98 12:03:23 +16:08:15 (Apr-13-1781) 12:14:31.8 +14:55:13 12:13.8 +14:54 (180:50:49) 99 12:07:41 +15:37:12 (Apr-13-1781) 12:18:48.4 +14:24:14 12:18.8 +14:25 (181:55:19) 100 12:11:57 +16:59:21 (Apr-13-1781) 12:23:02.4 +15:46:29 12:22.9 +15:49 (182:59:19) 101PM 13:43:28 +55:24:25 (Mar-27-1781) 13:51:32.4 +54:19:12 14:03.2 +54:21 12m W off in RA (208:52:42) 102 14:40: +56: (prob. 1781) 14:46:33.5 +55:04:41 15:06.5 +55:46 5 deg/20m W 103 01:20: +61: (prob. 1781) 01:34:32.6 +62:07:51 01:33.2 +60:42 104 12:28:39 -10:24:49 (May-11-1781) 12:39:59.4 -11:37:05 12:40.0 -11:37 (187:09:42) 105PM 10:36:15 +13:43:58 (Mar-24-1781) 10:47:49.9 +12:35:03 10:47.8 +12:35 106PM 12:06:40 +49 (Jul-1781) 12:17:34 +47:47 12:19.0 +47:18 107 PM (Apr-1782) 16:32.5 -13:03 108 (Mar-24-1781) 11:11.5 +55:40 109 (Mar-24-1781) 11:57.6 +53:23 110 00:28.0 +39:37 (Aug-10-1773) 00:40.2 +40:52 00:40.4 +41:41 (7:00.5)


Hartmut Frommert
Christine Kronberg
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Last Modification: August 12, 2011