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TAAS 200 Messier List TAAS 200 History

The TAAS 200 deep sky astronomical observing list is designed for the intermediate observer, and includes the best 200 non Messier objects easily visible from central New Mexico, (objects north of declination -48).

The list is also available in

Photo: Bill Firth

Messier List

Number / Type
Constellation		 RA
Dec		 magnitude Description
1. NGC1952 [Di]
Taurus		 05 34.5
22 01		 8 Crab nebula
2. NGC7089 [Gb]
Aquarius		 21 33.5
-00 49		 6.5 50,000 ly away contains 100,000 stars
3. NGC5272 [Gb]
Canes Venatici		 13 42.2
28 23		 6.4 one of brighest objects in northern sky
4. NGC6121 [Gb]
Scorpius		 16 23.6
-26 32		 5.9 visible to unaided eye band of stars thru middle of cluster
5. NGC5904 [Gb]
Serpens Caput		 15 18.6
02 05		 5.8 bright globular cluster
6. NGC6405 [Cl]
Scorpius		 17 40.1
-32 13		 4.2 Butterfly Cluster
7. NGC6475 [Cl]
Scorpius		 17 53.9
-34 49		 3.3 Ptolemy's Cluster
8. NGC6523 [Di]
Sagittarius		 18 03.8
-24 23		 6 diffuse nebula know as the Lagoon Nebula
9. NGC6333 [Gb]
Ophiuchus		 17 19.2
-18 31		 8 faint cluster only 7.5 tly from center of the Milky Way
10. NGC6254 [Gb]
Ophiuchus		 16 57.1
-04 06		 6.6 pair globular clusters separated by 2 tly
11. NGC6705 [Cl]
Scutum		 18 51.1
-06 16		 5.8 Wild Duck Cluster, fan shaped with red star at one end
12. NGC6218 [Gb]
Ophiuchus		 16 47.2
-01 57		 6.6 pair globular clusters separated by 2 tly
13. NGC6205 [Gb]
Hercules		 16 41.7
36 28		 5.9 showpiece globular cluster of northern hemisphere
14. NGC6402 [Gb]
Ophiuchus		 17 37.6
-03 15		 7.6 small bright globular cluster
15. NGC7078 [Gb]
Pegasus		 21 30.0
12 10		 6.4 compressed core larger then M 13
16. NGC6611 [Cl]
Serpens		 18 18.8
-13 47		 6.4 open cluster in inner spiral of Milky Way
17. NGC6618 [Di]
Sagittarius		 18 20.8
-16 11		 6 Swan Nebula
18. NGC6613 [Cl]
Sagittarius		 18 19.9
-17 08		 7.5 open cluster
19. NGC6273 [Gb]
Ophiuchus		 17 02.6
-26 16		 7.2 small faint cluster
20. NGC6514 [Di]
Sagittarius		 18 02.6
-23 02		 8 Trifid Nebula appears like a cloud of smoke
21. NGC6531 [Cl]
Sagittarius		 18 04.6
-22 30		 5.9 small bright cluster, contains about 60 stars
22. NGC6656 [Gb]
Sagittarius		 18 36.4
-23 54		 5.1 third brightest globular in the sky
23. NGC6494 [Cl]
Sagittarius		 17 56.8
-19 01		 5.5 large open cluster of about 150 stars
24. NGC6603 [Cl]
Sagittarius		 18 16.9
-18 29		 4.6 contains Delle Caustiche
25. NGC [Cl]
Sagittarius
4.6 open cluster
26. NGC6694 [Cl]
Scutum		 18 45.2
-09 24		 8 moderately compact open cluster, diameter of 13 ly
27. NGC6853 [Pl]
Vulpecula		 19 59.6
22 43		 8 Dumbbell Nebula is the largest and brightest planetary nebula
28. NGC6626 [Gb]
Sagittarius		 18 24.5
-24 52		 7 small bright globular cluster 65 ly diameter
29. NGC6913 [Cl]
Cygnus		 20 23.9
38 32		 6.6 Sparse cluster in region of high dust absorption
30. NGC7099 [Gb]
Capricornus		 21 40.4
-23 11		 7.5 90 ly across, core has collapsed to very dense center
31. NGC224 [Sp]
Andromeda		 00 42.7
41 16		 3.4 our closest galactic neighbor
32. NGC221 [El]
Andromeda		 00 42.7
40 52		 8.2 elliptical companion to M 31
33. NGC598 [Sp]
Triangulum		 01 33.9
30 39		 5.7 Pinwheel Galaxy, low surface brightness
34. NGC1039 [Cl]
Perseus		 02 42.0
42 47		 5.2 sparse cluster contains about 80 stars
35. NGC2168 [Cl]
Gemini		 06 08.9
24 20		 5.1 Very large open cluster
36. NGC1960 [Cl]
Auriga		 05 36.1
34 08		 6 Second very large open cluster
37. NGC2099 [Cl]
Auriga		 05 52.4
32 33		 5.6 First of three clusters in Auriga
38. NGC1912 [Cl]
Auriga		 05 28.7
35 50		 6.4 Third very large open cluster
39. NGC7092 [Gb]
Cygnus		 21 32.2
48 26		 8.1 one of the smallest clusters seen from earth, but one of the largest in true diameter
40. NGC0 [dou]
Ursa Major		 12 22.4
58 05		 8 This double star is separated by 49 seconds of arc magnitudes 9 and 9.3 known as Winnecke 4
41. NGC2287 [Cl]
Canis Major		 06 47.0
-20 44		 4.5 One of faintest objects to unaided eye
42. NGC1976 [Di]
Orion		 05 35.4
-05 27		 4 Orion nebula
43. NGC1982 [Di]
Orion		 05 35.6
-05 16		 9 North end of Orion nebula
44. NGC2632 [Cl]
Cancer		 08 40.1
19 59		 3.1 Large open cluster best with binoculars
45. NGC1432 [Cl]
Taurus		 03 47.0
24 07		 3 Pleiades
46. NGC2437 [Cl]
Puppis		 07 41.8
-14 49		 6.1 Bright large cluster
47. NGC2422 [Cl]
Puppis		 07 36.6
-14 30		 4.4 Faint sparse cluster
48. NGC2548 [Cl]
Hydra		 08 13.8
-05 48		 5.8 Sparse open cluster
49. NGC4472 [El]
Virgo		 12 29.8
08 00		 8.4 round hazy spot
50. NGC2323 [Cl]
Monoceros		 07 03.2
-08 20		 7 Large bright cluster
51. NGC5194 [Sp]
Canes Venatici		 13 29.9
47 12		 8.1 Whirlpool Galaxy spiral arms
52. NGC7654 [Cl]
Cassiopeia		 23 24.2
61 35		 6.9 open cluster, best viewed with binoculars
53. NGC5024 [Gb]
Coma Berenices		 13 12.9
18 10		 7.7 not as bright as M3 visible in binoculars
54. NGC6715 [Gb]
Sagittarius		 18 55.1
-30 29		 7.7 small bright globular cluster
55. NGC6809 [Gb]
Sagittarius		 19 40.0
-30 58		 7 One of the nearer clusters
56. NGC6779 [Cl]
Lyra		 19 16.6
30 11		 8.3 globular cluster
57. NGC6720 [PN]
Lyra		 18 53.6
33 02		 8.8 Ring Nebula
58. NGC4579 [Sp]
Virgo		 12 37.7
11 49		 9.8 barred spiral visible under dark skies
59. NGC4621 [El]
Virgo		 12 42.0
11 39		 9.8 small hazy oval patch
60. NGC4649 [El]
Virgo		 12 43.7
11 33		 8.8 brighter than M 59
61. NGC4303 [Sp]
Virgo		 12 21.9
04 28		 9.7 faint face on spiral
62. NGC6266 [Gb]
Ophiuchus		 17 01.2
-30 07		 6.6 small faint cluster
63. NGC5055 [Sp]
Canes Venatici		 13 15.8
42 02		 8.6 Sunflower Galaxy large, 92,000 ly diameter
64. NGC4826 [Sp]
Coma Berenices		 12 56.7
21 41		 8.5 Black Eye galaxy, look for black lane
65. NGC3623 [Sp]
Leo		 11 18.9
13 05		 9.3 65 and 66 are very close together
66. NGC3627 [Sp]
Leo		 11 20.2
12 59		 9 separated by 20 arc seconds
67. NGC2682 [Cl]
Cancer		 08 50.4
11 49		 6.9 Bright large cluster
68. NGC4590 [Gb]
Hydra		 12 39.5
-26 45		 8.2 appears as a round fuzzy patch of light
69. NGC6637 [Gb]
Sagittarius		 18 34.4
-32 21		 7.7 one of the smaller globular clusters, 29 ly in diameter
70. NGC6681 [Gb]
Sagittarius		 18 43.2
-32 18		 8.1 small globular cluster as seen from earth, but large in true diameter
71. NGC6838 [Gb]
Sagitta		 19 53.8
18 47		 8.3 Small globular, but its star are metal rich, more characteristic of an open cluster
72. NGC6981 [Gb]
Aquarius		 20 53.5
-12 32		 9.4 less dense globular cluster
73. NGC6994 [AS]
Aquarius		 20 58.9
-12 38		 0 small asterism, group of 4 stars of 10 - 12 magnitude
74. NGC628 [Sp]
Pices		 01 36.7
15 47		 9.2 resembles an unresolved gloublar
75. NGC6864 [Cl]
Sagittarius		 20 06.1
-21 55		 8.6 small cluster most distant in Messier catalog
76. NGC650 [Pl]
Perseus		 01 42.4
51 34		 11 one of the most difficult Messier objects to observe
77. NGC1068 [Sp]
Cetus		 02 42.7
-00 01		 8.8 bright spiral galaxy with three arms
78. NGC2068 [Di]
Orion		 05 46.7
00 03		 8 Bright wispy nebula
79. NGC1904 [Gb]
Lepus		 05 24.5
-24 33		 8 Faint globular cluster
80. NGC6093 [Gb]
Scorpius		 16 17.0
-22 59		 7.2 small faint globular cluster
81. NGC3031 [Sp]
Ursa Major		 09 55.6
69 04		 6.8 Bode's Galaxy
82. NGC3034 [Ir]
Ursa Major		 09 55.8
69 41		 8.4 Cigar Galaxy
83. NGC5236 [Sp]
Hydra		 13 37.0
-29 52		 8 Southern Pinwheel Galaxy
84. NGC4374 [El]
Virgo		 12 25.1
12 53		 9.3 bright nearly round
85. NGC4382 [El]
Coma Berenices		 12 25.4
18 11		 9.2 bright small patch of light
86. NGC4406 [El]
Virgo		 12 26.2
12 57		 9.2 bright spots
87. NGC4486 [El]
Virgo		 12 30.8
12 24		 8.6 bright nucleus contains 1000+ star clusters
88. NGC4501 [Sp]
Coma Berenices		 12 32.0
14 25		 9.5 small oval shape
89. NGC4552 [El]
Virgo		 12 35.7
12 33		 9.8 fuzzy round ball
90. NGC4569 [Sp]
Virgo		 12 36.8
13 10		 9.5 oval patch brighter than M 89
91. NGC4548 [Sp]
Coma Berenices		 12 35.4
14 30		 10.2 faint irregular oval northern edge of all galaxies in Virgo cluster
92. NGC6341 [Gb]
Hercules		 17 17.1
43 08		 6.5 smaller than M 13 and more elongated
93. NGC2447 [Cl]
Puppis		 07 44.6
-23 52		 6 Large cluster
94. NGC4736 [Sp]
Canes Venatici		 12 50.9
41 07		 8.1 tightly wound spiral little visible structure
95. NGC3351 [Sp]
Leo		 10 44.0
11 42		 9.7 part of the trio in Leo
96. NGC3368 [Sp]
Leo		 10 46.8
11 49		 9.2 part of the trio in Leo
97. NGC3587 [Pl]
Ursa Major		 11 14.8
55 01		 11 Owl Nebula appears as faint, circular patch of light
98. NGC4192 [Sp]
Coma Berenices		 12 13.8
14 54		 10.1 bright pencil like streak of light
99. NGC4254 [Sp]
Coma Berenices		 12 18.8
14 25		 9.8 face on spiral galaxy
100. NGC4321 [Sp]
Coma Berenices		 12 22.9
15 49		 9.4 round hazy glow on north edge of Virgo cluster of galaxies
101. NGC5457 [Sp]
Ursa Major		 14 03.3
54 21		 7.7 Pinwheel Galaxy
102. NGC5866 [So]
Draco		 15 06.5
55 45		 9.9 Spindle Galaxy
103. NGC581 [Cl]
Cassiopeia		 01 33.2
60 42		 7 sparse open cluster
104. NGC4594 [Sp]
Virgo		 12 40.0
-11 37		 8.3 Sombrero Galaxy dust lane thru center
105. NGC3379 [El]
Leo		 10 47.8
12 35		 9.3 lies within the Leo Cluster of 7 galaxies
106. NGC4258 [Sp]
Canes Venatici		 12 19.0
47 18		 8.3 spiral galaxy, easier to see, lies in center of a cluster 0f 12 galaxies
107. NGC6171 [Gb]
Ophiuchus		 16 32.5
-13 03		 8.1 faint but one of closest clusters to earth
108. NGC3556 [Sp]
Ursa Major		 11 11.5
55 40		 10 one of most difficult to see
109. NGC3992 [Sp]
Ursa Major		 11 57.6
53 23		 9.8 challenge to small telescopes, very faint
110. NGC205 [El]
Andromeda		 00 40.4
41 41		 8 another elliptical companion to M 31