Pictures of the Messier Objects

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M1
Crab Nebula  in Taurus, supernova remant. Mag 8.4, 6' x 4'. Note central pulsar, magnitude 16, 3C144.
10"
Meade LX200 SCT f6.3,
Top image Starlight Xpress SXVF-M9 CCD. Multiple exposures : Effective integration time 18 minutes.
Lower image Canon 450D EOS.
Multiple exposures : Effective integration time 30 minutes.
M2 m2.gif (34903 bytes) Globular cluster in Aquarius. Mag 6.5, 12.9'. Stars magnitude 13+.
10" Meade LX200 SCT f4, Starlight Xpress MX5 CCD. Single 3 minute exposures.
M3 m3.gif (48005 bytes) Globular Cluster in Canes Venatici, Mag 6.4, 16.2'. Stars magnitude 11+.
10" Meade LX200 SCT f4, Starlight Xpress MX9 CCD. Average of 2 x three minute exposures.
M4 Globular cluster in Scorpius, close to Antares, Mag 5.4, 36'. 10" Meade LX200 SCT f6.3, Canon 550D EOS. Multiple exposures : Effective integration time 9 minutes.
M5 m5.gif (54769 bytes) Globular Cluster in Serpens, Mag 5.8, 17.4'. Stars magnitude 11+. One of the best of its type.
10" Orion Optics GX250 Newtonian f4.8, Starlight Xpress MX5 CCD. Multiple exposures : Effective integration time 3 minutes.
M6 Open Cluster (Butterfly Cluster) in Scorpius, Mag 4.2, 33'. 51 stars to magnitude 10.5 but very low in the UK. 10" Meade LX200 SCT f6.3, Canon 55D EOS,  Multiple exposures : Effective integration time 3 minutes.
M8 Lagoon nebula in Sagittarius, Large emission nebula with embedded cluster and dark lanes. Mag 5, 35'x50'. 10" Meade LX200 SCT f4, Starlight Xpress MX9 CCD. Multiple exposures : Effective integration time 9 minutes.
M9 Globular Cluster in Ophiuchus, Mag 7.9, 9.3',
10" Meade LX200 SCT f6,3 Canon 550D EOS, Effective integration time 3 minutes.
M10 m10.gif (146891 bytes) Globular Cluster in Ophiuchus, Mag 6.6, 15.1'
- 10" Orion Optics GX250 Newtonian f4.8, Starlight Xpress MX5 CCD. Multiple exposures : Effective integration time 2 minutes.
M11 Wild Duck Open Cluster in Scutum, Mag 5.8, 14'. 500 stars to magnitude 14, one of the best open clusters. 
10" Meade LX200 SCT f6.3, Canon 550D EOS, Effective integration time 2 minutes.
M12 m12.gif (33500 bytes) Globular Cluster in Ophiuchus, Mag 6.6, 14.5'
- 10" Orion Optics GX250 Newtonian f4.8, Starlight Xpress MX5 CCD. Multiple exposures : Effective integration time 3 minutes.
M13 m13.jpg (63936 bytes) Globular Cluster in Hercules, Mag 5.9, 16.6'. Best globular in northern hemisphere. Stars magnitude 11+.  
10" Meade LX200 SCT f4, Starlight Xpress SXVF-MX5 CCD. 
Multiple exposures : Effective integration time 9 minutes.
M14 m14.gif (32048 bytes) Globular Cluster in Ophiuchus, Mag 7.6, 11.7' 
-
10" Meade LX200 SCT f4, Starlight Xpress MX5 CCD. Single 3 minute exposure.
M15 Globular Cluster in Pegasus, Mag 6.4, 12.3'
10" Meade LX200 SCT f4, Starlight Xpress SXVF-MX9 CCD. Six minute exposure.
M16 m16.gif (77960 bytes) Eagle Nebula in Serpens showing 'Pillars of Creation'. Mag 6, 6'.
Upper image - 10" Meade LX200 SCT f4, Starlight Xpress MX5 CCD. Multiple exposures : Effective integration time 6 minutes.
Lower Image - 10" Meade LX200 SCT 6.3, Canon 550D EOS. 13 minute exposure. June 2010
M17
Omega or Swan Nebula in Sagittarius. Mag 6, 39'. Bright, a good sight.
Upper image 10" Meade LX200 SCT f4, Starlight Xpress SXVF-MX9 CCD. Multiple exposures : Effective integration time 12 minutes.
Lower Image - Canon 550D EOS camera f5.6 400mm lens. Guided by 10" Meade LX200. 11 minute exposure. June 2010
M18 m18.gif (17973 bytes) Open cluster in Sagittarius. Mag 6.9, 9'. Stars magnitude 9+.
10" Meade LX200 SCT f6.3, Starlight Xpress MX5 CCD. Single 3 minute exposure.
M19 Globular cluster in Ophiuchus, Mag 7.2, 5.3',
10" Meade LX200 SCT f6.3, Canon 550D EOS,  Multiple exposures : Effective integration time 3 minutes..
M20 Trifid nebula in Sagittarius, Large reflection/emission nebula with embedded cluster and dark lanes. Mag 6.3, 30'x20'.  
Top image - 10" Meade LX200 SCT 4, Starlight Xpress MX9 CCD. 15 minute exposure.
Bottom image - 10" Meade LX200 SCT 6.3, Canon 550D EOS. 10 minute exposure.

 

M21 m21.jpg (33695 bytes) Open cluster in Sagittarius. Mag 5.9, 13'. 70 stars.
10" Meade LX200 SCT f6.3, Canon 550D EOS. Single 1 minute exposure.
M22 Globular cluster in Sagittarius, one of the best. Mag 5.1, 24'. Stars magnitude 11+.
10" Meade LX200 SCT f6.3, Canon 550D EOS. 3 minute exposure.
M23 Open cluster in Sagittarius. Mag 5.5, 27'. Large cluster, 150+ stars magnitude 9+.
10" Meade LX200 SCT f6.3, Canon 550D EOS. Single 2 minute exposure.
M24 m24.jpg (28113 bytes) Open cluster in Sagittarius. Mag 3.1, 95' x 35'. Large - Small Sagittarius Star Cloud.
10" Meade LX200 SCT f4, Starlight Xpress MX5 CCD. Single 1 minute exposure shows centre only.
M25 Open cluster in Sagittarius. Mag 4.6, 32'. Stars magnitude 7+.
10" Meade LX200 SCT f6.3, Canon 550D EOS. Single 1 minute exposure.
M26 Open Cluster in Scutum, Mag 8, 15'. 70 stars to magnitude 14.
10" Meade LX200 SCT f6.3, Canon 550D EOS, Effective integration time 2 minutes.
M27 m27.jpg (63448 bytes) Dumbbell Nebula in Vulpecula. Mag 7.3, 8' x 5.7'. Central star mag 13.
10" Meade LX200 SCT f4, Starlight Xpress MX5 CCD. Multiple exposures : Effective integration time 12 minutes.
Lower image
10" Meade LX200 SCT f10, Canon 450D EOS camera. Multiple exposures : Effective integration time 20 minutes.
M28 m28.gif (53988 bytes) Globular cluster in Sagittarius. Mag 6.9, 11.2'. Stars magnitude 13+.
10" Meade LX200 SCT f6.3, Starlight Xpress MX5 CCD. Single 3 minute exposure.
M29 m29.gif (58558 bytes) Open Cluster in Cygnus, Mag 6.6, 7', 50 stars.
200mm f3.5 lens guided by 10" Orion Optics GX250 Newtonian f4.8, Starlight Xpress MX5 CCD. Integration time 2 minutes.
M30 Globular Cluster in Capricornus, Mag 6.9, 12'. 10" Meade LX200 SCT f4, Starlight Xpress SXVF-MX9 CCD. Sum of 2 three minute exposures.
M31 Great Spiral Galaxy in Andromeda, Mag 3.4, 178' x 40'. Terrific, look for elliptical companion galaxies M32 and M110.
The image at the top was taken using a 400mm lens attached to my Canon 450D DSLR camera, guided by the main scope. The lower image was taken with my Canon digital camera through my Meade LX200. On this image I have marked up the galaxy's globular clusters.
M32 m32.gif (18691 bytes) Elliptical Galaxy, companion to M31 in Andromeda. Mag 8.1, 8' x 6'.
10" Meade LX200 SCT f6.3, Starlight Xpress MX5 CCD. Single 3 minute exposure.
M33 Pinwheel Spiral Galaxy, Triangulum;a member of the local group of galaxies. Mag 5.7, 73' x 45'.
10" Meade LX200 SCT f6.3, Canon 450D EOS camera. 30 minute exposure.
M34 Open Cluster in Perseus. Mag 5.2, 35', 100 stars.
400mm F5.6 Canon EOS guided by 10" Meade LX200. Single 3 minute exposure.
M35 Open Cluster in Gemini. Mag 5.1, 28', 300 stars. Note small cluster NGC2158 30' SW - click here for close up of NGC2158. 400mm F5.6 Canon EOS guided by 10" Meade LX200. Single 3 minute exposure.
M36 Open cluster in Auriga. Mag 6, 12', 60 stars.
400mm F5.6 Canon EOS guided by 10" Meade LX200. Single 3 minute exposure. For a higher magnification view click here.
M37 Open Cluster in Auriga. Mag 5.6, 24', magnificent cluster, 500+ stars.
400mm F5.6 Canon EOS guided by 10" Meade LX200. Single 3 minute exposure. For a higher magnification view click here.
M38 Open cluster in Auriga. Mag 6.4, 21', 100 stars. Look for small nearby cluster NGC 1907.
400mm F5.6 Canon EOS guided by 10" Meade LX200. Single 3 minute exposure. For a higher magnification view click here.
M39 m39.gif (58805 bytes) Open Cluster in Cygnus, Mag 4.6, 32'. Large, bright, but just 30 true stars in the cluster. 10" Meade LX200 SCT f6.3, Canon 450D EOS camera. Sum of two 30 second exposures.


Second image is wider field with 200mm f3.5 lens guided by 10" Orion Optics GX250 Newtonian f4.8. Integration time 2 minutes.

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