The Messier objects field guide

the long version

Charles Messier (1730-1817) devoted much of his life to searching the skies for comets. As he continued his comet hunting, Messier added other curious deep-sky objects to the list, largely with help from a young rival, Pierre Mechain. By 1781 the Messier catalog had grown to 103 entries. Two centuries later, backyard observers still consider many of the "M" objects the jewels of the night sky; all are splendid targets for viewing with binoculars and small telescopes. In Deep Sky Companions: the Messier Objects, renowned visual observer Stephen James O'Meara shows you how to find and enjoy M1 (the Crab), M110 (a companion to M31, the Andromeda Galaxy), and everything in between. It's an indispensable resource for skygazers at all levels of interest.