The Messier Challenge

I observed my final 2 Messier objects in the early hours of the 24th of April 2004. The plan was to go hunt for Comet Bradfield, but I noticed that M6's and M7's positions were about as ideal as they would get from my 51° latitude. M6 was fairly easy to find but M7 was hardly 4 degrees above the horizon. Still I managed to locate it after consulting my SkyAtlas 2000.0 as a smudge about half a degree above the treetops in the distance. This concluded my hunt which had started in 1994 with a cheap 10x50 binocular.

The full list concerning my exploration of the Messier list is in the table below. Each object is listed with the date of the first observation, sometimes very rough estmates, and the instrument used. The error margins on several of the dates are due to the fact I wasn't keeping a very accurate log until quite recent. Most of those objects have been observed again.

M	NGC	Name	Type	Constellation	Date	Instrument	Location
1	1952	Crab Nebula	gn	Tau	<08/1999	20cm f/5.6 Dobson	Hove, Belgium
2	7089		gc	Aqr	4/08/1997	114mm f/7,8 Newton	Winterswijk, The Netherlands
3	5272		gc	CVn	5/08/1997	114mm f/7,8 Newton	Winterswijk, The Netherlands
4	6121		gc	Sco	18/08/1998	10cm f/10 Vixen Achromat	Buurse, The Netherlands
5	5904		gc	Ser	5/05/2000	25cm f/4 Newton	Hove, Belgium
6	6405	Butterfly Cluster	oc	Sco	24/04/2004	Orion Vista 10x50	Boechout, Belgium
7	6475		oc	Sco	24/04/2004	Orion Vista 10x50	Boechout, Belgium
8	6523	Lagoon Nebula	gn	Sgr	7/08/1999	114mm f/7,8 Newton	Gyomaendrod, Hungary
9	6333		gc	Oph	17/05/2002	Celestron C11	Hove, Belgium
10	6254		gc	Oph	6/08/1997	20cm f/6 Dobson	Winterswijk, The Netherlands
11	6705	Wild Duck	oc	Sct	5/08/1997	20cm f/6 Dobson	Winterswijk, The Netherlands
12	6218		gc	Oph	6/08/1997	20cm f/6 Dobson	Winterswijk, The Netherlands
13	6205	Hercules Cluster	gc	Her	<1996	Greenkat 10X50	Boechout, Belgium
14	6405		gc	Oph	6/08/1997	20cm f/6 Dobson	Winterswijk, The Netherlands
15	7078		gc	Peg	<1996	Greenkat 10X50	Boechout, Belgium
16	6611	Eagle Nebula	oc+gn	Ser	7/08/1999	114mm f/7,8 Newton	Gyomaendrod, Hungary
17	6618	Omega Nebula	gn	Sgr	13/08/2002	Meade LXD55 8"	Bergeijck, The Netherlands
18	6613		oc	Sgr	13/08/2002	Meade LXD55 8"	Bergeijck, The Netherlands
19	6273		gc	Oph	17/05/2005	Celestron C11	Hove, Belgium
20	6514	Trifid Nebula	gn	Sgr	7/08/1999	114mm f/7,8 Newton	Gyomaendrod, Hungary
21	6531		oc	Sgr	7/08/1999	114mm f/7,8 Newton	Gyomaendrod, Hungary
22	6656		gc	Sgr	6/08/1997	20cm f/6 Dobson	Winterswijk, The Netherlands
23	6494		oc	Sgr	13/08/2002	Meade LXD55 8"	Bergeijck, The Netherlands
24	6603		sc	Sgr	13/08/2002	Meade LXD55 8"	Bergeijck, The Netherlands
25	4725		oc	Sgr	13/08/2002	Meade LXD55 8"	Bergeijck, The Netherlands
26	6694		oc	Sct	5/08/1997	14mm f/7,8 Newton	Winterswijk, The Netherlands
27	6853	Dumbbell Nebula	pn	Vul	4/08/1997	14mm f/7,8 Newton	Winterswijk, The Netherlands
28	6626		gc	Sgr	6/08/1997	20cm f/6 Dobson	Winterswijk, The Netherlands
29	6913		oc	Cyg	aug/1995	Greenkat 10X50	Daverdisse, Belgium
30	7099		gc	Cap	13/08/2002	Meade LXD55 8"	Bergeijck, The Netherlands
31	224	Andromeda Galaxy	sg	And	<08/1994	Greenkat 10X50	Boechout, Belgium
32	221		eg	And	aug/1996	20cm f/6 Dobson	Dwingeloo, The Netherlands
33	598	Pinwheel Galaxy	sg	Tri	aug/1996	20cm f/6 Dobson	Dwingeloo, The Netherlands
34	1039		oc	Per	<08/1994	Greenkat 10X50	Boechout, Belgium
35	2168		oc	Gem	<08/1994	Greenkat 10X50	Boechout, Belgium
36	1960		oc	Aur	<08/1994	Greenkat 10X50	Boechout, Belgium
37	2099		oc	Aur	<08/1994	Greenkat 10X50	Boechout, Belgium
38	1912		oc	Aur	<08/1994	Greenkat 10X50	Boechout, Belgium
39	7092		oc	Cyg	aug/1995	Greenkat 10X50	Daverdisse, Belgium
40		Winnecke 4	s2	UMa	15/05/2000	114mm f/7,8 Newton	Boechout, Belgium
41	2287		oc	CMa	feb/2000	25cm f/4 Newton	Hove, Belgium
42	1976	Great Orion Nebula	gn	Ori	<08/1994	Greenkat 10X50	Boechout, Belgium
43	1982	Small Orion Nebula	gn	Ori	aug/1996	20cm f/6 Dobson	Dwingeloo, The Netherlands
44	2632	Praesepe	oc	Cnc	<08/1994	Greenkat 10X50	Boechout, Belgium
45		Pleiades	oc	Tau	<08/1994	Naked eye	Boechout, Belgium
46	2437		oc	Pup	apr/2002	Celestron C11	Hove, Belgium
47	2422		oc	Pup	apr/2002	Celestron C11	Hove, Belgium
48	2548		oc	Hya	feb/2002	Celestron C11	Hove, Belgium
49	4472		eg	Vir	17/05/2002	25cm f/4 Newton	Hove, Belgium
50	2323		oc	Mon	feb/2002	Celestron C11	Hove, Belgium
51	5194	Whirlpool Galaxy	sg	CVn	5/08/1997	114mm f/7,8 Newton	Winterswijk, The Netherlands
52	7654		oc	Cas	4/08/1997	114mm f/7,8 Newton	Winterswijk, The Netherlands
53	5024		gc	Com	apr/1997	20cm f/5.6 Dobson	Hove, Belgium
54	6715		gc	Sgr	13/08/2002	Meade LXD55 8"	Bergeijck, The Netherlands
55	6809		gc	Sgr	13/08/2002	Meade LXD55 8"	Bergeijck, The Netherlands
56	6779		gc	Lyr	4/08/1997	114mm f/7,8 Newton	Winterswijk, The Netherlands
57	6720	Ring Nebula	pn	Lyr	5/08/1997	114mm f/7,8 Newton	Winterswijk, The Netherlands
58	4579		bg	Vir	5/05/2000	25cm f/4 Newton	Hove, Belgium
59	4621		eg	Vir	5/05/2000	25cm f/4 Newton	Hove, Belgium
60	4649		eg	Vir	5/05/2000	25cm f/4 Newton	Hove, Belgium
61	4303		sg	Vir	17/05/2002	25cm f/4 Newton	Hove, Belgium
62	6266		gc	Oph	17/05/2002	25cm f/4 Newton	Hove, Belgium
63	5055	Sunflower Nebula	sg	CVn	5/08/1997	114mm f/7,8 Newton	Winterswijk, The Netherlands
64	4826	Black Eye Galaxy	sg	Com	17/05/2002	25cm f/4 Newton	Hove, Belgium
65	3623	Leo Triplet	sg	Leo	apr/1997	20cm f/5.6 Dobson	Hove, Belgium
66	3627	Leo Triplet	sg	Leo	apr/1997	20cm f/5.6 Dobson	Hove, Belgium
67	2682		oc	Cnc	apr/2002	Celestron C11	Hove, Belgium
68	4590		gc	Hya	17/05/2002	Celestron C11	Hove, Belgium
69	6637		gc	Sgr	13/08/2002	Meade LXD55 8"	Bergeijck, The Netherlands
70	6681		gc	Sgr	13/08/2002	Meade LXD55 8"	Bergeijck, The Netherlands
71	6838		gc	Sge	5/08/1997	114mm f/7,8 Newton	Winterswijk, The Netherlands
72	6981		gc	Aqr	6/08/1997	20cm f/6 Dobson	Winterswijk, The Netherlands
73	6994		s4	Aqr	6/08/1997	20cm f/6 Dobson	Winterswijk, The Netherlands
74	628		sg	Psc	18/08/1998	20cm f/6 Dobson	Buurse, The Netherlands
75	6864		gc	Sgr	7/05/2002	11X80	Bergeijck, The Netherlands
76	650	Little Dumbell	pn	Per	6/08/1997	20cm f/6 Dobson	Winterswijk, The Netherlands
77	1068		sg	Cet	18/08/1998	20cm f/6 Dobson	Buurse, The Netherlands
78	2068		gn	Ori	1/11/2002	Celestron C11	Hove, Belgium
79	1094		gc	Lup	<08/1994	Greenkat 10X50	Boechout, Belgium
80	6093		gc	Sco	18/07/1998	10cm f/10 Vixen Achromat	Hove, Belgium
81	3031	Bode's Galaxy	sg	UMa	apr/1997	20cm f/5.6 Dobson	Hove, Belgium
82	3034	Cigar Galaxy	ig	UMa	apr/1997	20cm f/5.6 Dobson	Hove, Belgium
83	5236		sg	Hya	17/05/2002	Celestron C11	Hove, Belgium
84	4374		eg	Vir	17/05/2002	25cm f/4 Newton	Hove, Belgium
85	4382		eg	Com	17/05/2002	25cm f/4 Newton	Hove, Belgium
86	4406		eg	Vir	17/05/2002	25cm f/4 Newton	Hove, Belgium
87	4486		eg	Vir	17/05/2002	25cm f/4 Newton	Hove, Belgium
88	4501		sg	Com	5/05/2000	25cm f/4 Newton	Hove, Belgium
89	4552		eg	Vir	5/05/2000	25cm f/4 Newton	Hove, Belgium
90	4569		sg	Vir	5/05/2000	25cm f/4 Newton	Hove, Belgium
91	4548		bg	Com	5/05/2000	25cm f/4 Newton	Hove, Belgium
92	6341		gc	Her	aug/1996	20cm f/6 Dobson	Dwingeloo, The Netherlands
93	2447		oc	Pup	apr/2002	Celestron C11	Hove, Belgium
94	4736		sg	CVn	5/08/1997	114mm f/7,8 Newton	Winterswijk, The Netherlands
95	3351		bg	Leo	feb/2000	25cm f/4 Newton	Hove, Belgium
96	3368		sg	Leo	feb/2000	25cm f/4 Newton	Hove, Belgium
97	3587	Owl Nebula	pn	UMa	6/08/1997	20cm f/6 Dobson	Winterswijk, The Netherlands
98	4192		sg	Com	7/05/2002	25cm f/4 Newton	Hove, Belgium
99	4254		sg	Com	17/05/2002	25cm f/4 Newton	Hove, Belgium
100	4321		sg	Com	17/05/2002	25cm f/4 Newton	Hove, Belgium
101	5457		sg	UMa	6/08/1997	20cm f/6 Dobson	Winterswijk, The Netherlands
102	5866	alternative M102	eg	Dra	2/06/2000	114mm f/7,8 Newton	Boechout, Belgium
103	581		oc	Cas	4/08/1997	114mm f/7,8 Newton	Winterswijk, The Netherlands
104	4594	Sombrero Galaxy	sg	Vir	5/05/2000	25cm f/4 Newton	Hove, Belgium
105	3379		eg	Leo	feb/2000	25cm f/4 Newton	Hove, Belgium
106	4258		sg	CVn	5/08/1997	114mm f/7,8 Newton	Winterswijk, The Netherlands
107	6171		gc	Oph	17/05/2002	Celestron C11	Hove, Belgium
108	3556		sg	UMa	8/08/1997	20cm f/6 Dobson	Winterswijk, The Netherlands
109	3992		bg	UMa	6/08/1997	20cm f/6 Dobson	Winterswijk, The Netherlands
110	205		eg	And	aug/1996	20cm f/6 Dobson	Dwingeloo, The Netherlands