The French astronomer Charles Messier was born in 1730. He became interested in astronomy during his early teens, and went on to become a professional astronomer. Between 1758 and 1782 he compiled a list of diffuse objects that were difficult to distinguish from comets through the telescopes of the day.

 

Discovering comets was the way to make a name for yourself in astronomy in the 18th century -- Messier's aim was to catalog the objects that were often mistaken for comets. Fortunately for us, the Messier Catalog became well known for a much better reason. It is a comprehensive list of some of the brightest and most beautiful objects in the night sky. The catalog, as it exists today, contains objects discovered by Charles Messier and Pierre Méchain.

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The rules for this program are quite simple: log your observations of 50 or more of the Messier objects. You may use any pair of binoculars you choose. The Messier catalog is listed below for your convenience.