Below, we’ll be tracking the progress of the objects viewed and imaged. Here’s a downloadable Messier Marathon 2025 Checklist that we will update with viewing descriptions during the event. Objects are listed in the order they are most efficiently observed. Based on a sequence devised by Don Macholz. 3/21-22 Update: Viewed/Imaged at the SSC Observatory is indicated by the ✓, for a total of 70 of the 110 objects.
I. Early Evening
| Messier | Constellation | Type | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| ✓M77 | Cetus | Galaxy | Difficult |
| ✓M74 | Pisces | Galaxy | Difficult |
| ✓M33 | Triangulum | Galaxy | Difficult |
| ✓M31 | Andromeda | Galaxy | Easy |
| ✓M32 | Andromeda | Galaxy | Difficult |
| ✓M110 | Andromeda | Galaxy | Difficult |
| ✓M52 | Cassiopeia | Open Cluster | Moderate |
| ✓M103 | Cassiopeia | Open Cluster | Moderate |
| ✓M76 | Perseus | Planetary Nebula | Moderate |
| ✓M34 | Perseus | Open Cluster | Easy |
| ✓M45 | Taurus | Open Cluster | Easy |
| ✓M79 | Lepus | Globular Cluster | Moderate |
| ✓M42 | Orion | Diffuse Nebula | Easy |
| ✓M43 | Orion | Diffuse Nebula | Easy |
| ✓M78 | Orion | Diffuse Nebula | Moderate |
| ✓M1 | Taurus | Supernova Remnant | Difficult |
| ✓M35 | Gemini | Open Cluster | Easy |
| ✓M37 | Auriga | Open Cluster | Moderate |
| ✓M36 | Auriga | Open Cluster | Moderate |
| ✓M38 | Auriga | Open Cluster | Moderate |
| ✓M41 | Canis Major | Open Cluster | Easy |
| ✓M93 | Puppis | Open Cluster | Moderate |
| ✓M47 | Puppis | Open Cluster | Moderate |
| ✓M46 | Puppis | Open Cluster | Moderate |
| ✓M50 | Monoceros | Open Cluster | Moderate |
| ✓M48 | Hydra | Open Cluster | Moderate |
| ✓M44 | Cancer | Open Cluster | Easy |
| ✓M67 | Cancer | Open Cluster | Moderate |
II. Leo and the Big Dipper Region
| Messier | Constellation | Type | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| ✓M95 | Leo | Galaxy | Difficult |
| ✓M96 | Leo | Galaxy | Difficult |
| ✓M105 | Leo | Galaxy | Difficult |
| ✓M65 | Leo | Galaxy | Difficult |
| ✓M66 | Leo | Galaxy | Difficult |
| ✓M81 | Ursa Major | Galaxy | Moderate |
| ✓M82 | Ursa Major | Galaxy | Moderate |
| ✓M97 | Ursa Maj | Planetary Nebula | Difficult |
| ✓M108 | Ursa Major | Galaxy | Difficult |
| ✓M109 | Ursa Major | Galaxy | Difficult |
| ✓M40 | Ursa Major | Double Star | Difficult |
| ✓M106 | Canes Venatici | Galaxy | Moderate |
| ✓M94 | Canes Venatici | Galaxy | Moderate |
| ✓M63 | Canes Venatici | Galaxy | Moderate |
| ✓M51 | Canes Venatici | Galaxy | Moderate |
| ✓M101 | Ursa Major | Galaxy | Moderate |
| ✓M102 | Draco | Galaxy | Difficult |
| ✓M53 | Coma Berenices | Globular Cluster | Moderate |
| ✓M64 | Coma Berenices | Galaxy | Moderate |
| ✓M3 | Canes Venatici | Globular Cluster | Moderate |
| ✓M68 | Hydra | Globular Cluster | Difficult |
| ✓M83 | Hydra | Galaxy | Difficult |
III. Virgo, Coma Berenices Cluster Region
| Messier | Constellation | Type | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| ✓M98 | Coma Berenices | Galaxy | Moderate |
| ✓M99 | Coma Berenices | Galaxy | Moderate |
| ✓M100 | Coma Berenices | Galaxy | Moderate |
| ✓M85 | Coma Berenices | Galaxy | Moderate |
| ✓M84 | Virgo | Galaxy | Moderate |
| ✓M86 | Virgo | Galaxy | Moderate |
| ✓M87 | Virgo | Galaxy | Moderate |
| ✓M89 | Virgo | Galaxy | Difficult |
| ✓M90 | Virgo | Galaxy | Difficult |
| ✓M88 | Coma Berenices | Galaxy | Difficult |
| ✓M91 | Coma Berenices | Galaxy | Difficult |
| ✓M58 | Virgo | Galaxy | Moderate |
| ✓M59 | Virgo | Galaxy | Moderate |
| ✓M60 | Virgo | Galaxy | Moderate |
| ✓M49 | Virgo | Galaxy | Moderate |
| ✓M61 | Virgo | Galaxy | Moderate |
| ✓M104 | Virgo | Galaxy | Moderate |
IV. After Midnight
| Messier | Constellation | Type | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| ✓M5 | Serpens | Globular Cluster | Moderate |
| ✓M13 | Hercules | Globular Cluster | Easy |
| ✓M92 | Hercules | Globular Cluster | Moderate |
| __ M57 | Lyra | Planetary Nebula | Moderate |
| __ M56 | Lyra | Globular Cluster | Difficult |
| __ M29 | Cygnus | Open Cluster | Moderate |
| __ M39 | Cygnus | Open Cluster | Moderate |
| __ M27 | Vulpecula | Planetary Nebula | Easy |
| __ M71 | Sagitta | Globular Cluster | Moderate |
| __ M107 | Ophiuchus | Globular Cluster | Moderate |
| __ M12 | Ophiuchus | Globular Cluster | Moderate |
| __ M10 | Ophiuchus | Globular Cluster | Moderate |
| __ M14 | Ophiuchus | Globular Cluster | Moderate |
| __ M9 | Ophiuchus | Globular Cluster | Moderate |
V. Scorpius and Sagittarius Region
| Messier | Constellation | Type | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| __ M4 | Scorpius | Globular Cluster | Easy |
| __ M80 | Scorpius | Globular Cluster | Moderate |
| __ M19 | Ophiuchus | Globular Cluster | Moderate |
| __ M62 | Ophiuchus | Globular Cluster | Moderate |
| __ M6 | Scorpius | Open Cluster | Moderate |
| __ M7 | Scorpius | Open Cluster | Easy |
| __ M11 | Scutum | Open Cluster | Easy |
| __ M26 | Scutum | Open Cluster | Difficult |
| __ M16 | Serpens | Diffuse Nebula + Open Cluster | Easy |
| __ M17 | Sagittarius | Diffuse Nebula | Easy |
| __ M18 | Sagittarius | Open Cluster | Easy |
| __ M24 | Sagittarius | Star Cloud | Easy |
| __ M25 | Sagittarius | Open Cluster | Easy |
| __ M23 | Sagittarius | Open Cluster | Easy |
| __ M21 | Sagittarius | Open Cluster | Easy |
| __ M20 | Sagittarius | Diffuse Nebula | Easy |
| __ M8 | Sagittarius | Diffuse Nebula | Easy |
| __ M28 | Sagittarius | Globular Cluster | Easy |
| __ M22 | Sagittarius | Globular Cluster | Easy |
| __ M69 | Sagittarius | Globular Cluster | Difficult |
| __ M70 | Sagittarius | Globular Cluster | Difficult |
| __ M54 | Sagittarius | Globular Cluster | Difficult |
| __ M55 | Sagittarius | Globular Cluster | Difficult |
| __ M75 | Sagittarius | Globular Cluster | Difficult |
VI. Early Dawn
| Messier | Constellation | Type | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| __ M15 | Pegasus | Globular Cluster | Difficult |
| __ M2 | Aquarius | Globular Cluster | Difficult |
| __ M72 | Aquarius | Globular Cluster | Difficult |
| __ M73 | Aquarius | Open Cluster | Difficult |
| __ M30 | Capricornus | Globular Cluster | Difficult |