French astronomer Charles Messier did not intend to be remembered for his discoveries of galaxies, nebulae, and stars ...

Each spring, amateur astronomers attempt the ultimate stargazing challenge—an overnight quest to spot every galaxy, nebula, ...

Charles Messier was a French comet-hunter who occasionally spied objects masquerading as comets due to their fuzzy appearance through his small scope. But they didn’t move against the starry ...

Spread the loveThe Messier Marathon is an exhilarating challenge for amateur astronomers and stargazers alike, offering a rare opportunity to observe all 109 Messier objects in a single night. This ...

Planning to run this year’s Messier marathon? March 14/15 and 21/22 are the best nights to give it a go. Your ideal order ...

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - “When I was a kid, my cousin showed me Saturn from a telescope when I was young and that got me hooked.” Tom Weber, the President of the Cedar Amateur Astronomers recalled.

Back in the late 18th and early 19th centuries — long before anyone had any real idea of all that lay out there among the stars — a French astronomer spent his nights scouring the sky for his prey.

The article critiques the common recommendation of starting amateur astronomy with the Messier catalog, arguing that many Messier objects are low surface brightness and difficult for beginners to ...