But Messier included several other objects that are easy to distinguish — M7 (Ptolemy’s Cluster), M44 (the Beehive Cluster), and that double star M40, to name a few.

With help from Messier's contemporaries, the list grew into a veritable treasure trove of celestial treats for amateur astronomers. All of them are observable with backyard telescopes and ...

Messier Marathons happen in early spring every year and are usually planned around a new moon, when it's possible to observe all 110 sky features — called Messier objects — in a single night.