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TIMELINE OF CHARLES MESSIER
This timeline summarizes the most important events in the life of Charles Messier, especially of
his astronomical activities:
- 1730- (June 26) Charles Messier was born in Badonvillier, Lorraine, France; 10th of 12
children;
- 1741-Father of Messier dies;
- 1744 - The young Messier observes a great comet (from Lorraine still);
- 1748 - (July 25) An annular solar eclipse is visible from France, and observed by the young
Messier;
- 1751 - The 21 year old Charles Messier goes to Paris and gets employed by Nicholas Delisle;
gets advised to astronomical observing and recording;
- 1754 - Regular appointment as Depot clerk of the Navy;
- 1757 - Messier begins his search for comet Halley. First observation of M32;
- 1758 - Messier makes his first comet observations, and independently discovers M1, the Crab
Nebula (August 28, measured September 12). Comet Halley is rediscovered by Johann Georg
Palitzsch (December 25);
- 1759 -Messier independently discovers and observes comet Halley (1759 I);
- 1760 -Messier discovers Comet 1759 II Messier (January 26) and co-discovers the Comet
1759 III, known as the Great Comet of 1760 (January 8). Delisle retires, Messier continues
observing. Independently discovers the globular star cluster M2 (previously recorded by
Maraldi);
- 1761 - Observation of a Venus transit;
- 1763 - Discovery of Comet 1763 Messier (September 28). Messier was almost elected to the
Academy of Sciences;
- 1764 - Discovery of Comet 1764 Messier (January 3). His first own deep sky discovery of
globular cluster M3, cataloged on May 3, probably causes him to undertake a systematical
search for nebulous objects, leading to the observation and recording of the objects M3 M40
many of which were own discoveries, but several from old catalogs. Messier was made a
member of the Royal Society of London;
- 1765 - M41 recorded (January 16);
- 1766 - Messier discovers 1766 I Messier (March 8), co-discovers 1766 II Helfenzrieder (April
8);
- 1769 - March 4: M42 M45 added to the catalog; first version finished. Messier discovers
Comet 1769 Messier (August 8);
- 1770 -Messier discovers Comet 1770 I Lexell (June 14, named after its orbit calculator).
Elected to the Academy of Sciences;
- 1771 - Co-discovered Comet 1770 II, called Great Comet (January 10), discovered Comet
1771 Messier (April 1). First catalog published (list of 45). Shortly after publication, M46
M49 M62;
- 1773 -M110 discovered but not cataloged, Comet 1773 Messier (October 13);
- 1774 - M51 M52 introduced to Pierre Mechain;
- 1777 - M53 Messier reports "specks" crossing the sun;
- 1779 -Messier co-discovers Comet 1779 Bode (January 19). M56 M63;
- 1780 - M64 M79. Second version of the catalog published (up to M68, with M69 and M70
described independently in the same volume of "Connaissance des Temps" for 1783). Messier
discovers Comet 1780 I Messier (October 27);
- 1781 - A very eventful year for Charles Messier. At the beginning of this year, he cataloged
M80 M100, and added Mechain's objects M101 M103 without personal validation, to get his
list ready for its final publication in "Connaissance des Temps" for 1784. He added M104
very shortly after publication (May 11), and probably also positions for the hitherto
undetermined objects M102 and M103, as well as those nebulae mentioned M97 (now M108
and M109). Mechain discovered M105 (March) and M106 (July). Herschel discovered
Uranus on March 13, Messier got the note in April and observed it since. Accidental fall into
the ice cellar on November 6;
- 1782 - April: The last Messier object, M107, is discovered by Pierre Mechain. September 7:
Herschel begins his deep-sky survey, stimulated by Messier's catalog. November 9: Messier
recovers from his accident. November 12: observes Mercury transit;
- 1785 - Messier discovers Comet 1785 I Messier-Mechain (January 7);
- 1786 - Herschel's first catalog of 1,000 "nebulous objects" published 1788 Messier discovers
Comet 1788 I Messier (November 26);
- 1789 - The French Revolution begins with the "Storming of the Bastille";
- 1793 - Comet 1793 I Messier (September 27). "Year of Terror" in France;
- 1798 - Comet 1798 I Messier (April 12). Messier's wife dies;
- 1801 - First asteroid (Ceres) discovered. Messier co-discovers Comet 1801 Pons (July 12);
- 1817- (April 11-12) In this night, Charles Messier passed away in his 87th year, in his home
in Paris.
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