Charles+Messier

By: Paul Golden
 * Charles Messier (1730-1817)[[image:http://www.saburchill.com/HOS/astronomy/images/121105002.jpg width="174" height="189" caption="Charles Messier. http://www.saburchill.com/HOS/astronomy/images/121105002.jpg"]] **

Charles Messier (1730-1817) was born in Badonviller, France on June 26, 1730. He was the tenth of twelve children to his father Nicholas Messier (1682-1741) and mother Francoise b. Grandblaise (d. 1765). (1) Most people believed that Messier lived a humble life from his beginnings but in fact he lived quite a privileged life. His father, Nicholas Messier served in the administration of the Princes of Salm, including services in court, and resided in a beautiful home in Badonviller. In 1741, the Messier family suffered a great loss when their father suddenly lost his life. Charles’ older brother, Hyacinthe, became the head of the household after the death of the father. At the time of the father’s death Hyacinthe was only twenty four years old. While Hyacinthe was head of the household, Charles suffered some serious injuries that would later influence his life and his career. While playing around the Messier house, Charles fell out a window and crashed to the ground, breaking his leg in the thigh area. Because of his injury, Messier was taken out of school and Hyacinthe took care of his education while the two were at home. While being educated under Hyacinthe, Messier developed a sense for observing and a feeling for the finer details around him which would later benefit him as an astronomer. (1) By the time Charles became a teenager his interest in astronomy was becoming evident. His interest was piqued when he saw a six tailed comet fly across the night sky at the age of 14. (1) On July 25, 1748 Messier witnessed a solar eclipse in his hometown which also heightened his interest in studying the night sky. (1) By the age of twenty one, Messier had taken a job in Paris alongside the astronomer of the Navy. (1) In 1759, Messier became the Chief Astronomer of the Marine Observatory in France. (2) Messier is not only associated with the discovery of comets but also with the discovery of many other objects in the night sky. He discovered many objects in the sky that scientists today continue to study, including the Crab Nebula. His culminating work is documented in the Messier Catalogue. The catalogue includes the locations and descriptions of one hundred and ten of the brightest deep sky objects in the universe. (2) Throughout his lifetime, Messier is credited with the discovery of fifteen comets. (2.) Messier discontinued his search for new objects in the sky when he suffered a debilitating stroke in 1815. He died two years later on April 12, 1817 at the age of 86. (2)
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The Crab Nebula, or M1, was discovered long before Charles Messier was even born. Its discovery is credited to Chinese astronomers of the eleventh century. The Crab Nebula was thought to be a “guest star” among others in the night sky but in fact it was the remnant of a supernova. (3) It was not until 1731, when British astronomer John Bevis discovered the nebula on his own and determined that it was ultimately the remnant of a supernova. (3) Up until 1731 the Crab Nebula was believed to be another star in the sky that simply shined brighter than all the others. While searching for Halley’s Comet in 1758, Charles Messier found the Crab Nebula on his own by mistake. His discovery of the Crab Nebula came on August 28, 1758 and he initially thought the object was a comet but instead determined that it was not a comet due to the lack of comet characteristics it contained. (3) Messier’s superior, Joseph Nicholas Delisle, would not allow Messier to announce his findings because it proved that Delisle’s calculations in tracking comet Halley were incorrect. Messier was hoping to intercept the track of comet Halley and prove that Delisle’s calculations were correct but instead he found the Crab Nebula. (3) Denying Messier the opportunity to announce his findings led him to create his most famous work, Charles Messier’s Catalogue of Nebulae and Star Clusters. (3) The catalogue was intended to keep astronomers aware of the objects in the night sky that were not comets. He is credited with finding more than one hundred objects in the sky that were not comets or stars.
 * __ Crab Nebula: __**

Originally, Messier’s catalogue was meant to keep astronomers from making mistakes while tracking or discovering comets. Many astronomers made names for themselves in the eighteenth century if they were able to discover a comet, Messier wanted to prevent astronomers from making mistakes and declaring objects comets when in fact they were not comets at all. (4) Today, Messier’s catalogue is known more for its recognition of some of the most awe inspiring objects in the night sky rather than keeping astronomers informed on which objects are not comets. Some of the most beautiful objects in the night sky are catalogued in Messier’s work and are now found routinely thanks to Messier’s work in the late eighteenth century. (4) Messier published his catalogue in three steps. The first step was published in 1774 and included objects one through forty five in the catalogue. After more searching and discovering, Messier published a second version in 1780 that covered all objects up to M68. His final publication of the catalogue came in 1781 and included all the objects up to M103. After the catalogue was published he included an introduction and a list of failed object observations, which were objects that other astronomers reported but he failed to find. (5)
 * __ Charles Messier’s Catalogue of Nebulae and Star Clusters: __**

Charles Messier’s contribution to astronomy has continued to have an effect on astronomers today. His influence on observing the night sky has caused many to become astronomers in search of new and awe inspiring objects. Messier's profound influence has had a lasting effect on the world of astronomy and will continue to do so as long as there is an interest in the area. media type="youtube" key="2sClZEWhPBg" height="385" width="640"


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