The Big Foto

1 Messier 12 or M2 (also designated NGC 6218) is a globular cluster in the constellation of Ophiuchus. It was discovered by Charles Messier on May 30, 1764. Credit: Michael Gariepy/Adam Block/NOAO/AURA/NSF #

2 Messier 13 or M13 (also designated NGC 6205 and sometimes called the Great Globular Cluster in Hercules or the Hercules Globular Cluster) is a globular cluster in the constellation of Hercules. M13 was discovered by Edmond Halley in 1714, and catalogued by Charles Messier on June 1, 1764. Credit: NASA/STScI/WikiSky #

3 Messier 14 (also known as M14 or NGC 6402) is a globular cluster in the constellation Ophiuchus. It was discovered by Charles Messier in 1764. Credit: Hewholooks #

4 Messier 15 or M15 (also designated NGC 7078) is a globular cluster in the constellation Pegasus. It was discovered by Jean-Dominique Maraldi in 1746 and included in Charles Messier's catalogue of comet-like objects in 1764. At an estimated 13.2 billion years old, it is one of the oldest known globular clusters. Credit: Adam Block/NOAO/AURA/NSF #

5 The Eagle Nebula (catalogued as Messier 16 or M16, and as NGC 6611) is a young open cluster of stars in the constellation Serpens, discovered by Jean-Philippe de Cheseaux in 1745-46. Its name derives from its recognisable shape, which is reminiscent of an eagle. It is the subject of a famous photograph by the Hubble Space Telescope, which shows pillars of star-forming gas within the nebula. Credit: Courtesy of NASA/ESA #

6 The Omega Nebula, also known as the Swan Nebula (catalogued as Messier 17 or M17 and as NGC 6618) is an H II region in the constellation Sagittarius. It was discovered by Philippe Loys de Chéseaux in 1745. Charles Messier catalogued it in 1764. It is located in the rich starfields of the Sagittarius area of the Milky Way. Credit: NASA/ESA/STScI #

7 Messier 18 or M18 (also designated NGC 6613) is an open cluster of stars in the constellation Sagittarius. It was discovered by Charles Messier in 1764 and included in his list of comet-like objects. From the perspective of Earth, M18 is situated between the Omega Nebula (M17) and the Sagittarius Star Cloud (M24). Its age is estimated at 32 million years. Credit: Atlas Image [or Atlas Image mosaic] obtained as part of the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS), a joint project of the University of Massachusetts and the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center/California Institute of Technology, funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Science Foundation. #

8 Messier 19 or M19 (also designated NGC 6273) is a globular cluster in the constellation Ophiuchus. It was discovered by Charles Messier in 1764 and added to his catalogue of comet-like objects that same year. Credit: Doug Williams, REU Program/NOAO/AURA/NSF #

9 The Trifid Nebula (catalogued as Messier 20 or M20 and as NGC 6514) is an H II region located in Sagittarius. Its name means "divided into three lobes". The object is an unusual combination of an open cluster of stars, an emission nebula (the lower, red portion), a reflection nebula (the upper, blue portion) and a dark nebula (the apparent 'gaps' within the emission nebula that cause the trifid appearance; these are also designated Barnard 85). Viewed through a small telescope, the Trifid Nebula is a bright and colorful object, and is thus a perennial favorite of amateur astronomers. Credit: Courtesy Hunter Wilson #

10 Messier 21 or M21 (also designated NGC 6531) is an open cluster of stars in the constellation of Sagittarius. It was discovered and catalogued by Charles Messier on June 5, 1764. Credit: REU program/NOAO/AURA/NSF #

11 Messier 22 (also known as M22 or NGC 6656) is an elliptical globular cluster in the constellation Sagittarius near the Galactic bulge region. It is one of the brightest globulars that is visible in the night sky. Credit: N.A.Sharp, REU program/NOAO/AURA/NSF #