Astronomical Objects Series
- Guide to the Constellations and Mythology
- What are Asteroids, Meteors and Comets?
- Binary Stars and Double Stars
- Variable Stars
- Supernova and Supernovae
- Types of Nebula and Nebulae
- What Is a Black Hole? Black Holes Explained - From Birth to Death
- Quasars
- Pulsars
- Gamma Ray Bursts
- Kuiper Belt
- What is an Exoplanet?
- Galaxy Types and Galaxy Formation
- The Messier Catalogue
- The Caldwell Catalogue
- 25 Stunning Sights Every Astronomer Should See
The idea of the Caldwell Catalogue came to me one night after I had been observing the Moon (my own subject) and had looked casually at the Perseus Sword-Handle. This has no Messier number. (Messier catalogued nebulae as 'objects to avoid' during his comet searches, and in any case limited himself to the northern part of the sky.) There are many Messier clubs. Why not draw up a catalogue of bright nebular objects omitted by Messier? I did so - and more or less on the spur of the moment, sent it off to Sky and Telescope. To my surprise, it caught on, and by now everyone seems to use the Caldwell numbers. I could not use M numbers because Messier and Moore begin with M - but my proper name is hyphenated (Caldwell-Moore), so I used C. All the Caldwell Catalogue objects are within range of modest equipment. They are arranged in declinations, so that to survey them all means some travel - but that is not a problem nowadays. Sir Patrick Caldwell-Moore
Patrick More and his 12.5" Newtonian Reflector
The Patrick Moore Collection
The New General Catalogue (NGC) is the most well-known catalogue of deep sky objects in amateur astronomy. It contains nearly 8,000 objects, known as the NGC objects. The NGC is one of the largest comprehensive catalogues, as it includes all types of deep sky objects (not specialised to just galaxies for instance). The catalogue was compiled in the 1880s by J. L. E. Dreyer using observations mostly from William Herschel, and then subsequently expanded with two Index Catalogues (IC I & IC II), adding nearly 5,000 objects.
Here is a list of the full 109 Objects in the Caldwell Catalogue and some details about them. It was compiled using information mainly from the Caldwell List Club and from Wikipedia.
You may also wish to look at the Messier Catalogue.
You can also view my gallery of Deep Space Objects.
Caldwell Catalogue Objects
| # | Common Name | Const. | Loc | Mag | Month | Size (arc min) | Type | NGC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cepheus | 00h 44.4mRA +85° 20mDEC | 8 | November | 14 | Open Cluster | 188 | |
| 2 | Bow-Tie Nebula | Cepheus | 00h 13.0mRA +72° 32mDEC | 12 | November | 0.6 | Planetary Nebula | 40 |
| 3 | Draco | 12h 16.7mRA +69° 28mDEC | 9 | May | 19 x 7 | Spiral Galaxy | 4236 | |
| 4 | Reflection Nebula | Cepheus | 21h 01.8mRA +68° 12mDEC | 0 | November | 18 x 18 | Bright Nebula | 7023 |
| 5 | Camelopardalis | 03h 46.8mRA +68° 06mDEC | 9 | February | 18 x 17 | Spiral Galaxy | 0 | |
| 6 | Cats Eye Nebula | Draco | 17h 58.6mRA +66° 38mDEC | 8 | May | 0.3/5.8 | Planetary Nebula | 6543 |
| 7 | Camelopardalis | 07h 36.9mRA +65° 36mDEC | 8 | February | 18 x 10 | Spiral Galaxy | 2403 | |
| 8 | Cassiopeia | 01h 29.5mRA +63° 18mDEC | 9 | January | 4 | Open Cluster | 559 | |
| 9 | Cave Nebula | Cepheus | 22h 56.8mRA +62° 37mDEC | 0 | November | 50 x 10 | Bright Nebula | 0 |
| 10 | Cassiopeia | 01h 46.0mRA +61° 15mDEC | 7 | January | 16 | Open Cluster | 663 | |
| 11 | The Bubble Nebula | Cassiopeia | 23h 20.7mRA +61° 12mDEC | 0 | January | 15 x 8 | Bright Nebula | 7635 |
| 12 | Fireworks Galaxy | Cepheus | 20h 34.8mRA +60° 09mDEC | 8 | November | 11 x 10 | Spiral Galaxy | 6946 |
| 13 | Phi Cas Cluster | Cassiopeia | 01h 19.1mRA +58° 20mDEC | 6 | January | 13 | Open Cluster | 457 |
| 14 | Sword Handle | Perseus | 02h 20.0mRA +57° 08mDEC | 4 | January | 30x30 | Open Cluster | 884 |
| 15 | Blinking Eye Nebula | Cygnus | 19h 44.8mRA +50° 31mDEC | 8 | December | 0.5/2.3 | Planetary Nebula | 6826 |
| 16 | Lacerta | 22h 15.3mRA +49° 53mDEC | 6 | October | 21 | Open Cluster | 7243 | |
| 17 | Cassiopeia | 00h 33.2mRA +48° 30mDEC | 9 | January | 13 x 8 | Elliptical Galaxy | 147 | |
| 18 | Cassiopeia | 00h 39.0mRA +48° 20mDEC | 9 | January | 12 x 10 | Elliptical Galaxy | 185 | |
| 19 | Cocoon Nebula | Cygnus | 21h 53.5mRA +47° 16mDEC | 7 | December | 12 x 12 | Bright Nebula | 0 |
| 20 | Nort American Nebula | Cygnus | 20h 58.8mRA +44° 20mDEC | 0 | December | 120 x 100 | Bright Nebula | 7000 |
| 21 | Cains Venactici | 12h 28.2mRA +44° 06mDEC | 9 | May | 5 x 4 | Irregular Galaxy | 4449 | |
| 22 | Andromeda | 23h 25.9mRA +42° 33mDEC | 8 | December | 0.3/2.2 | Planetary Nebula | 7662 | |
| 23 | Andromeda | 02h 22.6mRA +42° 21mDEC | 9 | December | 14 x 3 | Spiral Galaxy | 891 | |
| 24 | Per A radio source | Perseus | 03h 19.8mRA +41° 31mDEC | 11 | January | 2.6 x 2 | Irregular Galaxy | 1275 |
| 25 | Lynx | 07h 38.1mRA +38° 53mDEC | 10 | February | 4.1 | Globular Cluster | 2419 | |
| 26 | Cains Venactici | 12h 17.5mRA +37° 49mDEC | 10 | May | 16 x 2.5 | Spiral Galaxy | 4244 | |
| 27 | Crescent Nebula | Cygnus | 20h 12.0mRA +38° 21mDEC | 0 | December | 20 x 10 | Bright Nebula | 6888 |
| 28 | Andromeda | 01h 57.8mRA +37° 41mDEC | 5 | December | 50 | Open Cluster | 752 | |
| 29 | Cains Venactici | 13h 10.9mRA +37° 03mDEC | 9 | May | 5.4 x 2 | Spiral Galaxy | 5005 | |
| 30 | Pegasus | 22h 37.1mRA +34° 25mDEC | 9 | December | 11 x 4 | Spiral Galaxy | 7331 | |
| 31 | Flaming Star Nebula | Auriga | 05h 16.2mRA +34° 16mDEC | 0 | February | 30 x 19 | Bright Nebula | 0 |
| 32 | Cains Venactici | 12h 42.1mRA +32° 32mDEC | 9 | May | 15 x 3 | Spiral Galaxy | 4631 | |
| 33 | East Veil Nebula | Cygnus | 20h 56.4mRA +31° 43mDEC | 0 | December | 60 x 8 | Supernova Remnant | 6992 |
| 34 | West Veil Nebula | Cygnus | 20h 45.7mRA +30° 43mDEC | 0 | December | 70 x 6 | Supernova Remnant | 6960 |
| 35 | Brightest in cluster | Coma Berenices | 13h 00.1mRA +27° 59mDEC | 11 | June | 3 x 2 | Elliptical Galaxy | 4889 |
| 36 | Coma Berenices | 12h 36.0mRA +27° 58mDEC | 9 | June | 10 x 5 | Spiral Galaxy | 4559 | |
| 37 | Vulpecula | 20h 12.0mRA +26° 29mDEC | 5 | November | 7 | Open Cluster | 6885 | |
| 38 | Coma Berenices | 12h 36.3mRA +25° 59mDEC | 9 | June | 16 x 3 | Spiral Galaxy | 4565 | |
| 39 | Eskimo Nebula | Gemini | 07h 29.2mRA +20° 55mDEC | 9 | February | 0.2/0.7 | Planetary Nebula | 2392 |
| 40 | Leo | 11h 20.1mRA +18° 21mDEC | 10 | April | 3 x 2 | Spiral Galaxy | 3626 | |
| 41 | Hyades | Taurus | 04h 27mRA +16° 00mDEC | 0 | February | 330 | Open Cluster | 0 |
| 42 | Very distant globular | Delphinus | 21h 01.5mRA +16° 11mDEC | 10 | September | 2.8 | Globular Cluster | 7006 |
| 43 | Pegasus | 00h 03.3mRA +16° 09mDEC | 10 | December | 6 x 2 | Spiral Galaxy | 7814 | |
| 44 | Pegasus | 23h 04.9mRA +12° 19mDEC | 11 | December | 4 x 3 | Spiral Galaxy | 7479 | |
| 45 | Bootes | 13h 37.5mRA +08° 53mDEC | 10 | May | 6 x 4 | Spiral Galaxy | 5248 | |
| 46 | Hubbles Variable Nebula | Monoceros | 06h 39.2mRA +08° 44mDEC | 0 | February | 2 x 1 | Bright Nebula | 2261 |
| 47 | Delphinus | 20h 34.2mRA +07° 24mDEC | 8 | September | 5.9 | Globular Cluster | 6934 | |
| 48 | Cancer | 09h 10.3mRA +07° 02mDEC | 10 | April | 4.5 x 3 | Spiral Galaxy | 2775 | |
| 49 | Rosette Nebula | Monoceros | 06h 32.3mRA +05° 03mDEC | 0 | February | 80 x 60 | Bright Nebula | 2237 |
| 50 | Monoceros | 06h 32.4mRA +04° 52mDEC | 4 | February | 24 | Open Cluster | 2244 | |
| 51 | Cetus | 01h 04.8mRA +02° 07mDEC | 9 | November | 12 x 11 | Irregular Galaxy | 0 | |
| 52 | Virgo | 12h 48.6mRA -05° 48mDEC | 9 | May | 6 x 4 | Elliptical Galaxy | 4697 | |
| 53 | Spindle Galaxy | Sextans | 10h 05.2mRA -07° 43mDEC | 9 | Southern Hemisphere | 8 x 3 | Elliptical Galaxy | 3115 |
| 54 | Monoceros | 08h 00.2mRA -10° 47mDEC | 7 | February | 7 | Open Cluster | 2506 | |
| 55 | Saturn Nebula | Aquarius | 21h 04.2mRA -11° 22mDEC | 8 | November | 0.4/1.6 | Planetary Nebula | 7009 |
| 56 | Cetus | 00h 47.0mRA -11° 53mDEC | 10 | November | 3.8 | Planetary Nebula | 246 | |
| 57 | Barnards Galaxy | Sagittarius | 19h 44.9mRA -14° 48mDEC | 8 | October | 10 x 9 | Irregular Galaxy | 6822 |
| 58 | Canis Major | 07h 17.8mRA -15° 37mDEC | 7 | March | 13 | Open Cluster | 2360 | |
| 59 | Ghost of Jupiter | Hydra | 10h 24.8mRA -18° 38mDEC | 7 | July | 0.3/21 | Planetary Nebula | 3242 |
| 60 | The Antennae | Corvus | 12h 01.9mRA -18° 52mDEC | 10 | May | 2.6 x 2 | Spiral Galaxy | 4038 |
| 61 | The Antennae | Corvus | 12h 01.9mRA -18° 53mDEC | 10 | May | 3 x 2 | Spiral Galaxy | 4039 |
| 62 | Cetus | 00h 47.1mRA -20° 46mDEC | 9 | November | 20 x 7 | Spiral Galaxy | 247 | |
| 63 | Helix Nebula | Aquarius | 22h 29.6mRA -20° 48mDEC | 7 | November | 13 | Planetary Nebula | 7293 |
| 64 | Tau CMa Cluster | Canis Major | 07h 18.8mRA -24° 57mDEC | 4 | March | 8 | Open Cluster | 2362 |
| 65 | Sculptor Galaxy | Sculptor | 00h 47.6mRA -25° 17mDEC | 7 | Southern Hemisphere | 25 x 7 | Spiral Galaxy | 253 |
| 66 | Hydra | 14h 39.6mRA -26° 32mDEC | 10 | July | 3.6 | Globular Cluster | 5694 | |
| 67 | Fornax | 02h 46.3mRA -30° 17mDEC | 9 | Southern Hemisphere | 9 x 7 | Spiral Galaxy | 1097 | |
| 68 | R CrA Nebula | Corona Austrina | 19h 01.9mRA -36° 57mDEC | 0 | Southern Hemisphere | 1 | Bright Nebula | 6729 |
| 69 | Bug Nebula | Scorpius | 17h 13.7mRA -37° 06mDEC | 9 | July | 0.8 | Planetary Nebula | 6302 |
| 70 | Sculptor | 00h 54.9mRA -37° 41mDEC | 8 | Southern Hemisphere | 20 x 13 | Spiral Galaxy | 300 | |
| 71 | Puppis | 07h 44.6mRA -23° 52mDEC | 6 | March | 22 | Open Cluster | 2447 | |
| 71 | Puppis | 07h 44.6mRA -23° 52mDEC | 6 | March | 22 | Open Cluster | 2447 | |
| 72 | Brightest in Scl Cluster | Sculptor | 00h 14.9mRA -39° 11mDEC | 7 | Southern Hemisphere | 32 x 6 | Spiral Galaxy | 55 |
| 73 | Columba | 05h 14.1mRA -40° 03mDEC | 7 | Southern Hemisphere | 11 | Globular Cluster | 1851 | |
| 74 | Vela | 10h 07.7mRA -40° 26mDEC | 9 | Southern Hemisphere | 0.8 | Planetary Nebula | 3132 | |
| 75 | Scorpius | 16h 25.6mRA -40° 40mDEC | 5 | July | 29 | Open Cluster | 6124 | |
| 76 | Scorpius | 16h 54.0mRA -41° 48mDEC | 2 | July | 15 | Open Cluster | 6231 | |
| 77 | Cen A radio source | Centaurus | 13h 25.5mRA -43° 01mDEC | 7 | Southern Hemisphere | 18 x 14 | Elliptical Galaxy | 5128 |
| 78 | Corona Austrina | 18h 08.0mRA -43° 42mDEC | 6 | Southern Hemisphere | 13 | Globular Cluster | 6541 | |
| 79 | Vela | 10h 17.6mRA -46° 25mDEC | 6 | Southern Hemisphere | 18 | Globular Cluster | 3201 | |
| 80 | Omega Centauri | Centaurus | 13h 26.8mRA -47° 29mDEC | 3 | Southern Hemisphere | 36 | Globular Cluster | 5139 |
| 81 | Ara | 17h 25.5mRA -48° 25mDEC | 8 | Southern Hemisphere | 7 | Globular Cluster | 6352 | |
| 82 | Ara | 16h 41.3mRA -48° 46mDEC | 5 | Southern Hemisphere | 15 | Open Cluster | 6193 | |
| 83 | Centaurus | 13h 05.4mRA -49° 28mDEC | 8 | Southern Hemisphere | 20 x 4 | Spiral Galaxy | 4945 | |
| 84 | Centaurus | 13h 46.4mRA -51° 22mDEC | 7 | Southern Hemisphere | 9 | Globular Cluster | 5286 | |
| 85 | o (Omicron) Vel Cluster | Vela | 08h 40.2mRA -53° 04mDEC | 2 | Southern Hemisphere | 50 | Open Cluster | 0 |
| 86 | Ara | 17h 40.7mRA -53° 40mDEC | 5 | Southern Hemisphere | 26 | Globular Cluster | 6397 | |
| 87 | Horologium | 03h 12.3mRA -55° 13mDEC | 8 | Southern Hemisphere | 7 | Globular Cluster | 1261 | |
| 88 | Circinus | 15h 05.7mRA -55° 36mDEC | 7 | Southern Hemisphere | 10 | Open Cluster | 5823 | |
| 89 | S Nor Cluster | Norma | 16h 18.9mRA -57° 54mDEC | 5 | Southern Hemisphere | 12 | Open Cluster | 6087 |
| 90 | Carina | 09h 21.4mRA -58° 19mDEC | 0 | Southern Hemisphere | 0.2 | Planetary Nebula | 2867 | |
| 91 | Carina | 11h 06.4mRA -58° 40mDEC | 3 | Southern Hemisphere | 55 | Open Cluster | 3532 | |
| 92 | Eta Carinae Nebula | Carina | 10h 43.8mRA -59° 52mDEC | 0 | Southern Hemisphere | 120 x 120 | Bright Nebula | 3372 |
| 93 | Pavo | 19h 10.9mRA -59° 59mDEC | 5 | Southern Hemisphere | 20 | Globular Cluster | 6752 | |
| 94 | Jewel Box Cluster | Crux | 12h 53.6mRA -60° 20mDEC | 4 | May | 10 | Open Cluster | 4755 |
| 95 | Triangulum Australe | 16h 03.7mRA -60° 30mDEC | 5 | Southern Hemisphere | 12 | Open Cluster | 6025 | |
| 96 | Carina | 07h 58.3mRA -60° 52mDEC | 3 | Southern Hemisphere | 30 | Open Cluster | 2516 | |
| 97 | Centaurus | 11h 36.1mRA -61° 37mDEC | 5 | Southern Hemisphere | 12 | Open Cluster | 3766 | |
| 98 | Crux | 12h 42.3mRA -62° 58mDEC | 6 | May | 5 | Open Cluster | 4609 | |
| 99 | Coal Sack | Crux | 12h 53mRA -63° 00mDEC | 0 | May | 400 x 300 | Dark Nebula | 0 |
| 100 | Lambda Cen Cluster | Centaurus | 11h 36.6mRA -63° 02mDEC | 4 | Southern Hemisphere | 15 | Open Cluster | 0 |
| 101 | Pavo | 19h 09.8mRA -63° 51mDEC | 8 | Southern Hemisphere | 16 x 10 | Spiral Galaxy | 6744 | |
| 102 | ° (Theta) Car Cluster | Carina | 10h 43.2mRA -64° 24mDEC | 1 | Southern Hemisphere | 50 | Open Cluster | 0 |
| 103 | Tarantula Neb. in LMC | Dorado | 05h 38.7mRA -69° 06mDEC | 0 | Southern Hemisphere | 40 x 25 | Bright Nebula | 2070 |
| 104 | Tucana | 01h 03.2mRA -70° 51mDEC | 6 | Southern Hemisphere | 13 | Globular Cluster | 362 | |
| 105 | Musca | 12h 59.6mRA -70° 53mDEC | 7 | Southern Hemisphere | 14 | Globular Cluster | 4833 | |
| 106 | 47 Tucanae | Tucana | 00h 24.1mRA -72° 05mDEC | 4 | Southern Hemisphere | 31 | Globular Cluster | 104 |
| 107 | Apus | 16h 25.8mRA -72° 12mDEC | 9 | Southern Hemisphere | 11 | Globular Cluster | 6101 | |
| 108 | Musca | 12h 25.8mRA -72° 40mDEC | 7 | Southern Hemisphere | 19 | Globular Cluster | 4372 | |
| 109 | Chamaeleon | 10h 09.5mRA -80° 52mDEC | 0 | Southern Hemisphere | 0.6 | Planetary Nebula | 3195 |
Tutorial Series
This post is part of the series Astronomical Objects. Use the links below to advance to the next tutorial in the couse, or go back and see the previous in the tutorial series.
