The Cosmic Captures Messier Project

In the 18th century, Charles Messier created a list of objects that kept getting in the way of his comet hunting — faint, fuzzy patches in the sky that turned out not to be comets at all. Over time, that practical working list became one of the most popular guides to the deep sky.

This project is my personal journey through that catalogue, capturing all 110 Messier objects one by one using smart telescopes. Instead of waiting for perfect conditions or building complex setups, I wanted to see what is realistically possible with simple, accessible equipment under real skies.

Working through the list forces me to learn the sky more deeply, adapt to changing seasons and conditions, and understand how to image and process very different types of deep-sky objects.

At the same time, I hope this growing catalogue becomes a practical reference and inspiration for others who want to explore the night sky themselves with smart telescopes.

Current progress: 56 of 110 objects captured — and counting.

Join the Journey on Patreon

If you’d like to follow along more closely — or build your own catalogue alongside mine — you can join me in The Cosmic Kitchen on Patreon.

There, I share the tools used in this project, including the Messier list, the Messier sky map and a Canva poster template. Patrons also get to see the catalogue grow in real time as new objects are added and challenges are worked through along the way.

If this project inspires you to explore the sky yourself, you’re very welcome to join us.