One of the questions that keeps coming up at public star parties is, "How far away is that?". I have put together a table giving the R.A., Dec., distance (in thousands of light years) and common name or object type. The distance info is from SEDS. I plan to add "showpiece" doubles and other objects as questions arise.
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| M# | R.A. | Dec. | Distance | Common Name(s) |
| 1 | 05 : 34.5 | +22 : 01 | 6.3 (kly) | Crab Nebula (SNR) |
| 2 | 21 : 33.5 | -00 : 49 | 36.2 (kly) | Globular |
| 3 | 13 : 42.2 | +28 : 23 | 30.6 (kly) | Globular |
| 4 | 16 : 23.6 | -26 : 32 | 6.8 (kly) | Globular |
| 5 | 15 : 18.6 | +02 : 05 | 22.8 (kly) | Globular |
| 6 | 17 : 40.1 | -32 : 13 | 2 (kly) | Butterfly Cluster |
| 7 | 17 : 53.9 | -34 : 49 | 0.8 (kly) | Ptolemy's Cluster |
| 8 | 18 : 03.8 | -24 : 23 | 5.2 (kly) | Lagoon Nebula |
| 9 | 17 : 19.2 | -18 : 31 | 26.4 (kly) | Globular |
| 10 | 16 : 57.1 | -04 : 06 | 13.4 (kly) | Globular |
| 11 | 18 : 51.1 | -06 : 16 | 6 (kly) | Wild Duck Cluster |
| 12 | 16 : 47.2 | -01 : 57 | 17.6 (kly) | Globular |
| 13 | 16 : 41.7 | +36 : 28 | 22.8 (kly) | Hercules Globular |
| 14 | 17 : 37.6 | -03 : 15 | 27.4 (kly) | Globular |
| 15 | 21 : 30.0 | +12 : 10 | 32.6 (kly) | Globular |
| 16 | 18 : 18.8 | -13 : 47 | 7 (kly) | Eagle Nebula |
| 17 | 18 : 20.8 | -16 : 11 | 5 (kly) | Omega/Swan Nebula |
| 18 | 18 : 19.9 | -17 : 08 | 4.9 (kly) | Globular |
| 19 | 17 : 02.6 | -26 : 16 | 27.1 (kly) | Globular |
| 20 | 18 : 02.6 | -23 : 02 | 5.2 (kly) | Trifid Nebula |
| 21 | 18 : 04.6 | -22 : 30 | 4.25 (kly) | Globular |
| 22 | 18 : 36.4 | -23 : 54 | 10.1 (kly) | Globular |
| 23 | 17 : 56.8 | -19 : 01 | 2.15 (kly) | Open |
| 24 | 18 : 16.9 | -18 : 29 | 10 (kly) | Open |
| 25 | 18 : 31.6 | -19 : 15 | 2 (kly) | Open |
| 26 | 18 : 45.2 | -09 : 24 | 5 (kly) | Open |
| 27 | 19 : 59.6 | +22 : 43 | 1.25 (kly) | Dumbbell Nebula |
| 28 | 18 : 24.5 | -24 : 52 | 17.9 (kly) | Globular |
| 29 | 20 : 23.9 | +38 : 32 | 4.0 (kly) | Open |
| 30 | 21 : 40.4 | -23 : 11 | 24.8 (kly) | Globular |
| 31 | 00 : 42.7 | +41 : 16 | 2900 (kly) | Andromeda Galaxy |
| 32 | 00 : 42.7 | +40 : 52 | 2900 (kly) | Companion to M30 |
| 33 | 01 : 33.9 | +30 : 39 | 3000 (kly) | Triangulum Galaxy |
| 34 | 02 : 42.0 | +42 : 47 | 1.4 (kly) | Open |
| 35 | 06 : 08.9 | +24 : 20 | 2.8 (kly) | Open |
| 36 | 05 : 36.1 | +34 : 08 | 4.1 (kly) | Open |
| 37 | 05 : 52.4 | +32 : 33 | 4.4 (kly) | Open |
| 38 | 05 : 28.4 | +35 : 50 | 4.2 (kly) | Open |
| 39 | 21 : 32.2 | +48 : 26 | 0.825 (kly) | Open |
| 40 | 05 : 35.6 | +58 : 05 | 0.3 (kly) | Double Star |
| 41 | 06 : 47.0 | -20 : 44 | 2.3 (kly) | Open |
| 42 | 05 : 35.4 | -05 : 27 | 1.6 (kly) | Orion Nebula |
| 43 | 05 : 35.6 | -05 : 16 | 1.6 (kly) | Part of M42 |
| 44 | 08 : 40.1 | +19 : 59 | 0.577 (kly) | Beehive Cluster |
| 45 | 03 : 47.0 | +24 : 07 | 0.38 (kly) | Pleiades |
| 46 | 07 : 41.8 | -14 : 49 | 5.4 (kly) | Open |
| 47 | 07 : 36.6 | -14 : 30 | 1.6 (kly) | Open |
| 48 | 08 : 13.8 | -05 : 48 | 1.5 (kly) | Open |
| 49 | 12 : 29.8 | +08 : 00 | 60000 (kly) | Virgo Galaxy |
| 50 | 07 : 03.2 | -08 : 20 | 3 (kly) | Open |
| 51 | 13 : 29.9 | +47 : 12 | 37000 (kly) | Whirlpool Galaxy |
| 52 | 23 : 24.2 | +61 : 35 | 5.0 (kly) | Open |
| 53 | 13 : 12.9 | +18 : 10 | 56.4 (kly) | Globular |
| 54 | 18 : 55.1 | -30 : 29 | 82.8 (kly) | Globular |
| 55 | 19 : 40.0 | -30 : 58 | 16.6 (kly) | Globular |
| 56 | 19 : 16.6 | +30 : 11 | 31.6 (kly) | Globular |
| 57 | 18 : 53.6 | +33 : 02 | 4.1 (kly) | Ring Nebula |
| 58 | 12 : 37. | +11 : 49 | 60000 (kly) | Virgo Galaxy |
| 59 | 12 : 42.0 | +11 : 39 | 60000 (kly) | Virgo Galaxy |
| 60 | 12 : 43.7 | +11 : 33 | 60000 (kly) | Virgo Galaxy |
| 61 | 12 : 21.9 | +04 : 28 | 60000 (kly) | Virgo Galaxy |
| 62 | 17 : 01.2 | -30 : 07 | 21.5 (kly) | Globular |
| 63 | 13 : 15.8 | +42 : 02 | 37000 (kly) | Sunflower Nebula |
| 64 | 12 : 56.7 | +21 : 41 | 12000 (kly) | Blackeye Nebula |
| 65 | 11 : 18.9 | +13 : 05 | 35000 (kly) | Part of Leo Triplet |
| 66 | 11 : 20.2 | +12 : 59 | 35000 (kly) | Part of Leo Triplet |
| 67 | 08 : 50.4 | +11 : 49 | 2.7 (kly) | Open |
| 68 | 12 : 39.5 | -26 : 45 | 32.3 (kly) | Globular |
| 69 | 18 : 31.4 | -32 : 21 | 26.7 (kly) | Globular |
| 70 | 18 : 43.2 | -32 : 18 | 28.0 (kly) | Globular |
| 71 | 19 : 53.8 | +18 : 47 | 11.7 (kly) | Globular |
| 72 | 20 : 53.5 | -12 : 32 | 52.8 (kly) | Globular |
| 73 | 20 : 58.9 | -12 : 38 | N/A | Asterism |
| 74 | 01 : 36.7 | +15 : 47 | 35000 (kly) | Galaxy |
| 75 | 20 : 06.1 | -21 : 55 | 57.7 (kly) | Globular |
| 76 | 01 : 42.4 | +51 : 34 | 3.4 (kly) | Little Dumbbell Nebula |
| 77 | 02 : 42.7 | -00 : 01 | 60000 (kly) | Virgo Galaxy |
| 78 | 05 : 46.7 | +00 : 03 | 1.6 (kly) | Diffuse |
| 79 | 05 : 24.5 | -24 : 33 | 41.1 (kly) | Globular |
| 80 | 16 : 17.0 | -22 : 59 | 27.4 (kly) | Globular |
| 81 | 09 : 55.6 | +69 : 04 | 12000 (kly) | Bode's Galaxy |
| 82 | 09 : 55.8 | +69 : 41 | 12000 (kly) | Cigar Galaxy |
| 83 | 13 : 37.0 | -29 : 52 | 15000 (kly) | Southern Pinwheel |
| 84 | 12 : 25.1 | +12 : 53 | 60000 (kly) | Virgo Galaxy |
| 85 | 12 : 25.4 | +18 : 11 | 60000 (kly) | Virgo Galaxy |
| 86 | 12 : 26.2 | +12 : 57 | 60000 (kly) | Virgo Galaxy |
| 87 | 12 : 30.8 | +12 : 24 | 60000 (kly | Virgo A |
| 88 | 12 : 32.0 | +14 : 25 | 60000 (kly) | Virgo Galaxy |
| 89 | 12 : 35.7 | +12 : 33 | 60000 (kly) | Virgo Galaxy |
| 90 | 12 : 36.8 | +13 : 10 | 60000 (kly) | Virgo Galaxy |
| 91 | 12 : 35.4 | +14 : 30 | 60000 (kly) | Virgo Galaxy |
| 92 | 17 : 17.1 | +43 : 08 | 26.4 (kly) | Globular |
| 93 | 07 : 44.6 | -23 : 52 | 3.6 (kly) | Open |
| 94 | 12 : 50.9 | +41 : 07 | 14500 (kly) | Galaxy |
| 95 | 10 : 44.0 | +11 : 42 | 38000 (kly) | Galaxy |
| 96 | 10 : 46.8 | +11 : 49 | 38000 (kly) | Galaxy |
| 97 | 11 : 14.8 | +55 : 01 | 2.6 (kly) | Owl Nebula |
| 98 | 12 : 13.8 | +14 : 54 | 60000 (kly) | Virgo Galaxy |
| 99 | 12 : 18.8 | +14 : 25 | 60000 (kly) | Virgo Galaxy |
| 100 | 12 : 22.9 | +15 : 49 | 60000 (kly) | Virgo Galaxy |
| 101 | 14 : 03.2 | +54 : 21 | 27000 (kly) | Pinwheel Galaxy |
| 102 | N/A | N/A | N/A | Unknown Object |
| 103 | 01 : 33.2 | +60 : 42 | 8 (kly) | Open |
| 104 | 12 : 40.0 | 11 : 37 | 50000 (kly) | Sombrero Galaxy |
| 105 | 10 : 47.8 | +12 : 35 | 38000 (kly) | Galaxy |
| 106 | 12 : 19.0 | +47 : 18 | 25000 (kly) | Galaxy |
| 107 | 16 : 32.5 | -13 : 03 | 19.6 (kly) | Globular |
| 108 | 11 : 11.5 | +55 : 40 | 45000 (kly) | Galaxy |
| 109 | 11 : 57.6 | +53 : 23 | 55000 (kly) | Galaxy |
| 110 | 00 : 40.4 | +41 : 41 | 2900 (kly) | Companion to M31 |
The distance info in these tables is from Norton's 2000 and Hipparcos
| Double Stars | Distance in Light Years |
| Double-Double | 160 |
| Albireo | 385 |
| Alcor-Mizar | 78 - 81 |
| CorCaroli | 110 |
| Bright Stars | Distance in Light Years |
| Vega | 25 |
| Deneb | 1500 |
| Altair | 16.7 |
| Antares | 520 |
| Sirius | 8.6 |
| Procyon | 11.4 |
| Castor | 51.5 |
| Pollux | 33.7 |
| Aldeberan | 65 |
| Betelgeuse | 1400 |
| Rigel | 1400 |
| Capella | 42 |
| Arcturus | 37 |