James Webb along with now School of Integrated Science and Humanity alumnus, Daniel Puentes, set out on a long-term project back in 2016 to image all 110 objects on the Messier List. The goal was to capture the objects in three colors and form color images using the Stocker AstroScience 24” main telescope and its CCD camera.
The list is made up of 110 interesting astronomical objects visible from the Northern Hemisphere compiled initially by Charles Messier in 1771. Some of the celestial objects include galaxies, star clusters, gaseous nebulae and supernova remnants.
While Puentes began this project with Webb, several other students pitched in to help once Puentes left for graduate school.
Finally, Webb photographed the last two objects on Dec. 5, 2018. The FIU Messier catalog is available on the AstroScience website as well as movie format coupled with Webb’s cosmic guitar soundtrack.
