The Ring Nebula (M57) was first discovered in the winter of 1779. But by whom? Some claim it was French astronomer Antoine Darquier de Pellepoix, while others insist it was Charles Messier. However, most historians now seem to agree it was indeed Messier who found it first.
The Ring Nebula is the sky’s most famous example of a planetary nebula. Messier described it as “very dull, but perfectly outlined; as large as Jupiter and looks like a fading planet.” This analogy to a pl