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Fortunately for us, the Messier Catalog became well known for a much higher purpose, as a collection of the most beautiful objects in the sky including nebulae , star clusters , and galaxies . Today's versions of the catalog usually include also later additions of objects observed by Messier and his collegial friend, Pierre Mechain, but not included in his original list. The study of these objects by astronomers has, and continues to, lead to important, incredible discoveries such as the life cycles of stars, the reality of galaxies as separate 'island universes,' and the possible age of the universe.