Messier is a relatively young lunar impact crater located on the Mare Fecunditatis. The crater has a discernable oblong shape that is not caused by foreshortening. The longer dimension is oriented in an east-west direction.

Charles Messier was a French comet hunter. His catalog (first published in 1781) of nebulous objects was originally intended as a list of "junk" to avoid when searching for comets. ( more info)