MESSIER CATALOG


Meaning of MESSIER CATALOG in English

List of about 109 star clusters, nebula e, and galaxies compiled by the French astronomer Charles Messier (1730–1817), who discovered many of them.

Still a valuable guide to amateur astronomers, it was superseded by the New General Catalogue (NGC); both NGC and M reference numbers remain in common use.

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia.      Краткая энциклопедия Британика.