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Definitions Astro "Messier Objects"



 
 
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  #1  
Old March 7th 04, 05:44 PM
Mark F.
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Default Definitions Astro "Messier Objects"

Ok I looked in two dictionary and could not find "Messier Objects".

Would one of you kind astronomers give a layman's definition to me.

Thanks in advance Mark F.

--
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Fish for Wild Trout


  #2  
Old March 7th 04, 06:06 PM
Rod Mollise
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Default Definitions Astro "Messier Objects"

Ok I looked in two dictionary and could not find "Messier Objects".

Would one of you kind astronomers give a layman's definition to me.


Hi:

The Messier Objects are those deep sky objects (nebulae, galaxies, star
clusters) discovered or at least catalogued by Charles Messier (1730-1817). The
original "purpose" of Messier's list, which, depending on who you listen to,
contains between about 100 and 110 objects, was to aid comet hunters. Messier,
a comet hunter himself, wanted to list fuzzy objects that could be mistaken for
comets by those seeking them. Since many of the DSOs Messier put in his
catalogue could not have been mistaken for comets, even with the telescopes of
his age, it seems that he went beyond his original idea to make the list of
"interesting" objects we still enjoy today.


Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html
  #3  
Old March 7th 04, 06:33 PM
Ed
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Default Definitions Astro "Messier Objects"


Ok I looked in two dictionary and could not find "Messier Objects".



Tney are not worth finding. Say no to Messier.



  #4  
Old March 7th 04, 06:54 PM
John Damico
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Default Definitions Astro "Messier Objects"

http://www.synapticsystems.com/sky/messier.html


  #5  
Old March 7th 04, 06:56 PM
John Damico
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Default Definitions Astro "Messier Objects"

The SEDS site listed as a link at the bottom of the page is a good one too,
unfortunately it appears their site has been hit by hackers, check it out
when they resolve their problem...


  #6  
Old March 7th 04, 07:40 PM
Wfoley2
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Default Definitions Astro "Messier Objects"

They are the object that are not neater. g
Actually, they are mostly the objects cataloged by the French Comet-Seeker
Messier to list stationary objects which might, under some conditions, resemble
a comet. These include almost every type of deep-sky object, as well as some
products of "averted imagination".
Clear, Dark, Steady Skies!
(And considerate neighbors!!!)


  #7  
Old March 7th 04, 07:56 PM
Davoud
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Default Definitions Astro "Messier Objects"

Mark F.:
Ok I looked in two dictionary and could not find "Messier Objects".
Would one of you kind astronomers give a layman's definition to me.
Thanks in advance Mark F.


There is a nice description at
http://www.synapticsystems.com/sky/messier.html. The page also
includes a list of the Messier Objects and a link to a biography of
Charles Messier.

Davoud

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  #8  
Old March 7th 04, 07:56 PM
Bill Ferris
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Default Definitions Astro "Messier Objects"

Would one of you kind astronomers give a layman's definition to me.

Very simply, a Messier object is any one of the 110 (109, if you exclude M102
as a duplicate observation of M101) objects catalogued by Charles Messier
during the late 18th century.

They are designated, M1 through M110. Most also have designations in Dreyer's
New General Catalog (NGC).

Visit my "Messier" section for observation notes and sketches of all the
Messier objects: http://members.aol.com/billferris/messier.html

Regards,

Bill Ferris
"Cosmic Voyage: The Online Resource for Amateur Astronomers"
URL: http://www.cosmic-voyage.net
=============
Email: Remove "ic" from .comic above to respond

  #9  
Old March 7th 04, 10:18 PM
Mike Ruskai
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Default Definitions Astro "Messier Objects"

On Sun, 07 Mar 2004 16:44:40 GMT, Mark F. wrote:

Ok I looked in two dictionary and could not find "Messier Objects".

Would one of you kind astronomers give a layman's definition to me.


Charles Messier was a 18th and 19th century comet hunter. He created a
list of fuzzy objects that were definitely not comets, for the purposes of
ruling them out in future observations.

A few of the objects on the list weren't actually added by him, but it has
since been used as a reference for some of the best objects for observing
in the sky.


--
- Mike

Remove 'spambegone.net' and reverse to send e-mail.


 




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