Messier number English

Meaning Messier number meaning

What does Messier number mean?

Messier number noun

— (astronomy) A catalogue number used to identify any one of more than one hundred galaxies, nebulae, and other deep-sky objects visible in the night sky; the designation formed by the surname Messier or letter M being prepended to the number, as in Messier 31 or M31 (the Andromeda Galaxy).