Description: 梅西耶天体是指查尔斯-梅西耶（Charles Messier）和皮埃尔-梅尚（Pierre Méchain）在1781年首次编成目录的110个天体。梅西耶和梅尚当时正在寻找彗星，彗星看起来是模糊而延伸的，但他们发现的许多模糊而延伸的天体看起来却没有移动。他们对这些天体进行了记录，以免再次观测浪费观测时间。这些太阳系外的模糊延伸天体被称为 "星云"。

现在的星表包含 55 个星团、39 个星系、11 个真正的星云和 5 个星群。这些天体是业余天文学家最喜欢的观测目标。一个天文学家的垃圾就是另一个天文学家的宝藏。

梅西耶天体通常用它们的星表编号前缀字母 "M "来表示。因此螺旋星系Messier 101通常被称为M101。

Related Terms:

• 银河系
• 星云
• 星团

Term and definition status: The original definition of this term in English have been approved by a research astronomer and a teacher
The translation of this term and its definition is still awaiting approval

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