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Charles Messier. The first edition of 1774 covered 45 objects (M1 to M45).The total list published by Messier in 1781 contained 103 objects, but the list was expanded through successive additions by other astronomers, motivated by notes in Messier's and Méchain's texts indicating that at least one of them knew of the additional objects.
It was discovered on May 3, 1764, [10] and was the first Messier object to be discovered by Charles Messier himself. Messier originally mistook the object for a nebula without stars. This mistake was corrected after the stars were resolved by William Herschel around 1784. [11] Since then, it has become one of the best-studied globular clusters.
Messier 52 or M52, also known as NGC 7654 or the Scorpion Cluster, is an open cluster of stars in the highly northern constellation of Cassiopeia. It was discovered by Charles Messier in 1774. [ 3 ] [ a ] It can be seen from Earth under a good night sky with binoculars .
The Butterfly Cluster (cataloged as Messier 6 or M6, and as NGC 6405) is an open cluster of stars in the southern constellation of Scorpius. Its name derives from the resemblance of its shape to a butterfly .
Messier 35 or M35, also known as NGC 2168 or the Shoe-Buckle Cluster, is a relatively close open cluster of stars in the west of Gemini, at about the declination of the Sun when the latter is at June solstice. [a] It was discovered by Philippe Loys de Chéseaux around 1745 and independently discovered by John Bevis before 1750. [3]
Messier 50 or M 50, also known as NGC 2323 or the Heart-shaped Cluster, is an open cluster of stars in the constellation Monoceros. It was recorded by G. D. Cassini before 1711 and independently discovered by Charles Messier in 1772 [b] while observing Biela's Comet. It is sometimes described as a 'heart-shaped' figure or a blunt arrowhead. [3]
1.280 Mm – diameter of the trans-Neptunian object 50000 Quaoar; 1.436 Mm – diameter of Iapetus, one of Saturn's major moons; 1.578 Mm – diameter of Titania, the largest of Uranus's moons; 1.960 Mm – estimated longest axis of Haumea; 2.326 Mm – diameter of the dwarf planet Eris, the largest trans-Neptunian object found to date
Messier 38 or M38, also known as NGC 1912 or Starfish Cluster, [4] is an open cluster of stars in the constellation of Auriga. It was discovered by Giovanni Batista Hodierna before 1654 and independently found by Guillaume Le Gentil in 1749. The open clusters M36 and M37, also discovered by Hodierna, are often grouped together with M38. [5]