Can you tell the Physical Properties of a Messier Object?

AI Thread Summary
Physical properties of Messier objects cannot be determined solely by their names, as the original list was created when the understanding of galaxies was limited. The classification of these objects is random, with no consistent order in terms of type, brightness, or distance. Memorizing all Messier objects is not necessary, and there are easier ways to study them. A useful tip is that the first 45 Messier objects are typically brighter than those that follow. Overall, a deeper understanding of each object requires more than just their names.
Atominate
Messages
16
Reaction score
0
Can you tell any physical properties of a Messier object by its name, such as M1 or M42? I know this may sound like a silly question, but I am doing an Astronomy GCSE and I thought that maybe there was a better way of just looking it up online and remembering it.
Thanks.
 
Astronomy news on Phys.org
No, you can't. The list was compiled at a time when nobody even had an idea what a galaxy is, so all those objects were just 'nebulae' (or, as Messier would probably explain to you: 'not comets'). If you look at the list of Messier objects, there's just no order to it: type, place in the sky, brightness, distance - all jump around pretty much randomly.

I hope they're not expecting you to memorize all of them?
 
  • Like
Likes davenn
Thanks. I was just wondering if there was an easier way.

Bandersnatch said:
I hope they're not expecting you to memorize all of them?

Ha! I sure hope not!
 
One simple rule of thumb, though: the first 45 M objects are generally brighter than the rest.
 

Thread 'Does it make sense to build new radio telescopes?'

TL;DR Summary: In 3 years, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope (or rather, a system of telescopes) should be put into operation. In case of failure to detect alien signals, it will further expand the radius of the so-called silence (or rather, radio silence) of the Universe. Is there any sense in this or is blissful ignorance better? In 3 years, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope (or rather, a system of telescopes) should be put into operation. In case of failure to detect...
View full post »
Thread 'Could gamma-ray bursts have an intragalactic origin?'

Thread 'Could gamma-ray bursts have an intragalactic origin?'

This is indirectly evidenced by a map of the distribution of gamma-ray bursts in the night sky, made in the form of an elongated globe. And also the weakening of gamma radiation by the disk and the center of the Milky Way, which leads to anisotropy in the possibilities of observing gamma-ray bursts. My line of reasoning is as follows: 1. Gamma radiation should be absorbed to some extent by dust and other components of the interstellar medium. As a result, with an extragalactic origin, fewer...
View full post »

Thread 'Our Beautiful Universe - Photos and Videos'

This thread is dedicated to the beauty and awesomeness of our Universe. If you feel like it, please share video clips and photos (or nice animations) of space and objects in space in this thread. Your posts, clips and photos may by all means include scientific information; that does not make it less beautiful to me (n.b. the posts must of course comply with the PF guidelines, i.e. regarding science, only mainstream science is allowed, fringe/pseudoscience is not allowed). n.b. I start this...
View full post »

Similar threads

I The initial density of an object and its compression into a black hole
Replies
17
Views
4K
B Recommendations for International Research Competitions
Replies
4
Views
2K
I How Can We Measure Properties of Distant Planets and Stars?
Replies
12
Views
2K
I Assumptions for blackbody spectra vs. emission spectra vs. absorption spectra
Replies
8
Views
4K
B Inductive proof for multiplicative property of sdet
Replies
1
Views
1K
B Does Wavelength Affect Uncertainty in Macroscopic Objects?
Replies
11
Views
2K
A Gas sensing using VASP software (computational physics)
Replies
2
Views
2K
I Is the Basis in Quantum Physics a Fundamental Property of Objects?
Replies
15
Views
2K
I Non-Commutation Property and its Relation to the Real World
Replies
19
Views
2K
B Considering a budget observatory
Replies
10
Views
2K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top