Deep-sky object class
Deep-Sky Object
A catch-all term for any object beyond the Solar System that is neither a single star nor a planet — the star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies that fill catalogues from Messier to the NGC. Deep-sky objects are the classic targets of the amateur telescope and the workhorses of stellar and galactic astrophysics.
Highlights
- ›Clusters, nebulae, and galaxies — the deep sky beyond the stars
Examples & related concepts
Knowledge connections
- Associated withOpen Cluster
- Associated withGlobular Cluster
- Associated withEmission Nebula
- Associated withPlanetary Nebula
- Associated withMessier Catalogue
- Associated withNew General Catalogue (NGC)
Sources
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.