Common Names for Deep Sky Objects
Compiled by Hartmut Frommert
Also look at our List of Common Names for Messier Objects:
http://www.seds.org/messier/m-names.html
ftp://ftp.seds.org/pub/info/messier/m-names.txt
You are invited to email me additional names for deep sky objects !
This file is also available as html file at
http://www.seds.org/xtra/supp/d-names.html
Name NGC/IC M Notes
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30 Doradus N2070 Tarantula Nebula in LMC
47 Tucanae N 104
Ambartsumian's Knot N3561
Andromeda Galaxy N 224 M31
Andromeda I 00:45.7 +38:00 in Local Group
Andromeda II 01:16.3 +33:25 in Local Group
Andromeda III 00:35.3 +36:31 in Local Group
Andromeda IV 00:42.5 +40:34 in Local Group (?)
Ant Nebula 16:17.2 -51:59 PK 331-1.1 bipolar nebula
Antares Nebula 16:29.2 -26:27 Ced 132, near Antares, also Cloud Nebula
Antennae Galaxies N4038-9 also Ring Tail Galaxies, VV 245
Apple Core Nebula N6853 M27 (J.R. Freeman); also the Dumbbell Nebula
Apple Core Nebula N 650-1 M76 (Mike Frazier); also Little Dumbbell, Cork, or Butterfly Nebula
Aquarius Dwarf 20:46.9 -12:51 DDO 210, in Local Group
Arp's Galaxy 11:19.6 +51:30
Atom For Peace Galaxy N7252 Arp 226
Auriga Salt-and-Pepper N2099 M37 (Jeff Bondono)
BL Lacertae 22:02.7 +42:17
BW Tauri 04:33.2 +05:21 UGC 3087, 3C 120
Baade's Galaxies A & B 00:49.9 +42:35 MCG+07-02-018/19
Barbell Nebula N 650-1 M76 also Little Dumbbell, Butterfly, or Cork Nebula; Apple Core Nebula (Mike Frazier)
Barbon's Galaxy 23:37.7 +30:08 Markarian 328, Zwicky 497.042
Barnard's Galaxy N6822
Barnard's Loop 05:35 -03: Sharpless 2-276, H V.35 ?
Baxendall's Nebula N7088 Baxendall's unphotographable Nebula
Bear Paw (Claw) Galaxy N2537 Arp 6
Beehive Cluster N2632 M44 also Praesepe
Black Eye Galaxy N4826 M64 also "Sleeping Beauty Galaxy"
Blinking Planetary N6826
Blue Planetary N3918
Blue Snowball N7662
Bode's Galaxies (Nebulae) N3031/4 M81/M82
Bode's Galaxy, Bode's Nebula N3031 M81 (Murdin/Allen/Malin 1979)
Boomerang Nebula 12:44.8 -54:31 Bipolar Nebula
Box N4169/73-5
Box Nebula N6309
Brocchi's Cluster 19:25.4 +20:11 Collinder 399 open cluster, also Coathanger Cl.
Bubble Nebula N7635
Bug Nebula N6302
Burbidge Chain 00:47.5 -20:26 MCG-04-03-010..3 galaxies
Burnham's Nebula 04:22.0 +19:32 T Tauri Nebula
Butterfly Cluster N6405 M6 (`Splendors of the Heavens', Phillips/Steaphenson 1923)
Butterfly Cluster N2447 M93 (Jeff Bondono)
Butterfly Nebula N 650-1 M76 also Little Dumbbell, Cork, or Barbell Nebula; Apple Core Nebula (Mike Frazier)
Butterfly Nebula I2220
CM Tauri SN 1054, Crab supernova which generated M1, the Crab Nebula
California Nebula N1499
Capricorn Dwarf 21:46.5 -21:14 Palomar 12 Globular Cluster
Carafe Galaxy, Cannon's 04:28.0 -47:54 near NGC 1595/98
Carafe Group N1595/8 + Carafe Galaxy
Carina Dwarf 06:41.6 -50:58 in Local Group
Cartwheel Galaxy 00:37.4 -33:44 MCG-06-02-022a
Cassiopeia A 23:23.4 +58:50 3C 461. SNR and strongest radio source in sky
Cassiopeia Salt-and-Pepper N7654 M52 (Jeff Bondono)
Cat Eye Nebula N6543
Cave Nebula 22:56.8 +62:37 Diffuse Nebula
Centaurus A N5128 Arp 153
Cetus A N1068 M77
Checkmark Nebula N6618 M17 also Omega, Swan, Horseshoe, or Lobster Nebula
Chi Persei N 884 Double Cluster with NGC 869 (h Persei)
Christmas Tree Cluster N2264 associated with the Cone Nebula
Cigar Galaxy N3034 M82 (Tom Polakis)
Circinus Galaxy 14:13.2 -65:20 Highly obscured spiral galaxy
Cirrus Nebula N6960,92,95 Cygnus SNR, Cygnus Loop, Veil Nebula
Cloud Nebula 16:29.2 -26:27 Antares Nebula, Ced 132
Clown Nebula, Clown Face N. N2392 also Eskimo Nebula
Coalsack 12:53 -63 7-by-5 deg dark nebula near Alpha Crucis
Coathanger Cluster 19:25.4 +20:11 Collinder 399 open cluster, also Brocchi's Cl.
Cocoon Nebula I5146
Coddington's Nebula I2574
Coma Pinwheel Galaxy N4254 M99 (prop based on RASC)
Coma Star Cluster 12:26 +26 Melotte 111 open cluster
Cone Nebula (Conus N.) N2264 associated with the Christmas Tree Cluster
Cooling Tower N6913 M29 (Jeff Bondono)
Copeland's Septet N3745-6/8/50-1/3-4
Cork Nebula N650-1 M76 also Little Dumbbell, Butterfly, or Barbell Nebula; Apple Core Nebula (Mike Frazier)
Crab Nebula N1952 M1 (Rosse 1844)
Crab Pulsar NP0532, central star of the Crab Nebula M1
Crescent Nebula N6888
Cygnus A 19:59.4 +40:43 MCG+07-41-003
Cygnus Egg 21:02.3 +36:42 CRL 2688, AFGL 2688 planetary nebula; also Egg N.
Cygnus Loop N6960,92,95 Cygnus SNR, Veil Nebula, Cirrus Nebula
De Mairan's Nebula N1982 M43 Part of the Orion Nebula
Delle Caustiche > N6603 M24 (Secchi), also Sagittarius Star Cloud, Milky Way Patch
Diablo Nebula N6853 M27 (Jeff Bondono, Sky Cat 2000), also the Dumbbell Nebula
Double Cluster N 869/84 h+Chi Persei
Double-Headed Shot N6853 M27 (Jeff Bondono, Sky Cat 2000), also the Dumbbell Nebula
Draco Dwarf 17:20.2 +57:55 DDO 208, UGC 10822; in Local Group
Dragon Nebula < N5623 < M8 Part of the Lagoon Nebula (Sky Cat. 2000)
Dumbbell Nebula N6853 M27 also Diablo Nebula (Jeff Bondono), Double-Head Shot (Jeff Bondono), Apple Core Nebula (J.R. Freeman)
Dumbbell Nebula, Little N 650-1 M76 (Sky Catalogue 2000) also Cork, Butterfly, or Barbell Nebula; Apple Core Nebula (Mike Frazier)
Eagle Nebula I4703 ~ M16 also Star Queen Nebula; associated with cluster M16=NGC 6611
Eagle Nebula I2199
Egg Nebula 21:02.3 +36:42 CRL 2688, AFGL 2688 planetary nebula; also Cygnus Egg
Eight-burst Planetary N3132
Eskimo Nebula N2392 also Clown Nebula
Eta Carinae Nebula N3372
Exclamation Mark Galaxy 00:39.3 -43:06
Eyes N4435/8 in Virgo Cluster
Fath 703 N5892
Filamentary Nebula N6960 part of Veil Nebula
Flaming Star Nebula I 405
Fornax A N1316 Arp 154
Fornax Dwarf 02:39.9 -34:32 MCG-06-07-001; in Local Group
Fourcade-Figuero 13:34.8 -45:33 MCG-07-28-004
GR 8 (Gibson Reaves) 12:58.7 +14:13 DDO 155, UGC 8091; in Local Group
Gamma Cassiopeiae Nebula I 59,63
Gamma Cygni Nebula I1318
Garland 10:04.2 +68:40 S of NGC 3077
Ghost of Jupiter N3242
Grus Quartet N7552/82/90/99
h Persei N 869 Double Cluster with NGC 884 (Chi Persei)
Hardcastle's Galaxy 13:13.0 -32:41 MCG-05-31-039
Heart-Shaped Cluster N2323 M50 (Jeff Bondono)
Helix Galaxy N2685
Helix Nebula N7293
Hercules A 16:51.2 +04:59 MCG+01-43-006
Hercules Globular Cluster N6205 M13
Herring Galaxy (Nebula) N4631 (interstellarum No. 3)
Hind's Variable Nebula N1555
Hoag's Object 15:17.2 +21:35
Holmberg I 09:40.5 +71:11 DDO 63, UGC 5139
Holmberg II 08:19.3 +70:43 Arp 268, DDO 50, UGC 4305
Holmberg III 09:14.6 +74:14 UGC 4841
Holmberg IV 13:54.7 +53:54 DDO 185, UGC 8837
Holmberg IX 09:57.6 +69:03 DDO 66, UGC 5336
Holmberg V 13:40.6 +54:20 UGC 8658
Holmberg VI N1325a 03:24.9 -21:20
Holmberg VII 12:34.7 +06:17 DDO 137, UGC 7739
Holmberg VIII 13:13.3 +36:12 DDO 166, UGC 8303
Horologium Dwarf 03:59.2 -21:20 also Schuster's Spiral
Horsehead Nebula 05:40.9 -02:28 Barnard 33, in front of IC 434
Horseshoe Nebula N6618 M17 also Omega, Swan, Lobster, or Checkmark Nebula
Hourglass Nebula < N5623 < M8 (A.D. Thackeray 1956) brightest part of the Lagoon Nebula
Hubble's Variable Nebula N2261
Hyades 04:27 +16 : Melotte 25
Hydra A 09:18.1 -12:06 MCG-02-24-007
Integral Sign Galaxy 07:11.4 +71:50 UGC 3697
January Salt-and-Pepper N2099 M37 (Jeff Bondono)
Jewel Box N4755
July Salt-and-Pepper N6705 M11 (Jeff Bondono)
Kappa Crucis Cluster N4755 also Jewel Box
Keenan's System N5216/6a/8 Arp 104
Kowal's Object 19:29.9 -17:41
Lace-work Nebula N6960 = Filamentary Nebula, part of Veil Nebula
Lagoon Nebula N6523 M8 contains the Hourglass Nebula
Lambda Centauri Nebula I2944/48
Lambda Orionis Nebula 05:35 +10: Sharpless 2-264
Large Magellanic Cloud, LMC 05:23.6 -69:45 "Nubecula Major"; in Local Group
Leo I 10:08.5 +12:18 Regulus dwarf, DDO 74, UGC 5470, Harrington-Wilson #1; in Local Group
Leo II, Leo B 11:13.4 +22:10 DDO 93, UGC 6253, Harrington-Wilson #2; in Local Group
Leo III, Leo A 09:59.3 +30:45 DDO 69, UGC 5364; in Local Group
Leo Triplet N3623/7/8 M65/M66/NGC 3628
Lindsay-Shapley Ring 06:42.8 -74:15 Graham A
Little Dumbbell Nebula N 650-1 M76 (Sky Catalogue 2000) also Cork, Butterfly, or Barbell Nebula; Apple Core Nebula (Mike Frazier)
Little Gem N6445
LMC, Large Magellanic Cloud 05:23.6 -69:45 "Nubecula Major"; in Local Group
Lobster Nebula N6618 M17 (Steve Mencinsky) also Omega, Swan, Horseshoe, or Checkmark Nebula
Lord Rosse's Nebula (Galaxy) N5194 M51 Whirlpool Galaxy
Lost Galaxy N4535 in Virgo Cluster
Maffei I 02:36.4 +59:39 UGCA 34
Maffei II 02:42.0 +59:37 UGCA 39
Maia Nebula N1432 < M45 in the Pleiades
Malin 1 12:37.0 +14:20 behind Virgo Cluster
Mayall's Object 11:03.9 +40:50 Arp 148, MCG+07-23-019
McLeish's Object 20:09.7 -66:13
Merope Nebula N1435 < M45 in the Pleiades
Merope Nebula Part I 349 < M45 Part of Merope Nebula in the Pleiades
Mexican Jumping Star N2362 (Bill Arnett) = Tau CMa cluster
Mice N4676
Milky Way Patch > N6603 M24 also "Delle Caustiche"
Miniature Spiral N3928
Minkowski's Object 01:25.8 -01:21 Arp 133, NE of NGC 541
Network Nebula N6992/5
North America Nebula N7000
October Salt-and-Pepper N7654 M52 (Jeff Bondono)
Omega Centauri N5139
Omega Nebula N6618 M17 also Swan, Horseshoe, Lobster, or Checkmark Nebula
Omicron Velorum Cluster I2391
Orion A N1976 M42 Orion Nebula
Orion B N2024
Orion Nebula N1976 M42 (de Mairan's Nebula M43 is a part of it)
Owl Cluster N 457
Owl Nebula N3587 M97
Pancake N2685 Arp 336
Papillon I 708
Pegasus Dwarf 23:28.5 +14:44 DDO 216, UGC 12613; in Local Group
Pelican Nebula I5067/70
Perseus A N1275/6
Phoenix Dwarf Irregular G. 01:51.1 -44:26
Pinwheel Cluster N1960 M36 (Jeff Bondono)
Pinwheel Galaxy N5457 M101 (Murdin/Allen/Malin 1979, Sky Catalogue 2000, RASC Observer's Handbook)
Pinwheel Galaxy N 598 M33 (Burnham, RASC), also Triangulum Galaxy, prop: "Triangulum Pinwheel"
Pinwheel Galaxy N4254 M99 (RASC) prop: "Coma Pinwheel" or "Virgo Cluster Pinwheel"
Pisces Cloud N 379/80/82-5 Arp 331
Pisces Dwarf 00:03.8 +21:54 LGS 3; in Local Group
Pleiades M45 also Subaru or the Seven Sisters
Polarissima Australis N2573
Polarissima Borealis N3172
Praesepe N2632 M44 also Beehive Cluster
Ptolemy's Cluster N6475 M7 (Ptolemy mentioned it 138 AD)
Question Mark N5194 M51 (Lord Rosse), also Whirlpool Galaxy
Reinmuth 80 N4517a 12:32.5 +00:23 UGC 7685
Reticulum Dwarf 04:36.2 -58:50 Sersic 040.03
Rho Ophiuchi Complex I4603-4 + dark nebulae; interstellar cloud
Rho Ophiuchi Dark Cloud 16:38: -24:06 dark lanes in Rho Oph complex
Rho Ophiuchi Nebula I4604
Ring Nebula N6720 M57
Ring Tail Galaxies N4038-9 also Antennae Galaxies
Rosette Nebula N2237-9/46
S Nebula 17:23.5 -23:38 Barnard 72 dark nebula; also Snake Nebula
SagDEG 18:55 -30..31 Sagittarius Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy; in Local Group
SagDIG 19:30.0 -17:41 Sagittarius Dwarf Irregular Galaxy; in Local Group
Sagittarius Dwarf 19:30.0 -17:41 SagDIG; in Local Group
Sagittarius Star Cloud > N6603 M24 also "Delle Caustiche", Milky Way Patch
Salt-and-Pepper Clusters M11,M37,M52 (Jeff Bondono)
Saturn Nebula N7009
Schuster's Spiral 03:59.2 -21:20 also Horologium Dwarf
Sculptor Dwarf 01:00.2 -33:42 MCG-06-03-015; in Local Group
Sculptor Dwarf Irregular 00:08.1 -34:34 SDIG
Sculptor Galaxy N 253 also Silver Coin Galaxy
Scutum Salt-and-Pepper N6705 M11 (Jeff Bondono)
SDIG 00:08.1 -34:34 Sculptor Dwarf Irregular
Seashell Galaxy 13:47.4 -30:23 Companion to NGC 5291
Serpens Dwarf 15:16.1 -00:08 Palomar 5, UGC 9792
Seven Sisters M45 also Subaru, the Pleiades
Sextans A 10:11.0 -04:41 DDO 75, UGCA 205; in Local Group
Sextans B 10:00.0 +05:19 DDO 70, UGC 5373
Sextans C 10:05.6 +00:04 UGC 5439
Seyfert's Sextet N6027/27a-e
Shapley-Ames 1 01:05.1 -06:13
Shapley-Ames 2 N4507
Shapley-Ames 3 12:49.4 -10:07 MCG-02-33-015
Shapley-Ames 4 12:55.2 +00:07 UGC 8041
Shapley-Ames 5 20:24.0 -44:00 MCG-07-42-001
Shapley-Ames 6 21:23.2 +45:46
Siamese Twins N4567-8 in Virgo Cluster
Silver Coin Galaxy N 253 also Sculptor Galaxy
Sleeping Beauty Galaxy N4826 M64 also the Blackeye Galaxy
Small Magellanic Cloud, SMC 00:52.7 -72:50 "Nubecula Minor"; in Local Group
Smoking Gun < N4486 < M87 (Nasa/STScI) the active center of M87
Snake Nebula 17:23.5 -23:38 Barnard 72 dark nebula; also S Nebula
Sombrero Galaxy N4594 M104
Southern Pinwheel Galaxy N5236 M83
Southern Pleiades I2602 Theta Carinae
Snickers 06:28 +15 Possible nearby dwarf galaxy, discovered in radio, 1975
Spider 10:42.6 +34:27 DDO 84, UGC 5829
Spindle Galaxy N3115
Spindle Galaxy N5866 M102?
Spiral Cluster N1039 M34 (Jeff Bondono)
Star Queen Nebula I4703 ~ M16 also Eagle Nebula, associated with the star cluster M16=NGC 6611
Starfish Cluster N1922 M38 (Jeff Bondono)
Stephan's Quintet N7317-20 Arp 319
Struve's Lost Nebula N1554
Subaru M45 also the Pleiades, Seven Sisters
Sunflower galaxy N5055 M63
Swan Nebula N6618 M17 also Omega, Horseshoe, Lobster, or Checkmark Nebula
Tank tracks N2024 (Bill Arnett), = Orion B
Tarantula Nebula N2070
Tau CMa cluster N2362 (Bill Arnett), = Mexican Jumping Star
Taurus A N1952 M1 Crab Nebula
Thor's Helmet N2359 (Bill Arnett)
Theta Carinae I2602 Southern Pleiades
Toby Jug Nebula I2220
Trapezium Cluster < N1976 < M42 Cluster of young stars in the Orion Nebula
Triangulum Galaxy N 598 M33 also Pinwheel, Triangulum Pinwheel
Triangulum Pinwheel Galaxy N 598 M33 also Triangulum Galaxy
Trifid Nebula N6514 M20
Ursa Major Moving Cluster Closest open cluster (70 ly), most stars of Big Dipper, and others
Ursa Minor Dwarf 15:08.8 +67:12 DDO 199, UGC 9749; in Local Group
Veil Nebula N6960,92,95 Cygnus SNR, Cygnus Loop, Cirrus Nebula
Virgo A N4486 M87 Active center: "The Smoking Gun", in Virgo Cluster
Virgo Cluster Pinwheel Gal. N4254 M99 (prop based on RASC)
WNC 4 (Winnecke 4) M40
Whirlpool Galaxy N5194 M51 also "Question Mark" (Lord Rosse)
Wild Duck Cluster N6705 M11 (Smyth)
Wild's Triplett 11:46.8 -03:49 Arp 248, MCG-01-30-032..4
Winnecke 4 (WNC4) M40
Witch Head Nebula N2118
Wolf-Lundmark-Melotte, WLM 00:02.0 -15:28 DDO 221; in Local Group
X-mas Tree Cluster N2264
Zwicky #2 11:58.4 +38:03 DDO 105, UGC 6955
Zwicky's Triplet 16:49.5 +45:30 UGC 10586, Arp 103
References and Links
* List of Common Names for Messier Objects:
http://www.seds.org/messier/m-names.html
ftp://ftp.seds.org/pub/info/messier/m-names.txt
* List of Galaxies with proper names (RASC)
RASC Observer's Handbook 1996 or 1997
http://www.seds.org/messier/xtra/supp/rasc-g-n.html
* List of Common Names for NGC and IC Objects from the NGC 2000.0,
edited by R.W. Sinnott, Sky Publishing 1988
* Glossary of Selected Astronomical Names in the Sky Catalog 2000.0
by A. Hirshfeld and R.W. Sinnott, Sky Publishing 1985
* Various issues of the German interstellarum magazine
Related Stuff
* NGC Catalog Online: Find the NGC 2000.0 data for any NGC or IC
object interactively
http://www.seds.org/~spider/ngc/ngc.html
* Images of NGC objects (ASP)
http://www.aspsky.org/html/resources/ngc.html
Thanks to Bill Arnett for helpful suggestions and discussion.
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Hartmut Frommert (spider@seds.org)