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    Tables – Astronomical entities that are not planets seen from earth



    Astronomical EntityTypeDescription
    MoonSatelliteThe Earth’s only natural satellite, visible in the night sky.
    Andromeda GalaxyGalaxyThe nearest spiral galaxy to the Milky Way, our galaxy. It is visible as a smudge on a clear night.
    Orion NebulaNebulaOne of the brightest nebulae, visible to the naked eye in the night sky.
    Pleiades (Seven Sisters)Star ClusterAn open star cluster consisting of approximately 500 stars in the constellation of Taurus.
    Alpha CentauriStarThe nearest star system and the closest planetary system to the Solar System at 4.37 light-years from the Sun.
    Comet Hale–BoppCometA comet that, in 1997, became an incredibly bright and long-lasting object in the sky. It has an exceptionally large nucleus and is anticipated to return in about 2,500 years.
    Hubble’s Variable NebulaNebulaA small nebula known for its large changes in brightness over only a few weeks or months.
    Large Magellanic CloudDwarf GalaxyA satellite galaxy of the Milky Way, visible from Earth in the Southern Hemisphere.
    Milky Way GalaxyGalaxyThe galaxy that contains our Solar System. Appears as a band of light in the sky on a clear night.
    Meteor Showers (like the Perseids and Leonids)Meteor ShowerOccur when the Earth passes through streams of cosmic debris. Results in visible streaks of light in the night sky.
    S.NoNameType of EntityMost Visible FromBest Viewing Time
    1Andromeda GalaxyGalaxyNorthern HemisphereAutumn (Generally)
    2Triangulum GalaxyGalaxyNorthern HemisphereAutumn
    3Orion NebulaNebulaWorldwideWinter
    4Milky WayGalaxyWorldwideSummer (Generally)
    5Pleiades Star ClusterStar ClusterWorldwideWinter
    6Crab NebulaSupernova RemnantNorthern HemisphereSpring
    7Horsehead NebulaDark NebulaNorthern HemisphereWinter
    8SiriusStarWorldwideWinter
    9Alpha CentauriStar SystemSouthern HemisphereAll Year
    10BetelgeuseStarWorldwideWinter
    11VegaStarNorthern HemisphereSummer
    12Ring NebulaPlanetary NebulaNorthern HemisphereSummer
    13Large Magellanic CloudDwarf GalaxySouthern HemisphereAll Year
    14Small Magellanic CloudDwarf GalaxySouthern HemisphereAll Year
    15Sagittarius A*Radio Source (Black Hole)Southern HemisphereSummer
    16Cygnus X-1X-Ray Source (Black Hole)Northern HemisphereSummer
    17Whirlpool GalaxySpiral GalaxyNorthern HemisphereSpring
    18Hercules Cluster (M13)Globular ClusterNorthern HemisphereSummer
    19AntaresStarWorldwideSummer
    20Tarantula NebulaEmission NebulaSouthern HemisphereAll Year