Note (3): description of the object, as given by Dreyer or
corrected by him, in a coded or abbreviated form. The abbreviations
and their combination are fully described in the introduction
to the published catalog.
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|
| ab | about |
| alm | almost |
| am | among |
| annul | annular or ring nebula |
| att | attached |
| b | brighter |
| bet | between |
| biN | binuclear |
| bn | brightest to n side |
| bs | brightest to s side |
| bp | brightest to p side |
| bf | brightest to f side |
| B | bright |
| c | considerably |
| chev | chevelure |
| co | coarse, coarsely |
| com | cometic (cometary form) |
| comp | companion |
| conn | connected |
| cont | in contact |
| C | compressed |
| Cl | cluster |
| d | diameter |
| def | defined |
| dif | diffused |
| diffic | difficult |
| dist | distance, or distant |
| D | double |
| e | extremely, excessively |
| ee | most extremely |
| er | easily resolvable |
| exc | excentric |
| E | extended |
| f | following (eastward) |
| F | faint |
| g | gradually |
| glob. | globular |
| gr | group |
| i | irregular |
| iF | irregular figure |
| inv | involved, involving |
| l | little (adv.); long (adj.) |
| L | large |
| m | much |
| m | magnitude |
| M | middle, or in the middle |
| n | north |
| neb | nebula |
| nebs | nebulous |
| neby | nebulosity |
| nf | north following |
| np | north preceding |
| ns | north-south |
| nr | near |
| N | nucleus, or to a nucleus |
| p | preceding (westward) |
| pf | preceding-following |
| p | pretty (adv., before F. B. L, S) |
| pg | pretty gradually |
| pm | pretty much |
| ps | pretty suddenly |
| plan | planetary nebula (same as PN) |
| prob | probably |
| P | poor (sparse) in stars |
| PN | planetary nebula |
| r | resolvable (mottled, not resolved) |
| rr | partially resolved, some stars seen |
| rrr | well resolved, clearly consisting of stars |
| R | round |
| RR | exactly round |
| Ri | rich in stars |
| s | suddenly (abruptly) |
| s | south |
| sf | south following |
| sp | south preceding |
| sc | scattered |
| sev | several |
| st | stars (pl.) |
| st 9... | stars of 9th magnitude and fainter |
| st 9..13 | stars of mag. 9 to 13 |
| stell | stellar, pointlike |
| susp | suspected |
| S | small in angular size |
| S* | small (faint) star |
| trap | trapezium |
| triangle | triangle, forms a triangle with |
| triN | trinuclear |
| v | very |
| vv | _very_ |
| var | variable |
| * | a single star |
| *10 | a star of 10th magnitude |
| *7-8 | star of mag. 7 or 8 |
| ** | double star (same as D*) |
| *** | triple star |
| ! | remarkable |
| !! | very much so |
| !!! | a magnificent or otherwise interesting object |