Astronomical object

Astronomical objects are significant physical entities, associations or structures which current science has confirmed to exist in outer space. This does not necessarily mean that more current science will not disprove their existence. Some astronomical objects, such as Themis and Neith are, in light of more recent findings, considered not to exist at all. Others, like Pluto and Ceres, prove to be of an entirely different nature than first expected. In these cases, the scientific community must come to a consensus as to the new status of these objects. Astronomical objects thought to exist based on indirect scientific evidence are considered hypothetical.

Astronomical objects can be easily confused with astronomical bodies. The term object indicates a simple object, such as a planet. On the other hand, an astronomical body could be an asteroid belt. These terms differ from celestial objects and celestial bodies only in that the latter terms do not include the Earth.

The table below lists the general categories of objects by their location or structure.