Objects - Galaxies

Obects & Observing Tips:

Galaxies

Andromeda Galaxy, from NASA photo
[NASA photo, APOD]

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Galaxies:
very distant (the nearest, M31 in Andromeda, is 2.2 million light years away) aggregations of billions of stars; spiral to elliptical in shape, with a few "irregulars." Spiral galaxies (S) may or may not exhibit "bars" (SB), and are classified by the tightness of the spiral. For a good explanation of galactic shapes & categories, see the SEDS Galaxies page.

Observing Galaxies:

naked-eye: the Andromeda Galaxy is visible as a faint fuzzy spot
binoculars: fuzzy patch; in dark sky, the Andromeda Galaxy shows elongate shape
telescopes: for Andromeda, the enlongate shape & small companion galaxy of M31 are visible; try wide-field eyepieces (32mm, 40mm, 55mm); ultrablock filter may help bring out shape

Best Bets:
Andromeda looks great in the 24" telescope, and we show it whenever it is available, so we don't get much practice with many other available galaxies. Hopefully we can build up a better repertoire and add to the "best bets" group...

Galaxy

Group

Constellation

Availability by month

Mag.

Dist.
(ly)

Diam
(ly)

Shape

M31

Local

Andromeda

3.4

2,900,000

250,000

Spiral (Sb)

M32

Local

Andromeda

8.1

2,900,000

8,000

Elliptical (E2)

M51
("Whirlpool")

M51 Group

Canes Venatici

8.4

37,000,000

Spiral (Sc)

M81

M81 group

Ursa Major

6.9

12,000,000

Spiral (Sb)

More galaxies to try...

Galaxy	Group	Constellation	Availability by month												Mag.	Dist. (ly)	Diam (ly)	Shape
Galaxy	Group	Constellation	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D	Mag.	Dist. (ly)	Diam (ly)	Shape
M110	Local	Andromeda	X	-	-	-	-	-	X	X	X	X	X	X	8.5	2,900,000	?	Elliptical (E6p)
M33 ("Pinwheel")	Local	Triangulum	X	X	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	X	X	X	5.7	3,000,000	60,000	Spiral (Sc)
M82	M81 group	Ursa Major	-	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	8.4	12,000,000	?	Spiral (Ir-II)
M83	M83 group	Hydra	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	7.6	15,000,000	?	Spiral (SABc)
M94	M94 group	Canes Venatici	-	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	-	8.2	14,500,000	?	Spiral (Sb)
M64 ("Blackeye")	M94 group	Coma Berenices	-	-	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	-	-	8.5	19,000,000	51,000	Spiral (Sb)
M106	Ursa Major Cloud (?)	Canes Venatici	-	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	-	8.4	25,000,000	?	Spiral (Sb)
M101 ("Pinwheel")	M101 group	Ursa Major	-	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	7.9	27,000,000	170,000	Spiral (Sc)
M65	Leo Triplet	Leo	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	-	-	9.3	35,000,000	?	Spiral (Sa)
M66	Leo Triplet	Leo	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	-	-	8.9	35,000,000	65,000	Spiral (Sb)
M74	?	Pisces	X	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	X	X	X	X	9.4	35,000,000	95,000	Spiral (Sc)
M63 ("Sunflower")	M51 group	Canes Venatici	-	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	-	8.6	37,000,000	?	Spiral (Sb)
M95	Leo I group	Leo	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	-	-	9.7	38,000,000	?	Spiral (SBb)
M96	Leo I group	Leo	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	-	-	9.2	38,000,000	100,000	Spiral (Sa)
M105	Leo I group	Leo	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	-	-	9.3	38,000,000	?	Elliptical (E1)
NGC 5866 (M102?) ("Spindle")	NGC 5866 group	Draco	-	-	-	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	-	9.9	40,000,000	60,000	Lenticular (S0)
M108	?	Ursa Major	-	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	10.0	45,000,000	?	Spiral (Sc)
M104 ("Sombrero")	?	Virgo	-	-	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	-	-	8.0	50,000,000	?	Spiral (Sa)
M109		Ursa Major	-	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	9.8	55,000,000	?	Spiral (SBc)
M49	Virgo Cluster	Virgo	-	-	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	-	-	8.4	60,000,000	160,000	Elliptical (E4)
M58	Virgo Cluster	Virgo	-	-	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	-	-	9.7	60,000,000	61,000	Barred spiral (SBc)
M59	Virgo Cluster	Virgo	-	-	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	-	-	9.6	60,000,000	90,000	Elliptical (E5)
M60	Virgo Cluster	Virgo	-	-	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	-	-	8.8	60,000,000	120,000	Elliptical (E2)
M61	Virgo Cluster	Virgo	-	-	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	-	-	9.7	60,000,000	100,000	Spiral (SABbc)
M84	Virgo Cluster	Virgo	-	-	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	-	-	9.1	60,000,000	?	Lenticular (S0)
M85	Virgo Cluster	Virgo	-	-	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	-	-	9.1	60,000,000	125,000	Lenticular (S0)
M86	Virgo Cluster	Virgo	-	-	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	-	-	8.9	60,000,000	?	Lenticular (S0)
M87	Virgo Cluster	Virgo	-	-	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	-	-	8.6	60,000,000	120,000	Elliptical (E1)
M88	Virgo Cluster	Coma Berenices	-	-	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	-	-	9.6	60,000,000	130,000	Spiral (Sc)
M89	Virgo Cluster	Virgo	-	-	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	-	-	9.8	60,000,000	?	Elliptical (E0)
M90	Virgo Cluster	Virgo	-	-	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	-	-	9.5	60,000,000	?	Spiral (Sb)
M91	Virgo Cluster	Virgo	-	-	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	-	-	10.2	60,000,000	?	Spiral (SBb)
M98	Virgo Cluster	Coma Berenices	-	-	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	-	-	10.1	60,000,000	?	Spiral (Sb)
M99	Virgo Cluster	Coma Berenices	-	-	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	-	-	9.9	60,000,000	?	Spiral (Sc)
M100	Virgo Cluster	Coma Berenices	-	-	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	-	-	9.3	60,000,000	?	Spiral (Sc)
M77	?	Cetus	X	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	X	X	X	8.9	60,000,000	61,000	Spiral (Sb)

Data sources:

SEDS "Messier Object" website: www.seds.org/messier/

Sky and Telescope Messier Card, 1997

Watson, Brent. Finder Charts of the Messier Objects, 1993

(Monthly availability determined from star charts in Rey, The Stars: a New Way to See Them and at Heavens-Above.com)