M83 (NGC 5236) - Southern Pinwheel Galaxy
Messier 83 (NGC 5236), also known as the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy, is a barred spiral galaxy located in the constellation Hydra in the Centaurus A Group of galaxies. M83 is 14,700,000 light years away from Earth.
M83 is best viewed during mid-summer, is magnitude 7.5, and can be viewed with binoculars. M83 is 13' x 11.5' in apparent size. For reference, the full moon is 30' (arc minutes) in size.
- Name:
- Southern Pinwheel Galaxy
- Type:
- barred spiral galaxy
- Constellation:
- Hydra
- NGC or IC:
- NGC 5236
- Magnitude:
- 7.5
- Viewing:
- binoculars
- Size:
- 13' x 11.5'
- Distance (light years):
- 14,700,000 LY
- RA:
- 13h 37.1m
- Dec:
- -29 52'
- Season:
- mid-summer
- Galaxy group:
- Centaurus A Group
- Messier Marathon #:
- 67
* The naked eye can see up to magnitude 8 objects under ideal dark sky conditions.