Galaxy
Southern Pinwheel Galaxy
Barred spiral galaxy · M83 · NGC 5236
Barred spiral galaxy in Hydra
Photo: (Credit) ESO · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Messier 83 or M83, also known as the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy and NGC 5236, is a barred spiral galaxy approximately 15 million light-years away from Earth in the constellation borders of Hydra and Centaurus. Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille discovered M83 on 17 February 1752 at the Cape of Good Hope. Charles Messier added it to his catalogue of nebulous objects in March 1781.
Description from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
In your sky
Share your location to see where this is in your sky right now.
Key facts
Distance
~14.7 million light-years
Apparent mag.
+7.6
Apparent size
12.9′ × 11.5′
Best seen with
Binoculars
Catalogue
M83 · NGC 5236
Did you know
- Listed as Messier 83 in the Messier catalogue, also known as NGC 5236.
- Found in the constellation Hydra.
- Within reach of ordinary binoculars under dark skies.
