Galaxy in Ursa Major
This spiral galaxy, viewed nearly edge on, is quite easy to locate. It is about 1 degree southeast of Merak, the lower of the two pointer stars in the bowl of the Big Dipper. If you then move your telescope another degree in same direction, you will arrive at the well-known Owl Nebula, Messier 97.
The elongated shape of this galaxy can be seen with almost any telescope, and with a scope of large aperture, many irregular patches of bright and dark can be seen.
| Magnitude | 10.0 |
| Apparent Size | 8.7' x 2.2' |
| Distance (light yrs) | 32 million |
| Right Ascension | 11:11.5 |
| Declination | +55 40 |
| Field of View | 35' x 26' |
Image details: Exposure times of 60 minutes luminance and 30 minutes each of red, green and blue, taken with an SBIG ST-8300M imager and a 12" Meade telescope at f/5.6.
May 2013