M74 (NGC 628)
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M74.
Image courtesy Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes
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A conspicuous spiral galaxy in the constellation Pisces. M74 is a classic "grand-design" Sc galaxy (see galaxy classification) seen almost exactly face-on. Its spiral arms, some 1,000 light-years broad, are traced with clusters of young blue stars and pinkish colored diffuse gaseous nebulae (H II regions). These arms reach out to cover a region more than 10 minutes of arc in diameter, corresponding to roughly 95,000 light years, or about the same size as our Milky Way Galaxy.
| visual magnitude |
10.2 |
| angular size |
10.5' × 9.5' |
| distance |
32 million light-years |
| recession velocity |
793 km/s |
| position |
R.A. 01h 37m, Dec. +15° 47' |
Related categories
GALAXIES
MESSIER CATALOGUE, ALL OBJECTS
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