M83

From South Dublin Astronomical Society

M83
Type	Spiral Galaxy
NGC	NGC 5236
Constellation	Hydra
Right Ascension	13h 37m
Declination	-29° 52'
Magnitude	8
Size	11 x 10 arc min.
Image:M83 messier image.jpg

Astronomers have often suggested that our view of M83 most closely represents what our Milky Way would look like if seen from the same perspective. Detailed photographs show the galaxy trailing beautifully defined spiral arms peppered with the pink-red glow of star formation regions. Hot blue-white stars stud the disk while the nucleus glows with the yellow light of ancient suns. The galaxy is difficult enough to locate because of lack of suitably bright reference stars to star hop from. Taking Gamma Hydrae as point, look almost eight degrees to the southeast and you should find a large oval patch of light which is about all you’ll really see of the galaxy in binoculars. A magnitude 5.8 star is off it’s northeastern edge. M83 is 15 million light years distant.