Messier 77

Messier 77 (M77) is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Cetus, with an apparent magnitude of 8.9. It is about 52.8 million light-years away.

Free to use with credit: Atlas of the Sky (constellationmap.org), CC BY 4.0 · More

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<a href="https://constellationmap.org/messier/m77/"><img src="https://constellationmap.org/img/messier/m77-finder-chart.png" alt="Finder chart for Messier 77 in the constellation Cetus" width="800" height="800" loading="lazy"></a>
<br><small><a href="https://constellationmap.org/messier/m77/">Messier 77</a> · Atlas of the Sky (constellationmap.org), <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY 4.0</a></small>

Facts

Catalog	Messier 77 (M77)
Type	spiral galaxy
Constellation	Cetus
Apparent magnitude	8.9
Distance	about 52.8 million light-years
Right ascension	2 h 42.7 min
Declination	−0.01°
Best month	December (at about 9 pm)

Sources: star positions, magnitudes and colors from the Yale Bright Star Catalogue; constellation boundaries and star names from the IAU; areas and distances from Wikidata; stick figures by M. van der Sluys. How the maps are made.

How to find M77

M77 is in Cetus. From 40° N it is highest in the south in December evenings, about 50° up. From 35° S it reaches about 55° in the north. You need a telescope and a dark sky to see it.

Cetus constellation →

The Messier catalog →

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Messier 77

Facts

How to find M77

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