Messier 61[1] | |
---|---|
Observation data (J2000 epoch) | |
Constellation | Virgo |
Right ascension | 12h 21m 54.9s[3] |
Declination | +04° 28′ 25″[3] |
Redshift | 0.005224±0.000007[3] |
Heliocentric radial velocity | 1566±2 km/s[3] |
Galactocentric velocity | 1483±4 km/s[3] |
Distance | 52.5 ± 2.3 Mly (16.10 ± 0.71 Mpc) |
Apparent magnitude (V) | 9.7[4] |
Characteristics | |
Type | SAB(rs)bc,[3] HIISy2[3] |
Apparent size (V) | 6.5 × 5.8 arcmin[3] |
Other designations | |
NGC 4303,[3] UGC 07420,[3] PGC 040001,[3] MCG +01-32-022,[3] GC 2878 | |
References: SIMBAD: Search M61 |
Messier 61 (also known as M61, NGC 4303, or the Swelling Spiral Galaxy) is an intermediate barred spiral galaxy in the Virgo Cluster of galaxies. It was first discovered by Barnaba Oriani on May 5, 1779, six days before Charles Messier discovered the same galaxy. Messier had observed it on the same night as Oriani but had mistaken it for a comet.[5] Its distance has been estimated to be 45.61 million light years from the Milky Way Galaxy. It is a member of the M61 Group of galaxies, which is a member of the Virgo II Groups, a series of galaxies and galaxy clusters strung out from the southern edge of the Virgo Supercluster.[6]