Messier 83

This article is about the galaxy. For the band, see M83 (band).

Messier 83
Messier 83 captured by the Wide Field Imager at ESO's La Silla Observatory in September 2008
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
ConstellationHydra
Right ascension13h 37m 00.919s[1]
Declination−29° 51′ 56.74″[1]
Redshift0.001721±0.000013[2]
Heliocentric radial velocity508 km/s[3]
Distance14.7 Mly (4.50 Mpc)[3]
Apparent magnitude (V)7.6[4]
Characteristics
TypeSAB(s)c[2]
Size36.24 kiloparsecs (118,000 light-years)
(diameter; 26.0 mag/arcsec2 B-band isophote)[2]
Apparent size (V)12′.9 × 11′.5[5]
Other designations
Southern Pinwheel Galaxy, ESO 444- G 081, IRAS 13341-2936, NGC 5236, UGCA 366, MCG -05-32-050, PGC 48082[6]

Messier 83 or M83, also known as the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy and NGC 5236, is a barred spiral galaxy[7] approximately 15 million light-years away in the constellation borders of Hydra and Centaurus. Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille discovered M83 on 17 February 1752 at the Cape of Good Hope.[8] Charles Messier added it to his catalogue of nebulous objects (now known as the Messier Catalogue) in March 1781.[8]

It is one of the closest and brightest barred spiral galaxies in the sky, and is visible with binoculars.[9] It has an isophotal diameter at about 36.24 kiloparsecs (118,000 light-years). Its nickname of the Southern[a] Pinwheel derives from its resemblance to the Pinwheel Galaxy (M101).

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Skrutskie2006 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference vaucoulerus1991 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Tully2016 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Messier 83". SEDS Messier Catalog. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference ned was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference simbad was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference WISE was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference jones1991 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference mo was invoked but never defined (see the help page).


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