Galaxy · Barred spiral
M61
M61 is a galaxy in the direction of the constellation Virgo, 52.2 million light-years away.
| Type | Barred spiral |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Virgo |
| Distance | 52.2 million light-years (16.00 Mpc) |
| Diameter | 97,800 light-years · 1.1 × the Milky Way |
| Absolute magnitude | magnitude −21.30 |
| Apparent magnitude | magnitude 9.72 |
| Luminosity | 1.4 × the Milky Way |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 12h 21m 55.0s |
| Declination (J2000) | +4° 28′ 26″ |
| Source | Compiled catalogue (NED, approximate values) |
In the sky
A telescope is needed to see it: its apparent magnitude is 9.72. Visible from the whole Northern Hemisphere and south to latitude 86° S. It stands highest at midnight in March, the best time to observe it.
Through a telescope from Earth
Light's journey
The light you see tonight set out 52 million years ago. At that time the dinosaurs were gone and mammals were diversifying; there was no human lineage yet. At the speed of Voyager 1, the fastest craft leaving the Solar System (16.9 km per second), the trip would take 925.7 billion years.