Galaxy · Barred spiral
M66
M66 is a galaxy in the direction of the constellation Leo, 34.9 million light-years away.
| Type | Barred spiral |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Leo |
| Distance | 34.9 million light-years (10.70 Mpc) |
| Diameter | 94,600 light-years · 1.1 × the Milky Way |
| Absolute magnitude | magnitude −21.30 |
| Apparent magnitude | magnitude 8.85 |
| Luminosity | 1.4 × the Milky Way |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 11h 20m 15.1s |
| Declination (J2000) | +12° 59′ 28″ |
| Source | Compiled catalogue (NED, approximate values) |
In the sky
Too faint for the naked eye (magnitude 8.85); binoculars will find it. Visible from the whole Northern Hemisphere and south to latitude 77° S. North of latitude 77° N it never sets. 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 35 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 619.1 billion years.