M83 is one of the closest spiral galaxies to our Milky Way Galaxy. M83 is about 15 million light-years away. At magnitude 7.5, it is also one of the brightest spiral galaxies in our sky, and can be seen with binoculars under favorable conditions. It is a member of a group of galaxies that includes Centaurus A and NGC 5253. Images of M83 taken by the Hubble Space Telescope reveal that M83 has an engeneric star-forming center. Images from the VLT Telescopes show that the galaxy likely has two nuclei. M83 was discovered by Lacaille in 1752. It is one of three objects in the Messier List in the constellation Hydra; the other two are M48 and M68. M83 is sometimes called the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy. It is one of the brightest galaxies in the southern sky.
This is a CCD image taken with an SBIG ST-8XE CCD on a Takahashi FCT-150 refractor at f7.
M83 (NGC 5236)
Constellation: Hydra
RA: 13h 37m 00s Dec: -29d 52' 02" (J2000)
Date April 7, 9 & 11, 2007
Image by Sid Leach
Scottsdale, Arizona
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