Bode's Galaxy
2026-03-21
| Names | Bode's Galaxy, Messier 81, NGC 3031 |
|---|---|
| Magnitude | 6.94 |
| Size | 21.63' x 11.25' |
| Ra | 09h 57m45.4s |
| Dec | +68°56'34.0" |
Bode's Galaxy is a grand design spiral galaxy about 12 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major. It has a D25 isophotal diameter of 29.44 kiloparsecs (96,000 light-years). Because of its relative proximity to the Milky Way galaxy, large size, and active galactic nucleus (which harbors a 70 million M☉ supermassive black hole), Messier 81 has been studied extensively by professional astronomers. The galaxy's large size and relatively high brightness also makes it a popular target for amateur astronomers. In late February 2022, astronomers reported that M81 may be the source of FRB 20200120E, a repeating fast radio burst.1
Photo Details
| Telescope | Seestar S-50 |
| Dates | 2026-03-20, 2025-01-21 |
| Integration time | approx 2 hours 50 minutes |