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Galaxy

Messier 61

Also M61 · NGC 4303

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A face-on barred spiral galaxy in the Virgo Cluster.

Measured

Distance
about 53.8 million light-years (published estimates 49.6 million–78.9 million)
Size
about 96,000 light-years across (approximate)
Constellation
Virgo
Position (J2000)
RA 12h 21m 55s, Dec +4.47°

How far, from the Sun

About 53.8 million light-years. To cross it:

  • Light53.8 million years
  • Voyager 1's speed956 billion years
  • Driving at 100 km/h581 trillion years

Voyager 1 at the speed it moved outward over the year to 2026-10-25 (JPL Horizons). Driving: nonstop, never refuelling.

Facts

  • It has hosted several supernovae seen from Earth.
  • It is moving away from us at about 1,570 km/s (NASA/IPAC NED).

Where this comes from

  • 16.5 Mpc as listed by ATLAS3D (Cappellari et al. 2011, MNRAS 413, 813); published estimates 15.2–24.2 Mpc
  • This research has made use of the SIMBAD database, CDS, Strasbourg, France (Wenger et al. 2000, A&AS 143, 9).
  • This research has made use of the VizieR catalogue access tool, CDS, Strasbourg, France (DOI: 10.26093/cds/vizier).

Every catalogue Ouranos draws is credited on the credits page.