Spiral galaxy · Ursa Major

M101 Pinwheel Galaxy

Also known as: NGC 5457

mag 7.729′ across

About

M101, the Pinwheel Galaxy, is a spiral galaxy of magnitude 7.7 in Ursa Major, about 29′ across.

M101 is in the constellation Ursa Major.
Best evenings: around early June it is highest at about 9 pm (10 pm in summer time); a month earlier, two hours later.
Where on Earth: it is seen well, at least 10° up, from north of 26° S.
Big Dipper: A big, faint face-on spiral that makes a triangle with Mizar and Alkaid; a dark sky.

When it rises and sets tonight, how high it climbs and how much the Moon gets in the way are worked out in your browser for your place.

EyesNot visible to the naked eye.
Binoculars (10×50)A faint round glow from a dark site.
Telescope (6–8 inch)A large, faint glow around a small core; its low surface brightness makes it hard from towns.

For a dark country sky with no Moon. From a city, faint galaxies and nebulae can disappear completely.

Designations	M101, NGC 5457, PGC 50063, UGC 8981
Type	Spiral galaxy (SABc)
Magnitude	7.7The smaller the number, the brighter.
Apparent size	29′ × 28′the full Moon is 31′ across
Surface brightness	24.0 mag/arcsec²Average over its disc, in the blue band: the lower the number, the easier it is to see.
Constellation	Ursa Major
Right ascension (J2000)	14h 03m 12.6s
Declination (J2000)	+54° 20′ 56″