Spiral galaxy · Canes Venatici

M106

Also known as: NGC 4258

mag 8.319′ across

About

M106 is a spiral galaxy of magnitude 8.3 in Canes Venatici, about 19′ across.

M106 is in the constellation Canes Venatici.
Best evenings: around mid-May 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 33° S.

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 misty oval with a brighter centre.
Telescope (6–8 inch)A bright core in a fainter halo. The spiral arms are hard to see without a camera, even from a dark site.

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

Designations	M106, NGC 4258, PGC 39600, UGC 7353
Type	Spiral galaxy (Sbc)
Magnitude	8.3The smaller the number, the brighter.
Apparent size	19′ × 8′position angle 150°; the full Moon is 31′ across
Surface brightness	23.4 mag/arcsec²Average over its disc, in the blue band: the lower the number, the easier it is to see.
Constellation	Canes Venatici
Right ascension (J2000)	12h 18m 57.5s
Declination (J2000)	+47° 18′ 14″