Spiral galaxy · Canes Venatici

M63 Sunflower Galaxy

Also known as: NGC 5055

mag 8.613′ across

About

M63, the Sunflower Galaxy, is a spiral galaxy of magnitude 8.6 in Canes Venatici, about 13′ across.

M63 is in the constellation Canes Venatici.
Best evenings: around late 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 38° 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 faint smudge, only from a dark site.
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	M63, NGC 5055, PGC 46153, UGC 8334
Type	Spiral galaxy (Sbc)
Magnitude	8.6The smaller the number, the brighter.
Apparent size	13′ × 7.9′position angle 103°; the full Moon is 31′ across
Surface brightness	23.0 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)	13h 15m 49.3s
Declination (J2000)	+42° 01′ 45″