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Croc's Eye Galaxy (M94)

Also known as M94 · M 94 · Croc's Eye Galaxy · NGC 4736

Croc's Eye Galaxy (M94) is a galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici, about 15.2 million light-years from Earth.

Croc's Eye Galaxy (M94): a sky-survey photograph of its field
Sky survey view (DSS2 colour, or a backup survey)

Facts

TypeGalaxy (shape S_AB)
ConstellationCanes Venatici
Position (J2000)12h 50m 53s, +41° 07′
Distance15.2 million light-years (its light set off about 15.2 million years ago)
Brightnessmagnitude 8.24 (smaller is brighter; the faintest stars the eye sees are about 6)
Size on the sky7′ × 5.9′ (the full Moon is about 31′)
FilterNo filter (It shines in starlight of every colour, so a nebula filter would only dim it; a dark sky helps more.)
Studied in1,491 scientific papers (SIMBAD)

When and how to see it

Croc's Eye Galaxy (M94) is highest in the sky at midnight in April. From India (about 20° N) it climbs to about 69° above the horizon; from 50° N, to about 81°. To see it you need binoculars.

Heights are worked out for India and for 50° N. Set your location in Settings to see them for where you are.

For tonight's best time from your own town, the darkness and the Moon, open it on the map and see its "Tonight from your location" card.

Everything in Canes Venatici · All 88 constellations · All sky objects

Data: SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg; the site's weekly copy) · OpenNGC · Data sources & credits