Celestial hemisphere:  Southern  ·  Constellation: Hydra (Hya)  ·  Contains:  HD118072  ·  HD118103  ·  HD118146  ·  HD118189  ·  HD118211  ·  HD118268  ·  HD118332  ·  HD118333  ·  HD118378  ·  HD118416  ·  HD118463  ·  HD118600  ·  HD118646  ·  HD118693  ·  HD118711  ·  M 83  ·  NGC 5236  ·  Southern Pinwheel Galaxy
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M83, Kirby Collins
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M83

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M83, Kirby Collins
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M83

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Description

Spiral galaxy M83 in Hydra is sometimes called the "Southern Pinwheel."  Discovered by Nicholas de Lacaille in 1752 while observing from the Cape of Good Hope, it is one of the brighter galaxies in the sky, but with a declination of -30 degrees it doesn't rise far above the horizon for northern observers.

M83 is about 15 million light years away, and is marked by its relatively high frequency of supernovae.  Hubble images reveal "bubbles" left behind by these violent events.

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M83, Kirby Collins