Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Pisces (Psc)  ·  Contains:  M 74  ·  NGC 628
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M74 The Phantom Galaxy, Randal Healey
M74 The Phantom Galaxy
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M74 The Phantom Galaxy

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M74 The Phantom Galaxy, Randal Healey
M74 The Phantom Galaxy
Powered byPixInsight

M74 The Phantom Galaxy

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Description

Messier 74 (M74), nicknamed the Phantom Galaxy, is a grand design spiral galaxy located in the constellation Pisces. The galaxy appears face-on and lies at an approximate distance of 30 million light years from Earth.

It has two clearly defined spiral arms and its face-on orientation and large apparent size make it a frequent target for astronomers looking to study spiral arm structure. The spiral arms, which extend for about 1,000 light years, contain clusters of young blue stars and many starforming nebulae. The galaxy is receding from us at 793 km/s.

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M74 The Phantom Galaxy, Randal Healey