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Credit & Copyright: Robert Gendler and
Stephane Guisard
Explanation:
M83 is one of
the closest and brightest
spiral galaxies on
the sky.
Visible with binoculars in the constellation of
Hydra, majestic spiral arms
have prompted its nickname as the Southern Pinwheel.
Although discovered 250 years ago,
only
much later was it appreciated that
M83 was not a nearby gas cloud, but a
barred
spiral galaxy much like our own
Milky Way Galaxy.
M83, pictured above, is a prominent member
of a group of galaxies that includes
Centaurus A and
NGC 5253, all of which lie about 15 million
light years distant.
Several bright supernova explosions
have been recorded in M83.
An intriguing double
circumnuclear ring has been discovered
at the center of M83.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: M 83 - spiral galaxy
Publications with words: M 83 - spiral galaxy
See also:
- APOD: 2025 September 4 Á NGC 4565: Galaxy on Edge
- APOD: 2025 August 28 Á Galaxies, Stars, and Dust
- APOD: 2025 August 22 Á A Tale of Two Nebulae
- APOD: 2025 August 19 Á Giant Galaxies in Pavo
- APOD: 2025 August 18 Á NGC 1309: A Useful Spiral Galaxy
- APOD: 2025 July 4 Á NGC 6946 and NGC 6939
- APOD: 2025 June 30 Á NGC 4651: The Umbrella Galaxy