Pinwheel Galaxy
Galaxy

Pinwheel Galaxy

M 101 · Ursa Major
These photons are ~20.9 million years old
UV/IR
Date
2026-03-11
Location
54.4356° N, 0.7665° W
Integration
9m (54 × 10s)
Software
ZWO Seestar app
Notes
—
Plate solve
Centre RA
14h 01m 54.8s
Centre Dec
+54° 29′ 59″
Field
42.8′ × 76.1′
Pixel scale
1.19″/px
Orientation
127.8° E of N
TelescopeZWO Seestar S50
CameraZWO Seestar S50 Camera
RigFamily Holiday Rig
Captured from · United Kingdom
54.4356° N, 0.7665° W · open map ↗

Where to find it

Interactive sky chart centred on 14 01 54.8 +54 29 59, with constellation stick figures overlaid. Locate shows the whole constellation with the target ringed; Field zooms to the close-up. Drag to pan, scroll to zoom, click any star to identify it. Imagery: DSS colour survey via CDS Aladin Lite. Constellation figures © Dominic Ford (GPLv3).

A large, nearly face-on spiral with asymmetric arms peppered with pink HII regions. The asymmetry is attributed to gravitational interaction with its satellite galaxies. Very low surface brightness — long integration needed to bring out the outer arms and companion galaxies.

Frequently asked questions

What kind of object is M 101?
M 101 is a galaxy.
Which constellation is M 101 in?
M 101 lies in the constellation Ursa Major.
How far away is M 101?
The light in this image left M 101 roughly ~20.9 million years ago, so that is how far back in time you are seeing it.
What are the coordinates of M 101?
M 101 sits at right ascension 14h 01m 55s and declination +54° 29′ 59″ (J2000).
When is the best time to photograph M 101?
M 101 is circumpolar from around 54°N — it never sets, and rides highest (about 89° altitude) on evenings around April.
What equipment was used to photograph M 101?
This image of M 101 was captured with ZWO Seestar S50 and ZWO Seestar S50 Camera.
How much exposure time went into this image?
This image of M 101 represents 9m (54 × 10s) of total integration time.