Surfboard Galaxy
Galaxy

Surfboard Galaxy

M 108 · Ursa Major
These photons are ~46 million years old
UV/IR
Date
2026-03-18
Location
53.5481° N, 1.4616° W
Integration
3m (19 × 10s)
Software
ZWO Seestar app
Notes
—
Plate solve
Centre RA
11h 09m 07.6s
Centre Dec
+55° 46′ 24″
Field
42.8′ × 76.0′
Pixel scale
1.19″/px
Orientation
87.7° E of N
TelescopeZWO Seestar S50
CameraZWO Seestar S50 Camera
RigFamily Holiday Rig
Captured from · United Kingdom
53.5481° N, 1.4616° W · open map ↗

Where to find it

Interactive sky chart centred on 11 09 07.6 +55 46 24, 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).

An elongated, irregular edge-on galaxy with patchy clumps of dust and star formation along its disc. Often framed with the Owl Nebula M97 in the same field — an unusual and striking combination of object types.

Frequently asked questions

What kind of object is M 108?
M 108 is a galaxy.
Which constellation is M 108 in?
M 108 lies in the constellation Ursa Major.
How far away is M 108?
The light in this image left M 108 roughly ~46 million years ago, so that is how far back in time you are seeing it.
What are the coordinates of M 108?
M 108 sits at right ascension 11h 09m 08s and declination +55° 46′ 24″ (J2000).
When is the best time to photograph M 108?
M 108 is circumpolar from around 54°N — it never sets, and rides highest (about 88° altitude) on evenings around March.
What equipment was used to photograph M 108?
This image of M 108 was captured with ZWO Seestar S50 and ZWO Seestar S50 Camera.
How much exposure time went into this image?
This image of M 108 represents 3m (19 × 10s) of total integration time.