Sections

Catalogues

Proper Names	Black Eye Galaxy, Sleeping Beauty Galaxy
Messier Number	M64
NGC/IC Number	NGC 4826
Constellation	Coma Berenices
Right Ascension	12h 56m 52s
Declination	+21° 40' 03"
Distance	c.19,000,000 light years c.6,000,000 parsecs
Magnitude	Apparent: +8.5
Mean Diameter	Apparent: 9.3' Actual: c.65,000 light years
Hubble Type	Spiral class b
Optimum Visibility	March

The unusual spiral Black Eye Galaxy, marked with a central cloud of dark dust, lies in in Coma Berenices. Neither it nor the nearby cluster M53 are visible to the naked eye.

A spiral galaxy somewhat smaller than our own Milky Way. It takes its name from a characteristic 'shadow' of dust in its central regions.

v2.1