Messier 95 is an impressive barred spiral galaxy characterized by its tightly wound spiral arms, which contain regions of intense star formation. The galaxy features a bright central bulge and a prominent dust lane running through its disk, giving it a striking appearance in telescopic views. It is part of the M96 Group, a small galaxy group that also includes Messier 96 and Messier 105. Messier 95 was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1781 and catalogued by Charles Messier four days later.
Names and Catalog numbers
- Messier 95
- NGC 3351
- UGC 5850
Position and the cosmic neighborhood
Messier 95 can be found in the southeastern part of Leo, near the border with the neighboring constellation of Leo Minor. Its coordinates in the night sky are approximately right ascension 10h 44m and declination +11° 42′. The cosmic neighborhood of Messier 95 includes several other galaxies, as it is part of the M96 Group, which consists of several galaxies, including the prominent galaxies Messier 96 and Messier 105, along with several smaller dwarf galaxies.
Nice to Know
1. Messier 95 has a ring-shaped, circumnuclear star-forming region with a diameter of approximately 70,000 light-years.
2. The galaxy’s ring structure contains about 3.5×10^8^ solar masses of molecular gas and yields a star formation rate of 0.38 solar masses per year.
3. In 2012, a Type II supernova (SN 2012aw) was discovered in Messier 95, classified as a Type II-P or “plateau” core-collapse supernova.
4. Messier 95 is one of the faintest objects in the Messier Catalog, making it a challenging target for astrophotographers.
Brightness, distance and size
Messier 95 has an apparent magnitude of around 9.7, making it visible with binoculars or small telescopes under dark skies. The galaxy is located at a distance of approximately 33 million light-years from Earth. Messier 95 spans about 70,000 light-years in diameter, representing the extent of its spiral arms, central bulge, and associated stellar populations. In terms of angular size, it subtends an angle of approximately 3×3 arcminutes in the sky, indicating its apparent size when viewed from Earth.
