M83 – The Southern Pinwheel Galaxy
Imaged while battling a waxing moon, storm fronts and forrestry burn offs, this is my first go at M83 with the Big Boy scope !
M83 29 April 2020
First attempt at M83 from the new house in Lesmurdie
M83
The Southern Pinwheel Galaxy
Located in the constellation of Hydra between Hydra’s tail and the head of Centaurus, M83 is one of the prime targets during the southern hemisphere’s Autumn. At Perth’s Latitude (-31), it is near Zenith around midnight in early to mid May. Discovered in 1752 by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille during his observations at the Cape of Good Hope, it was added to the Messier Catalogue in 1781.
M83 is a grand design spiral galaxy and at a distance of just under 15 million light years and apparent size of 12′.9×11′.5 it is one of the closest and brightest galaxies in the night sky.
RA: 13h 37m 00.919s
Dec: -29 51′ 56.74″
AM: 7.54