Southern Pinwheel Galaxy (M83)

   The Southern Pinwheel Galaxy, or M83, is a face-on spiral galaxy in constellation Hydra (The Water Snake)
located in the low-southern horizon as viewed from Southern California.  This location results in a thick
dense atmosphere layer requiring near perfect nights for capturing by photograph.  M83 was discovered by
Nicholas Louis de Lacaille at the Cape of Good Hope in 1752 and was the third galaxy discovered after
M31 and M32, and also the first galaxy discovered outside the Local Group.  It was added to the Messier
Catalog in 1781 and is 16 million light years away.


   The Southern Pinwheel Galaxy was photographed from Southern California where there are thick atmospheric layers due
to the galaxy's low position in the southern horizon.  The faint band of light in the background is a symptom of thick
atmospheric conditions causing light scattering.

{  Photo:  R Lang & Associates }