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Sky-Tonight.com / Nebulae / M64

Black Eye Galaxy (M64) Observation Details

M64

M64 Daily Motion


M64 will be visible until August, 15, when it will move too close to the Sun. During this time, its proximity to the Sun will cause it to disappear from the night sky, making it unobservable for a while.

M64 Visibility Timetable on May 18

M64 Rise and Set Timetable

TimeElevation
M64 rise15:33
Sunset20:3458°
Civil sunset21:0563°
Astrosession begin22:2273°
M64 transit22:4374°
Moon Rise, 72.8% illuminated01:2252°
Astrosession end04:3215°
Civil sunrise05:491°
M64 set05:54
Moon Set11:05-30°

Track M64 Position Throughout the Night

← Sun, 18 May 2025 →

Elevation (degrees)
Time
Altitude
Azimuth
Shift the map to change the time and observe M64 changing position in the night sky.

M64 - Black Eye Galaxy

The Black Eye Galaxy (M64) is a spiral galaxy located in the constellation Coma Berenices. It was discovered by Edward Pigott in 1779 and later cataloged by Charles Messier. M64 is known for its dark dust lane that gives it the appearance of a black eye.

M64 spans about 54,000 light-years across and contains a massive population of stars, gas, and dust. The galaxy is approximately 24 million light-years away from Earth and has an apparent magnitude of 8.5, making it visible with binoculars or a small telescope.

M64 Image Gallery

DSS Blue

M64 photo taken with blue filter
These images are valuable for highlighting the presence of younger, hotter stars, which emit more light in the blue wavelengths.

DSS Red

M64 photo taken with red filter
These images are excellent for detecting older, cooler stars, as well as emission nebulae, which glow primarily in the red due to hydrogen alpha emissions.

DSS Near-Infrared

M64 photo taken with Near-Infrared filter
These images can penetrate dust clouds that obscure visible light, revealing structures and objects hidden within.

DSS Composite image

M64 color image
DSS Color images are composite images created by combining the blue, red, and often near-infrared images to produce a full-color representation.

The photos are taken from the Digitized Sky Survey 2 (DSS2), which was produced at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) under NASA contract, using data from the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), the European Southern Observatory (ESO), and the National Geographic Society-Palomar Observatory Sky Survey (POSS II).

Special thanks to the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO), the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, and the California Institute of Technology for their significant contributions.

Finder Chart for M64

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Object nameM64
Field of view
Limiting magnitude
M64 coordinates12.94546, 21.68297
Center coordinates12.94546, 21.68297

M64 Passage Through Night

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Current position of M64

Time23:09
Latitude37.751
Longitude-97.822
M64 elevation73°
M64 Azimuth159°
Here you can see the current position of the M64 on the map, as well as its positions for rise and set. This tool allows you to track the M64's movement throughout the night, providing you with accurate and up-to-date information.

Annual motion of M64

Time
DateMon, 19 May 2025
Twighlight start22:22
Twighlight end04:30
Twighlight duration6h 8m
Rise15:29
Set05:50
Elevation at transit74°
Transit time22:39
Equatorial coordinatesRA: 12h 56m 43s", Dec: 21° 40' 58s
Magnitude9
ConstellationComa Berenices
The graph illustrates the annual visibility pattern of a M64, providing a comprehensive overview of its daily appearances and transit times throughout the year.
The graph is structured with the vertical axis showing the hours of the day, ranging from 12 AM to 12 AM the next day, while the horizontal axis spans each day of the year.
The reddish shaded area indicates the periods when the M64 is above the horizon, visible to observers. The white line marks the times when the celestial object reaches its highest point in the sky each day, known as the transit.

Data Credits

The nebulae information on this page is sourced from the OpenNGC project, developed by Matteo Verga. OpenNGC provides detailed data on the NGC catalog, which is a valuable resource for exploring deep-sky objects such as nebulae.

For more details or to contribute to OpenNGC, visit the official GitHub repository: OpenNGC on GitHub.