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Sky-Tonight.com / Nebulae / M86
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Observation Settings

Or select it on the map:
This Earth map fragment is intended to illustrate celestial motion across the sky, emphasizing both bearing and elevational perspectives. The map's center point corresponds to the transit, showcasing celestial objects at their highest point, while elevation gradually decreases towards the map edges. This dynamic representation offers insights into the changing positions of celestial bodies with a focus on their bearing and elevational trajectories.
Your location: Columbus, United States
Timezone:
Latitude:
39.9625
Longitude:
-83.0061

M86 Observation Details

M86

M86 Daily Motion


M86 will be visible until July, 22, 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.

M86 Visibility Timetable on May 28

M86 Rise and Set Timetable

TimeElevation
Moon Rise, 0.3% illuminated06:03-17°
M86 rise14:51
Sunset20:4961°
Civil sunset21:2363°
M86 transit21:3463°
Moon Set22:1262°
Astrosession begin22:4858°
Astrosession end04:101°
M86 set04:18

Track M86 Position Throughout the Night

← Wed, 28 May 2025 →

Elevation (degrees)
Time
Altitude
Azimuth
Shift the map to change the time and observe M86 changing position in the night sky.

M86 - Lenticular Galaxy

M86 is a lenticular galaxy located in the constellation Virgo. It was discovered by Charles Messier in 1781. M86 is part of the Virgo Cluster of galaxies and is known for its bright core and lack of spiral arms.

M86 spans about 120,000 light-years across and contains a massive population of old stars. The galaxy is approximately 52 million light-years away from Earth and has an apparent magnitude of 9.2, making it visible with a small telescope.

M86 Image Gallery

DSS Blue

M86 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

M86 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

M86 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

M86 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 M86

Double-click to unlock the map.
Object nameM86
Field of view
Limiting magnitude
M86 coordinates12.43659, 12.94622
Center coordinates12.43659, 12.94622

M86 Passage Through Night

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Current position of M86

Time13:37
Latitude39.9625
Longitude-83.0061
M86 elevation-13°
M86 Azimuth-60°
Here you can see the current position of the M86 on the map, as well as its positions for rise and set. This tool allows you to track the M86's movement throughout the night, providing you with accurate and up-to-date information.

Annual motion of M86

Time
DateWed, 28 May 2025
Twighlight start22:43
Twighlight end04:05
Twighlight duration5h 21m
Rise14:47
Set04:14
Elevation at transit63°
Transit time21:30
Equatorial coordinatesRA: 12h 26m 11s", Dec: 12° 56' 46s
Magnitude9
ConstellationVirgo
The graph illustrates the annual visibility pattern of a M86, 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 M86 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.