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Sky-Tonight.com / Nebulae / M101

M101 Observation Details

M101

M101 Daily Motion

M101 is circumpolar, never setting below the horizon and always visible in the night sky from your location. However, it will change its position significantly, moving 71 degrees over time. You can find the best times to observe M101, when it reaches its highest elevation, in the annual motion section.
M101 will be visible until October, 17, 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.

M101 Visibility Timetable on September 08

M101 Rise and Set Timetable

TimeElevation
M101 is always above the horizon
M101 transit14:0173°
Sunset17:2552°
Moon Rise, 99.8% illuminated17:3350°
Civil sunset17:5348°
Astrosession begin18:5638°
M101 is always above the horizon
Astrosession end03:143°
Civil sunrise04:186°
Sunrise04:458°
Moon Set05:4614°

Track M101 Position Throughout the Night

← Mon, 8 September 2025 →

Elevation (degrees)
Time
Altitude
Azimuth
Shift the map to change the time and observe M101 changing position in the night sky.

Where is M101 right now?

M101 is located in the constellation Ursa Major, at right ascension 14h 03m 12s" and declination 54° 20' 56s. Although it is currently above the horizon at an altitude of 51 degrees, M101 is not visible because it is daytime.

M101 - Pinwheel Galaxy

The Pinwheel Galaxy (M101) is a spiral galaxy located in the constellation Ursa Major. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1781 and later cataloged by Charles Messier. M101 is known for its large size, well-defined spiral arms, and high surface brightness.

M101 spans about 170,000 light-years across and contains a massive population of stars, gas, and dust. The galaxy is approximately 21 million light-years away from Earth and has an apparent magnitude of 7.9, making it visible with binoculars or a small telescope.

M101 Image Gallery

DSS Blue

M101 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

M101 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

M101 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

M101 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 M101

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Object nameM101
Field of view
Limiting magnitude
M101 coordinates14.05348, 54.34894
Center coordinates14.05348, 54.34894

M101 Passage Through Night

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Current position of M101

Time10:36
Latitude37.3541
Longitude-121.955
M101 elevation51°
M101 Azimuth-47°
Here you can see the current position of the M101 on the map, as well as its positions for rise and set. This tool allows you to track the M101's movement throughout the night, providing you with accurate and up-to-date information.

Annual motion of M101

Time
DateMon, 8 September 2025
Twighlight start18:52
Twighlight end03:08
Twighlight duration8h 16m
RiseM101 is always up
SetM101 is always up
Elevation at transit73°
Transit time13:58
Equatorial coordinatesRA: 14h 03m 12s", Dec: 54° 20' 56s
Magnitude8
ConstellationUrsa Major
The graph illustrates the annual visibility pattern of a M101, 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 M101 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.

Astrometric & Physical Parameters of M101

Coordinates & Visibility

Right Ascension14.05348°
Declination54.34894°
Magnitude7.90
ConstellationUrsa Major
Elevation51.4°
Azimuth-47°

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.