Location settings
VA, US
39°/-77.5°
GMT -4
Waxing20:15 - 05:54
🔎
☰

M109: Rise, Set, Nighttime Path

M109

M109 Daily Motion

M109 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 73 degrees over time. You can find the best times to observe M109, when it reaches its highest elevation, in the annual motion section.
M109 will become visible in October, 4. After being too close to the Sun to observe, it will reappear in the night sky. Starting from October, 4, M109 can be seen again, providing a good opportunity for observation.

M109 Rise and Set Timetable

TimeElevation
M109 is always above the horizon
M109 transit13:2676°
Sunset19:1632°
Civil sunset19:4428°
Astrosession begin20:1524°
M109 is always above the horizon
Astrosession end05:5419°
Civil sunrise06:2523°
Sunrise06:5326°

M109 Sky Tracker Map

Elevation (degrees)
Time
Altitude
Azimuth
Shift the map to change the time and observe M109 changing position in the night sky.

M109 - Barred Spiral Galaxy

M109 is a barred spiral galaxy located in the constellation Ursa Major. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1781 and later cataloged by Charles Messier. M109 is known for its bright central bar and well-defined spiral arms.

M109 spans about 120,000 light-years across and contains a massive population of stars, gas, and dust. The galaxy is approximately 83 million light-years away from Earth and has an apparent magnitude of 9.8, making it visible with a small telescope.

M109 Image Gallery

DSS Blue

M109 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

M109 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

M109 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

M109 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 M109

Double-click to unlock the map.
Object nameM109
Field of view
Limiting magnitude
M109 coordinates11.95999, 53.37453
Center coordinates11.95999, 53.37453

M109 Passage Through Night

Double-click to unlock the map.

Current position of M109

Time19:12
Latitude39.0469
Longitude-77.4903
M109 elevation32°
M109 Azimuth45°
Here you can see the current position of the M109 on the map, as well as its positions for rise and set. This tool allows you to track the M109's movement throughout the night, providing you with accurate and up-to-date information.

Annual motion of M109

Time
DateMon, 16 September 2024
Twighlight start20:43
Twighlight end05:16
Twighlight duration9h 33m
RiseM109 is always up
SetM109 is always up
Elevation at transit76°
Transit time13:22
Equatorial coordinateRA: 11h 57m 35s, Dec: 53° 22' 28"
Magnitude10
ConstellationUrsaMajor
The graph illustrates the annual visibility pattern of a M109, 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 M109 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.