Location settings
VA, US
39°/-77.5°
GMT -4
Waxing20:15 - 05:54
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M32: Rise, Set, Nighttime Path

M32

M32 Daily Motion

M32 will rise before twilight begins, at 17:13, and will reach 25° elevation by the time twilight commences at 20:15. It will reach its transit at 88° by 02:09 and gradually fade away as the night ends at 05:54, maintaining an elevation of around 48°.
M32 will be visible until March, 10, 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.

M32 Rise and Set Timetable

TimeElevation
M32 Rise17:13
Sunset19:1616°
Civil sunset19:4420°
Astrosession begin20:1525°
M32 transit02:0988°
Astrosession end05:5448°
Civil sunrise06:2542°
Sunrise06:5337°
M32 Set11:06

M32 Sky Tracker Map

Elevation (degrees)
Time
Altitude
Azimuth
Shift the map to change the time and observe M32 changing position in the night sky.

M32 - Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy

M32 is a dwarf elliptical galaxy located in the constellation Andromeda. It was discovered by Guillaume Le Gentil in 1749 and later included in Messier's catalog. M32 is a satellite galaxy of the Andromeda Galaxy (M31).

M32 spans about 6,500 light-years across and contains several billion stars. The galaxy is approximately 2.65 million light-years away from Earth and has an apparent magnitude of 8.1, making it visible with binoculars or a small telescope.

M32 Image Gallery

DSS Blue

M32 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

M32 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

M32 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

M32 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 M32

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Object nameM32
Field of view
Limiting magnitude
M32 coordinates0.71162, 40.86528
Center coordinates0.71162, 40.86528

M32 Passage Through Night

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Current position of M32

Time19:48
Latitude39.0469
Longitude-77.4903
M32 elevation21°
M32 Azimuth-54°
Here you can see the current position of the M32 on the map, as well as its positions for rise and set. This tool allows you to track the M32's movement throughout the night, providing you with accurate and up-to-date information.

Annual motion of M32

Time
DateMon, 16 September 2024
Twighlight start20:43
Twighlight end05:16
Twighlight duration9h 33m
Rise17:09
Set11:02
Elevation at transit88°
Transit time02:05
Equatorial coordinateRA: 00h 42m 41s, Dec: 40° 51' 55"
Magnitude8
ConstellationAndromeda
The graph illustrates the annual visibility pattern of a M32, 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 M32 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.