Sky Tonight
ST
Location settings
Santa Clara, US
37.4°/-122°
GMT -9
Waning18:14 - 04:22
  ⌕
☾
☰
Sky-Tonight.com / Nebulae / M73
  • Tonight
    • Brightest Objects
  • Solar System
    • Sun
    • Moon
    • Planets
    • Mercury
    • Venus
    • Mars
    • Jupiter
    • Saturn
    • Satellite Flyovers
    • ISS
    • Close Approaches
  • Small Bodies
    • Asteroids
    • Comets
  • Stars
    • Brightest Stars
  • Meteor Showers
    • Active Meteor Showers
    • Major Meteor Showers
  • Solar Eclipses
    • Future Solar Eclipses
    • Past Solar Eclipses
  • Lunar Eclipses
    • Future Lunar Eclipses
    • Past Lunar Eclipses
  • Deep Sky Objects
    • Spring Nebulae
    • Messier Objects
    • Nebulae
    • Star Clusters
    • Galaxies
  • Double Stars
    • Naked-Eye
    • Binocular
    • Physical
    • Color-Contrasting
    • Triple Star Systems
    • Multiple Star Systems
  • Constellations
    • Visible Tonight
    • Seasonal
    • Ecliptic
    • All 88 Constellations
  • Maps
    • Lunar map
    • Mars map
    • Mercury map
    • Earth
    • Cloud Cover Map
    • Aurora Activity
  • Contact Us
    • Feedback

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: Santa Clara, United States
Timezone:
Latitude:
37.3541
Longitude:
-121.955

M73 Position and Visibility Tonight

M73

Where is M73 right now?

M73 is located in the constellation Aquarius. At the current time, it is below the horizon and not visible from your location.

M73 Visibility on March 15

M73 is visible in the early morning sky until sunrise

M73 Rise and Set Timetable

TimeElevation
Moon Rise, 26.1% illuminated 03:03-3°
M73 transit08:3740°
Moon Set12:5012°
M73 set13:57
Astrosession begin18:41-54°
M73 rise03:13
Astrosession end03:517°
Civil sunrise04:5218°
Sunrise05:1922°

Track M73 Position Throughout the Night

← Sun, 15 March 2026 →

Elevation (degrees)
Time
Altitude
Azimuth
Shift the map to change the time and observe M73 changing position in the night sky.

M73 - Asterism

M73 is an asterism located in the constellation Aquarius. It was discovered by Charles Messier in 1780. The asterism consists of four stars that form a small Y-shaped pattern.

M73 spans about 1.5 light-years across and contains no physical connection between its stars. The asterism is approximately 2,500 light-years away from Earth and has an apparent magnitude of 9.0, making it visible with a small telescope.

Finder Chart for M73

Double-click to unlock the map.
Object nameM73
Field of view
Limiting magnitude
M73 coordinates20.98221, -12.6355
Center coordinates20.98221, -12.6355

M73 Passage Through Night

Double-click to unlock the map.

Current position of M73

Time18:14
Latitude37.3541
Longitude-121.955
M73 elevation-50°
M73 Azimuth61°
Here you can see the current position of the M73 on the map, as well as its positions for rise and set. This tool allows you to track the M73's movement throughout the night, providing you with accurate and up-to-date information.

Annual motion of M73


M73 will become visible in April, 29. After being too close to the Sun to observe, it will reappear in the night sky. Starting from April, 29, M73 can be seen again, providing a good opportunity for observation.
Time
DateMon, 16 March 2026
Twighlight start18:41
Twighlight end03:48
Twighlight duration9h 7m
Rise03:13
Set13:53
Elevation at transit40°
Transit time08:33
Equatorial coordinatesRA: 20h 58m 55s", Dec: -12° 38' 07s
Magnitude9
ConstellationAquarius
The graph illustrates the annual visibility pattern of a M73, 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 M73 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.
You can also view detailed visibility information in a dedicated table, including exact rise, transit, and set times for each date.

Astrometric & Physical Parameters of M73

Coordinates & Visibility

Right Ascension20.98221°
Declination-12.6355°
Magnitude8.90
ConstellationAquarius
Elevation-50°
Azimuth61.3°

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.