Messier 86 is a lenticular galaxy in Virgo, 55 million light-years away
Messier 86 (M86, NGC 4406, PGC 040653, UGC 07532) is a lenticular galaxy in the constellation Virgo , 55 million light-years away. It shines at magnitude 8.9 and spans 9′ × 6′ of sky, about 144,300 light-years across. It is best in a small telescope, 4 to 6 inches, and it is highest in the evening sky in May.
Galaxy: a system of billions of stars, gas and dust held together by gravity, far outside the Milky Way. Spiral galaxies have a disk with arms; elliptical galaxies are smooth, round or oval swarms of older stars.
Finding Messier 86 from Denebola
Denebola
Messier 86
VIRGO
Messier 86 lies 9.2° east of Denebola , the magnitude 2.1 star. A fist held at arm's length covers about 10°.
Messier 86 is highest in the evening in May
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60°N
JAN at 60°N: -2° high at 9 pm FEB at 60°N: 13° high at 9 pm MAR at 60°N: 27° high at 9 pm APR at 60°N: 39° high at 9 pm MAY at 60°N: 43° high at 9 pm JUN at 60°N: 37° high at 9 pm JUL at 60°N: 25° high at 9 pm AUG at 60°N: 10° high at 9 pm SEP at 60°N: -4° high at 9 pm OCT at 60°N: -14° high at 9 pm NOV at 60°N: -17° high at 9 pm DEC at 60°N: -13° high at 9 pm 50°N
JAN at 50°N: -6° high at 9 pm FEB at 50°N: 12° high at 9 pm MAR at 50°N: 30° high at 9 pm APR at 50°N: 46° high at 9 pm MAY at 50°N: 53° high at 9 pm JUN at 50°N: 45° high at 9 pm JUL at 50°N: 28° high at 9 pm AUG at 50°N: 9° high at 9 pm SEP at 50°N: -10° high at 9 pm OCT at 50°N: -22° high at 9 pm NOV at 50°N: -27° high at 9 pm DEC at 50°N: -21° high at 9 pm 40°N
JAN at 40°N: -11° high at 9 pm FEB at 40°N: 11° high at 9 pm MAR at 40°N: 32° high at 9 pm APR at 40°N: 53° high at 9 pm MAY at 40°N: 63° high at 9 pm JUN at 40°N: 51° high at 9 pm JUL at 40°N: 30° high at 9 pm AUG at 40°N: 7° high at 9 pm SEP at 40°N: -15° high at 9 pm OCT at 40°N: -31° high at 9 pm NOV at 40°N: -37° high at 9 pm DEC at 40°N: -29° high at 9 pm 30°N
JAN at 30°N: -16° high at 9 pm FEB at 30°N: 9° high at 9 pm MAR at 30°N: 33° high at 9 pm APR at 30°N: 59° high at 9 pm MAY at 30°N: 73° high at 9 pm JUN at 30°N: 56° high at 9 pm JUL at 30°N: 31° high at 9 pm AUG at 30°N: 5° high at 9 pm SEP at 30°N: -20° high at 9 pm OCT at 30°N: -39° high at 9 pm NOV at 30°N: -47° high at 9 pm DEC at 30°N: -37° high at 9 pm 20°N
JAN at 20°N: -20° high at 9 pm FEB at 20°N: 8° high at 9 pm MAR at 20°N: 33° high at 9 pm APR at 20°N: 62° high at 9 pm MAY at 20°N: 83° high at 9 pm JUN at 20°N: 59° high at 9 pm JUL at 20°N: 31° high at 9 pm AUG at 20°N: 3° high at 9 pm SEP at 20°N: -25° high at 9 pm OCT at 20°N: -47° high at 9 pm NOV at 20°N: -57° high at 9 pm DEC at 20°N: -44° high at 9 pm 10°N
JAN at 10°N: -23° high at 9 pm FEB at 10°N: 6° high at 9 pm MAR at 10°N: 32° high at 9 pm APR at 10°N: 62° high at 9 pm MAY at 10°N: 87° high at 9 pm JUN at 10°N: 59° high at 9 pm JUL at 10°N: 30° high at 9 pm AUG at 10°N: 0° high at 9 pm SEP at 10°N: -29° high at 9 pm OCT at 10°N: -54° high at 9 pm NOV at 10°N: -67° high at 9 pm DEC at 10°N: -51° high at 9 pm 0°
JAN at 0°: -26° high at 9 pm FEB at 0°: 3° high at 9 pm MAR at 0°: 30° high at 9 pm APR at 0°: 59° high at 9 pm MAY at 0°: 77° high at 9 pm JUN at 0°: 56° high at 9 pm JUL at 0°: 28° high at 9 pm AUG at 0°: -2° high at 9 pm SEP at 0°: -32° high at 9 pm OCT at 0°: -59° high at 9 pm NOV at 0°: -77° high at 9 pm DEC at 0°: -56° high at 9 pm 10°S
JAN at 10°S: -28° high at 9 pm FEB at 10°S: 1° high at 9 pm MAR at 10°S: 27° high at 9 pm APR at 10°S: 54° high at 9 pm MAY at 10°S: 67° high at 9 pm JUN at 10°S: 51° high at 9 pm JUL at 10°S: 25° high at 9 pm AUG at 10°S: -4° high at 9 pm SEP at 10°S: -34° high at 9 pm OCT at 10°S: -63° high at 9 pm NOV at 10°S: -86° high at 9 pm DEC at 10°S: -58° high at 9 pm 20°S
JAN at 20°S: -29° high at 9 pm FEB at 20°S: -1° high at 9 pm MAR at 20°S: 23° high at 9 pm APR at 20°S: 47° high at 9 pm MAY at 20°S: 57° high at 9 pm JUN at 20°S: 45° high at 9 pm JUL at 20°S: 21° high at 9 pm AUG at 20°S: -6° high at 9 pm SEP at 20°S: -35° high at 9 pm OCT at 20°S: -62° high at 9 pm NOV at 20°S: -82° high at 9 pm DEC at 20°S: -58° high at 9 pm 30°S
JAN at 30°S: -30° high at 9 pm FEB at 30°S: -3° high at 9 pm MAR at 30°S: 19° high at 9 pm APR at 30°S: 39° high at 9 pm MAY at 30°S: 47° high at 9 pm JUN at 30°S: 37° high at 9 pm JUL at 30°S: 17° high at 9 pm AUG at 30°S: -8° high at 9 pm SEP at 30°S: -34° high at 9 pm OCT at 30°S: -59° high at 9 pm NOV at 30°S: -73° high at 9 pm DEC at 30°S: -56° high at 9 pm 40°S
JAN at 40°S: -29° high at 9 pm FEB at 40°S: -6° high at 9 pm MAR at 40°S: 14° high at 9 pm APR at 40°S: 31° high at 9 pm MAY at 40°S: 37° high at 9 pm JUN at 40°S: 29° high at 9 pm JUL at 40°S: 12° high at 9 pm AUG at 40°S: -10° high at 9 pm SEP at 40°S: -33° high at 9 pm OCT at 40°S: -53° high at 9 pm NOV at 40°S: -63° high at 9 pm DEC at 40°S: -51° high at 9 pm
below horizon
low
20-40°
40-60°
overhead-ish
The chart gives its height above the horizon at 9 pm through the year, from 60°N to 40°S. It can be seen from the whole northern hemisphere and south to about 77°S, and never sets north of 77°N.
Messier 86 is 55 million light-years away
The light seen from Messier 86 tonight left it about 55 million years ago, long before modern humans existed. It ranks 106 of 109 by distance among the 110 Messier objects. Distance source: TRGB (JWST), Anand 2024.
Objects within 6° of Messier 86
M84, lenticular galaxy, 17′ NGC 4435, galaxy, 23′ NGC 4438 The Eyes, galaxy, 23′ NGC 4473, galaxy, 1.0° NGC 4477, galaxy, 1.2° NGC 4478, galaxy, 1.2° NGC 4459, galaxy, 1.2° M87 Virgo A, elliptical galaxy, 1.3°
Messier 86 catalog data
Field Value
Designations M86, NGC 4406, PGC 040653, UGC 07532 Type lenticular galaxy Constellation Virgo Right ascension (J2000) 12h 26.2m Declination (J2000) +12° 57′ Magnitude 8.9 Surface brightness 23.9 mag/arcmin² Apparent size 9′ × 6′ True size 144,300 light-years Distance 55 million light-years (TRGB (JWST), Anand 2024) Best month May Best with Small telescope Messier marathon order 54
