From the National Optical Astronomical Observatories
M83, NGC 4535, the `Southern Pinwheel' galaxy, is a type Sc spiral galaxy in the constellation Hydra. It has two principal arms and a third, fainter one. There has been a remarkable number of supernovae in M83 within less than a century - at least four since 1923 - compared to the theoretical incidence of one per 300 years. This is still a subject of current research and uncertainty. M83 is 10 million light years away and thirty thousand light years across. This picture was taken using color film directly at the Kitt Peak 4-meter telescope in 1973.
Image Title: M83, the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy
Credit: Bill Schoening/AURA/NOAO/NSF
Text based on accompanying on-line materials.
Last Modified On: Sunday, December 17, 2000