Cat’s Eye Galaxy
spiral galaxy · Canes Venatici · 8.1ᵐ
A spiral with a brilliant inner ring where stars are born by the thousand — thanks to it, in a small telescope the core looks almost stellar.
Notable facts
About 1/3 the apparent diameter of the Moon.
In brief
Which constellation is Cat’s Eye Galaxy in?
Cat’s Eye Galaxy lies in Canes Venatici.
Is Cat’s Eye Galaxy visible to the naked eye?
8.1ᵐ — visible with binoculars.
When is the best time to observe Cat’s Eye Galaxy?
Best observed in April.
Data
- RA / Dec (J2000)
- 12h 51m · +41° 07′
- Type
- spiral galaxy
- Constellation
- Canes Venatici
- How to observe
- 8.1ᵐ — visible with binoculars
- Angular size
- 11×9′
- Designation
- M94 · NGC 4736 · Cat’s Eye Galaxy
Observing tip
Get away from city light pollution — it washes out the faint glow of galaxies first.
Altitude above the horizon by latitude
| Latitude | Maximum altitude | Rise azimuth |
|---|---|---|
| +60° | 71° · never sets | — |
| +55° | 76° · never sets | — |
| +45° | 86° | 22° |
| +30° | 79° | 41° |
| 0° | 49° | 49° |
| −35° | 14° | 37° |
Geometric altitude at upper culmination, atmospheric refraction not included. Positive latitudes are in the northern hemisphere.
Culmination time by month
| Month | Culmination |
|---|---|
| January | 05:05 |
| February | 02:58 |
| March | 01:13 |
| April | 23:19 |
| May | 21:25 |
| June | 19:19 |
| July | 17:15 |
| August | 15:14 |
| September | 13:21 |
| October | 11:32 |
| November | 09:32 |
| December | 07:23 |
Upper culmination in local solar time — no time-zone or daylight-saving correction applied.