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AsteriaStar
Spiral galaxy · Virgo

M 58

Deep skyM 58NGC 4579UGC 7796PGC 42168

Scientific overview

M 58 is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Virgo. It shines at apparent magnitude 10.3 and spans about 5.01 arcminutes of sky.

Observation guide

Difficulty
Medium telescope
Recommended equipment
≈ 150–200 mm telescope
Best observed
Spring (evening sky)
Best hemisphere
Both (equatorial)

Guidance follows standard observing practice, derived from the object's real magnitude and position. A dark, moonless sky always helps.

Location in the sky

Constellation
Virgo
RA / Dec
12.6288h / 11.8182°
Hemisphere
Both
Season
Spring

Precision measurements

Distances and velocities from SIMBAD and redshift from NED · M 58

Distance5.4468e+7 lySIMBAD · catalogued
Physical size (major axis)79,379 lySIMBAD · derived
Physical size (minor axis)60,841 lySIMBAD · derived
Redshift (z)0.00506 ± 2.0000e-6NED · catalogued
Radial velocity1,515 ± 3 km/sSIMBAD · measured
Right ascension (ICRS)189.431656 degSIMBAD · measured
Declination (ICRS)11.81809 degSIMBAD · measured
Full field-level provenance
  • Distance: Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · SIMBAD · mesDistance · dist · 2018ApJ...861...49H · distance indicator: kin · catalogued value · source value 16.7 Mpc · retrieved 2026-07-11
  • Physical size (major axis): Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · derived (OpenNGC angular size × SIMBAD distance) · physical size = angular size × distance (small-angle); angular size from OpenNGC, distance from SIMBAD mesDistance · derived · retrieved 2026-07-11
  • Physical size (minor axis): Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · derived (OpenNGC angular size × SIMBAD distance) · physical size = angular size × distance (small-angle); angular size from OpenNGC, distance from SIMBAD mesDistance · derived · retrieved 2026-07-11
  • Redshift (z): NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database · NED · ObjectLookup · Redshift · 2008AJ....136..713K · catalogued value · NED quality S1L · retrieved 2026-07-11
  • Radial velocity: Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · SIMBAD · basic · rvz_radvel · 2022ApJS..261...21Y · direct catalogue measurement · retrieved 2026-07-11
  • Right ascension (ICRS): Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · SIMBAD · basic · ra · 2006AJ....131.1163S · direct catalogue measurement · retrieved 2026-07-11
  • Declination (ICRS): Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · SIMBAD · basic · dec · 2006AJ....131.1163S · direct catalogue measurement · retrieved 2026-07-11

Physical size is derived from the OpenNGC angular size and the catalogued distance (small-angle: size = angle × distance). Redshift is the object's measured redshift — a negative value is a blueshift (the galaxy is approaching, its motion dominated by local rather than cosmic expansion). Fields a source did not provide are omitted, never invented.

ObjectTypeMagSize (′)
M 49M 49 · NGC 4472Elliptical galaxy8.2810.21
Sombrero GalaxyM 104 · NGC 4594Spiral galaxy8.598.45
M 60M 60 · NGC 4649Elliptical galaxy8.796.78
M 86M 86 · NGC 4406Elliptical galaxy8.8611.53
Virgo GalaxyM 87 · NGC 4486Elliptical galaxy97.11
NGC 4697C 52 · NGC 4697Elliptical galaxy9.377.14
NGC 4365NGC 4365Elliptical galaxy9.435.12
NGC 4699NGC 4699Barred spiral galaxy9.533.99

Sources

The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.

  • OpenNGCOpenNGC (M. Verga) — NGC/IC, Messier, and Caldwell catalogue data

    Openly-licensed deep-sky catalogue: object types, positions, magnitudes, sizes, morphology, and cross-identifiers.