M108
Surfboard Galaxy
Barred Spiral
Properties
Position & Identifiers
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About M108
Description
The Surfboard Galaxy is an edge-on barred spiral galaxy in Ursa Major, about 45 million light-years from Earth. It is seen nearly edge-on, presenting a mottled, elongated disk with no prominent central bulge — giving it an irregular, patchy appearance. The galaxy spans about 80,000 light-years and has numerous dark dust patches visible across its disk.
Observing Tips
Located just 48 arcminutes southeast of the Owl Nebula (M97), near Merak (Beta Ursae Majoris). The pair of M97 and M108 fits nicely in a wide-field eyepiece — one of the most interesting deep-sky pairings. In a 4-inch telescope, M108 appears as a thin, elongated streak. An 8-inch reveals mottled texture with bright knots and dark patches along the disk. Best observed from February through June.
History
Discovered by Pierre Mechain on February 19, 1781. Like M105-M110, it was added to the Messier catalog posthumously. The galaxy was identified as M108 by Owen Gingerich in 1953.
Fun Facts
M108 is notable for its lack of a central bulge — unlike most spiral galaxies, its disk extends edge-to-edge without a pronounced nuclear region. This makes it look quite different from the typical spiral seen edge-on (like the Sombrero). The pairing with the Owl Nebula (M97) creates a wonderful contrast: a galaxy 45 million light-years away next to a planetary nebula only 2,000 light-years distant.
Community Photos (1)
Credit: Sloan Digital Sky Survey. License: CC BY 4.0. (Wikimedia Commons)
Skybred Feb 28, 2026