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C3

NGC 4236

Galaxy Excellent (70/100)

Barred Spiral

C3 Galaxy Draco Visible Level 5 Expert level - Dark skies recommended
Credit: Mattrsmith77. License: CC BY 4.0. (Wikimedia Commons)
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Properties

Magnitude 9.7
Angular Size 23.5′ × 6.8′
Position Angle 161°
Distance 7000000 ly
Galaxy Type Barred Spiral (SBd)
Spiral Galaxy [Distance: 7000000 ly]

Position & Identifiers

RA 12h 16m 42.0s
Dec +69° 28' 01.2"
Constellation Draco
Catalog C3

Visibility

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About C3

Description

NGC 4236 is a barred spiral galaxy in Draco, about 11.7 million light-years away and a member of the M81 group. It is one of the largest galaxies in angular size (over 20 arcminutes long) but has very low surface brightness.

Observing Tips

A difficult target due to extremely low surface brightness. A dark sky site is essential. Use a wide-field telescope at low power to detect this elongated smudge. Averted vision is necessary. Best viewed in spring evenings when Draco is well placed.

History

Discovered by William Herschel on April 6, 1793. Its membership in the M81 galaxy group was confirmed through distance measurements.

Fun Facts

NGC 4236 is one of the galaxies nearest to the Milky Way yet one of the hardest to observe because its light is spread over such a large area. Photographs reveal beautiful HII star-forming regions along its spiral arms.

Community Photos (1)

Credit: Mattrsmith77. License: CC BY 4.0. (Wikimedia Commons)

Credit: Mattrsmith77. License: CC BY 4.0. (Wikimedia Commons)

Skybred Mar 2, 2026