C5
IC 342
Barred Spiral
Properties
Position & Identifiers
Visibility
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Survey Image
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About C5
Description
IC 342 is a face-on spiral galaxy in Camelopardalis, about 10.7 million light-years away. It would be one of the brightest galaxies in the sky if not heavily obscured by dust in our Milky Way's disk. It is the principal member of the IC 342/Maffei group.
Observing Tips
A challenging target due to heavy Milky Way foreground extinction. Requires dark skies and at least a 6-inch telescope. Appears as a large, very faint, diffuse glow. Use low power and averted vision. Best on autumn and winter evenings.
History
Discovered by W.F. Denning in 1892. Its proximity was not recognized until later because foreground extinction dims it by several magnitudes. Sometimes called the "Hidden Galaxy."
Fun Facts
If IC 342 were not behind the Milky Way's dust, it would be visible to the naked eye and rival M31 in apparent brightness. It has an active nucleus and vigorous star formation in its spiral arms.
Community Photos (1)
Credit: ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA image processing by J.-C. Cuillandre (CEA Paris-Saclay) G. Anselmi. License: CC BY-SA 3.0 igo. (Wikimedia Commons)
Skybred Mar 2, 2026