C70
NGC 300
Spiral
Properties
Position & Identifiers
Visibility
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About C70
Description
NGC 300 is a face-on spiral galaxy in Sculptor, about 6.1 million light-years away. It is one of the closest spiral galaxies beyond the Local Group and a member of the Sculptor Group, displaying beautiful spiral arms studded with HII regions.
Observing Tips
A large (22 arcminutes) but low-surface-brightness galaxy. Binoculars or a wide-field telescope at low power under dark skies work best. The brightest HII regions may be visible in 10-inch scopes. Best in autumn from southern latitudes.
History
Discovered by James Dunlop on August 5, 1826 from Australia. NGC 300 has been used extensively for calibrating the extragalactic distance ladder using Cepheid variable stars.
Fun Facts
NGC 300 is so similar to M33 (the Triangulum Galaxy) in size, mass, and morphology that they are sometimes called twin galaxies. It was the first galaxy beyond the Local Group where individual Cepheid variables were resolved.
Community Photos (1)
Credit: ESO. License: CC BY 4.0. (Wikimedia Commons)
Skybred Mar 2, 2026