About C43
Description
NGC 7814, known as the Little Sombrero Galaxy, is an edge-on spiral galaxy in Pegasus, about 40 million light-years away. Its prominent central bulge bisected by a thin dark dust lane gives it a miniature version of the famous Sombrero Galaxy (M104) appearance.
Observing Tips
Visible as a small, bright, elongated glow in an 8-inch telescope with a notably bright nucleus. The dust lane requires 12 inches or more under good conditions. Best in autumn evenings at medium to high magnification.
History
Discovered by William Herschel on November 8, 1784. Its visual similarity to M104 has earned it the nickname "Little Sombrero."
Fun Facts
Despite its small angular size, NGC 7814 is intrinsically similar in size to the Milky Way. Its large, bright bulge suggests it may contain an older stellar population than our galaxy.
Observe
1Properties
Position & Identifiers
2How easy to spot?
| Telescope | Bortle 3 | Bortle 4 | Bortle 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80 mm refractor 80mm refr. | Medium | Medium | Hard+ |
| 150 mm Newton 150mm Newt. | Easy | Medium+ | Medium+ |
| Celestron C8 (203 mm SCT) C8 203mm | Easy | Easy | Medium+ |
Bortle 3 = rural · 4 = outer suburbs · 5 = suburbs
3Visibility
Set a location in User Settings to see visibility data.
4
Eyepiece View
5
Best Magnification
Explore
6
Surface Brightness
7
Morphology Decoder
8
Inclination & True Shape
9
Redshift
10
Size Comparator
Discover
11
Light Travel Time Machine
12
Relativistic Travel
Community Photos (1)
Credit: Credit Line and Copyright Adam Block/Mount Lemmon SkyCenter/University of Arizona. License: CC BY-SA 3.0 us. (Wikimedia Commons)
Skybred Mar 2, 2026
Nearby in the Sky
Other targets within a few degrees — pan your scope a little and keep exploring.
Visibility scores assume a 150 mm Newton at Bortle 4.
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