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.
Observe
1Properties
Position & Identifiers
2How easy to spot?
| Telescope | Bortle 3 | Bortle 4 | Bortle 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80 mm refractor 80mm refr. | Hard | Hard | V. hard+ |
| 150 mm Newton 150mm Newt. | Hard | Hard | Hard |
| Celestron C8 (203 mm SCT) C8 203mm | Hard+ | Hard | Hard |
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: ESO. License: CC BY 4.0. (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.
Explore Nightbase
Related knowledge, tools, and stories — no observation planning required.
