Celestial Objects
Messier 109
Galaxies
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Messier 109, also known as M109 or NGC 3992, is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major, discovered by Pierre Mechain in 1781 but not formally added to Charles Messier's catalogue until 1953, when Owen Gingerich included it among Mechain's observations. It lies roughly 55 to 60 million light-years from Earth, is the brightest member of the M109 Group, and shows a well-developed central bar linking its spiral arms.
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