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    Galaxy in Virgo

    M60 (NGC 4649)

    Photo: NASA, ESA and the Hubble Heritage (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration

    From New York on October 13, 2026, M60 rises at 5:26 AM in the ENE, is highest at 12:12 PM (61° above the horizon in the S) and sets at 6:54 PM in the WNW.

    Rises 5:26 AMOctober 14 · ENE
    Highest 12:12 PM 61° S
    Sets 6:54 PMWNW
    Best in the evening sky April, May, June, and July

    In the 3D sky

    The sky over New York turned towards M60. Drag to look around.

    Loading 3D view...

    12:07 PMTue, Oct 13

    Drag to look around, pinch or scroll to zoom.

    Evening visibility over the year

    Height of M60 above the horizon at 10 pm local time on the 15th of each month, from New York.

    0°30°60°90°Oct: -30°OctNov: -36°NovDec: -23°DecJan: -3°JanFeb: 19°FebMar: 29°MarApr: 50°AprMay: 61°MayJun: 51°JunJul: 31°JulAug: 8°AugSep: -13°Sep

    Facts

    TypeGalaxy (E)
    Brightness (magnitude)8.8
    Size in the sky6.8 × 5.5 arcminutes
    ConstellationVirgo
    Position (J2000)12h 43m 40s, +11° 33′ 10″
    Other designationsNGC 4649

    Hubble’s view

    A hazy white-yellow light shines in the center of the image against black space, dotted with faint, distant stars. In the top right of the image is a spiral galaxy with many arms as seen from overhead. It is light blue.
    Hubble often shows only part of a large object. Through binoculars or a small telescope it looks much fainter and smaller. Photo: NASA, ESA and the Hubble Heritage (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration

    Finder charts

    A wide field to find the right part of the sky and a closer field with fainter stars. North is up and east on the left.

    Coma BerenicesVirgoM53M49M64M66M85M100M99M61M88M60NE
    50° field, stars to magnitude 5.
    M49M86M87M90M99M89M88M91M60NE
    12° field, stars to magnitude 9.

    Nearby Messier objects

    Data: OpenNGC (CC BY-SA 4.0). Photo: NASA Hubble Messier Catalog, credit as shown. Data sources

    How to use this page

    Choose your place and a night at the top. The page shows when the object is highest and where to look, the 3D sky with it marked, and its visibility through the year. The finder charts help you star-hop to it with binoculars or a small telescope.

    Frequently asked questions

    Can I see it with the naked eye?

    The brightest Messier objects, such as the Pleiades and the Orion Nebula, show to the eye under a dark sky. Most others need binoculars or a small telescope, and all of them look best far from city lights.

    Why does it look grey and not colourful like the photo?

    The eye’s colour cells do not work in dim light, so faint objects look grey. Photos collect light for minutes or hours and show colours the eye cannot see.

    When is the best time to look?

    When the object is high in a dark sky and the Moon is down or a thin crescent. The page gives the best time for the night you choose.

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