M 77 is a truly huge spiral galaxy, despite its modest visual appearance
in telescopes: the brighter portion of it is 120,000 light years across.
The fainter extensions bring the diameter to 170,000light years. M 77
is also an example of a Seyfert galaxy (named after the 20th century
astronomer Carl Seyfert); a Seyfert galaxy has an unusually energetic
core because at its center lies a supermassive black hole. M 77 is found
in the constellation Cetus, and is 60 million light years from earth.

Image data:
Camera: SBIG ST-4000XCM
Exposure: 3 hours (10 minutes x 18)
Telescope: 10" Schmidt-Newtonian, Baader MPCC