Stunning face-on spiral M74 is visible after dark this evening, showing off its bright nucleus and fainter asymmetrical arms

| Published: October 31, 2026

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Let’s send off spooky season on a high note this Halloween with M74, also known as the Phantom Galaxy.

The best time to catch this ghostly galaxy is after darkness falls but before moonrise. Located in eastern Pisces, M74 reaches an altitude of 45° in the east by 9 P.M. local daylight time. You can find it just over 1° northeast of 4th-magnitude Eta (η) Piscium, or by skimming 6.6° southwest of brighter 3rd-magnitude Beta (β) Arietis, also called Sheratan.

Ninth-magnitude M74 spans roughly 11’ in diameter — that’s quite big, because this galaxy is so nearby, just 24 million light-years away.…