Observer's Notes: NGC 253 is an edge-on, cigar shaped galaxy, a mere 10 million light years away! It's part of the Sculptor Galaxy Group, near the South Galactic Pole in the constellation Sculptor. One of the biggest, brightest galaxies in the sky, NGC 253 looks like a larger version of M82 in Ursa Major. It is definitely an observer's treat, but you need a clear southern horizon to spot this object in the Northern Hemisphere. Get out your star map and locate the constellation Cetus, the Whale. Find the bright star Beta Ceti, then head due south about twelve degrees to the dimmer star Alpha Sculptor. This galaxy, along with NGC 288, is between these two stars. With an 8 inch telecope, NGC 253's bright core and wispy spiral arms are visible. NGC 288 is located one or two eyepiece fields south of 253, and it is part of our own galaxy. It's a fairly big globular cluster that shows detail in an 8-inch scope. Although they appear "close" together, they are actually 10 million light years apart! Appearances can be deceiving!

Reference: SEDS NGC 253 page.