Stargazers looking for a high note this Halloween can spot the face-on spiral galaxy M74, also known as the Phantom Galaxy, after dark this evening as it reaches a favorable 45-degree altitude in the east by 9 P.M. local daylight time, astronomy.com reported.
Locating the Phantom Galaxy in Eastern Pisces
Finding M74 requires navigating the night sky between dusk and the 11:08 P.M. moonrise on October 31, 2026. Located in eastern Pisces, the galaxy sits just over 1 degree northeast of 4th-magnitude Eta Piscium, or about 6.6 degrees southwest of Beta Arietis, also known as Sheratan.
Spanning roughly 11 minutes of arc in diameter, this nearby stellar system sits just 24 million light-years away. That physical proximity gives it a deceptively large apparent size, which ultimately works against casual observers.
Because its total luminosity is distributed across a significant surface area, its overall surface brightness drops dramatically. That optical illusion is precisely what earned M74 its haunting moniker.
Optics and Asymmetry in the Spiral Arms
Resolving the mottled regions of star formation embedded within M74’s spiral arms demands proper aperture and optical filters. Fainter arms wrapped around a bright core become visible primarily through 8-inch and larger telescopes.
Observers utilizing a nebula filter can enhance the contrast of these star-forming regions against the background sky. Closer inspection of the structure reveals a striking physical asymmetry: the western arm stretches out significantly longer than its stubby eastern counterpart.
Meanwhile, the waning gibbous Moon sits at 58 percent illumination, setting the stage for subsequent lunar shifts. On November 1 at 2 A.M. local daylight time, daylight saving time concludes as timepieces are adjusted backward by one hour to return to 1 A.M. local standard time.
Planetary Alignments and the Beehive Cluster
Early on November 1, the waning gibbous Moon travels through Cancer, positioning itself just west of the naked-eye Beehive Cluster, cataloged as M44. The bright lunar satellite’s glare can wash out the cluster without optical aid, though binoculars or a finder scope reveal the wider stellar grouping.
Higher magnifications through a telescope narrow the view down to the central regions of the cluster due to its wide span across nearly 100 arcminutes of sky. Further to the east, Jupiter and Mars dominate the constellation Leo.
Featuring an astronomical background that spans minor planets to supermassive black holes, Astronomy magazine senior editor Alison Klesman—who earned a Ph.D. in astronomy—notes that the more luminous Jupiter glows midway between Regulus (the Lion’s alpha star) and the Red Planet.
