User:IanOsgood/List of astronomical objects by angular size

This table shows the angular sizes of the larger astronomical objects as seen from the Earth:

TODO: other columns? distance, RA/DEC

  Galaxy   Nebula   Open cluster   Globular cluster

Object	Angular size	Magnitude
Galactic Bulge	25° × 10° ?
Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy	12°
Large Magellanic Cloud	10°.75 × 9°.17	0.9
Barnard's Loop	10°
Centaurus A (radio lobes)	10° × 4°
Vela Supernova Remnant	8°	12
Sagittarius Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy	450′ × 216′
Coalsack Nebula	7° × 5°
Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex	6.5° × 4.5°
Large Sagittarius Star Cloud	6° × 4°
Small Magellanic Cloud	5° 20′ × 3° 5′	2.7
Hyades (star cluster)	330′	0.5
Andromeda Galaxy	190′ × 60′	3.4
Simeis 147	3°
Veil Nebula/Cygnus Loop	180′	7.0
Witch Head Nebula	180′ × 60′
California Nebula	150′ × 40′ ?	6.0
Carina Nebula	120′	1.0
North America Nebula	120′ × 100′	4.0
W50	120′ × 60′
Beehive Cluster	95′	3.7
Small Sagittarius Star Cloud	2° × 1°	2.5
Lagoon Nebula	90′ × 40′	6.0
Messier 7	80′	3.3
Rosette Nebula	1.3°	9.0
Pleiades (star cluster)	75′ × 50′ ?	2.8 - 5.6
Triangulum Galaxy	70.8′ × 41.7′	6.27
Orion Nebula	65′	3.0
Lambda Orionis	60′
Brocchi's Cluster	60′	3.6
Puppis A	60′
Heart Nebula	60′	18.3
NGC 6357	1º
Pelican Nebula	60′ × 50′
Double Cluster	60′ × 30′	4.3
Messier 48	54′	5.5
IC 443	50′
Cave Nebula	50′ × 30′
Trapezium Cluster	47′	4.0
IC 4665	45′	8.27
RCW 86	40′
Sharpless 308	40′
NGC 6820 and NGC 6823	40′
NGC 1973, NGC 1975 and NGC 1977	40′ × 25′	7
Tarantula Nebula	40′ × 25′	8
Soul Nebula	40′ × 10′
Sculptor Dwarf Galaxy	39′.8 × 30′.9	10.1
Messier 41	38′	4.5
IC 405	37′ × 10′
Omega Centauri	36.3′	3.7
Messier 4	36′	7.12
SN 1006	36′
Draco Dwarf	35.5′ × 24.5′	10.9
Messier 34	35′	5.5
NGC 281	35′
NGC 55	32'.4 × 5'.6	8.8
Sun	31.6' – 32.7'
Messier 22	32′	6.17
Messier 25	32′	4.6
Messier 39	32′	4.6
NGC 6397	32′	6.68
Moon	29.3′ – 34.1'	-12.74 (full)
47 Tucanae	30′.9	4.91
Ursa Minor Dwarf	30′.2 × 19′.1	11.9
Flame Nebula	30′
NGC 1435	30′	13
Messier 47	30′	4.2
Messier 67	30′	6.1
NGC 2736	30′ × 7′
Pinwheel Galaxy	28′.8 × 26′.9	8.3
Messier 35	28′	5.3
Sculptor Galaxy	27′.5 × 6′.8	8.0
Messier 23	27′	6.9
Messier 46	27′	6.1
NGC 6633	27′	4.6
Messier 81	26.9′ × 14.1′	7.89
Boötes Dwarf Galaxy	26′.0 ± 1′.4	13.1
Centaurus A	25′.7 × 20′.0	7.8
Helix Nebula	25′	13.5
Butterfly Cluster	25′	4.2
NGC 7380	25′	7.2
Messier 37	24′	6.2
NGC 2244	24′	4.8
Carina Dwarf	23′.4 × 15′.5	11.3
Messier 5	23′	6.65
Messier 13	23′	5.8
Messier 93	22′	6.0
NGC 300	21′.9 × 15′.5	9.0
NGC 2403	21′.9 × 12′.3	8.9
Messier 110	21.9′ × 11.0′	8.92
NGC 4236	21′.9 × 7′.2	10.5
IC 342	21′.4 × 20′.9
NGC 247	21′.4 × 6′.9	9.9
Messier 38	21′
NGC 6752	20′.4	5.4
Trifid Nebula	20′	6.3
NGC 2264	20′	3.9
Messier 10	20′	6.6
Messier 43	20′x15′	9.0
NGC 4945	20′.0 × 3′.8	9.3
NGC 3109	19′.1 × 3′.7	10.4
Messier 55	19′	7.42
NGC 4372	18.6′
Messier 106	18′.6 × 7′.2	9.1
NGC 3201	18′.2	6.75
Iris Nebula	18′	6.8
Messier 3	18′	6.19
Messier 15	18′	6.2
Crescent Nebula	18′ × 12′
Palomar 12	17′.4	11.99
Messier 19	17′	6.8
Messier 2	16′	6.3
Messier 12	16′	6.7
Messier 50	16′	5.9
NGC 4565	15′.90 × 1′.85	10
NGC 6822	15′.5 × 13′.5	9.3
NGC 4631	15′.5 × 2′.7	9.8
Messier 26	15′	8.0
NGC 3628	15′ × 3′.8	9.5
Wild Duck Cluster	14′	6.3
NGC 288	13′.8
NGC 891	13′.5 × 2′.5	10.8
Messier 9	12′	7.7
Messier 14	11′	7.6
NGC 6946	11′ × 10′	8.9
Messier 82	11′.2 × 4′.3	8.41

Planets

The planets of the solar system appear significantly smaller.

Object	Angular size	Magnitude
ISS	~60″ max
Jupiter	30″ – 49″
Rings of Saturn	34″ – 46″
Venus	10″ – 66″
Saturn	15″ – 20″
Mars	4″ – 25″
Mercury	5″ – 13″
Uranus	3″ – 4″
Neptune	2″
Ceres	0.8″
Pluto	0.1″
Eris	40 mas

Stars

The largest stars appear smaller still. The two largest below are red giants at some distance, whereas the last two are sun-sized stars at very close distance.

• R Doradus: 0.057″
• Betelgeuse: 0.049″ – 0.060″
• Antares : 0.0413″
• Aldebaran : 0.020″
• Alpha Centauri A: ca. 0.007″
• Sirius: ca. 0.007″