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M77 is a "Seyfert" galaxy,
which means it has a rather bright nucleus whose light output varies with time.
It is the only Seyfert galaxy in the Messier catalog.
At the core of M77 is a 10 million solar mass central object, possibly a black hole.
M77 is the largest member of a small galactic group
that includes NGC 1055, NGC 1073 and several others.
M77 is easy to locate because it is only 1° from the 4th
magnitude star Delta Ceti.
A telescope will show an elongated glow with a much brighter central region.
On a good night a telescope might begin to show a hint of spiral arms.
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