Messier 94 is a spiral galaxy in the mid-northern constellation Canes Venatici. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1781,
and catalogued by Charles Messier two days later. Although some references describe M94 as a barred spiral galaxy, the "bar" structure appears to be more oval-shaped. The galaxy has two ring structures.
Galaxy Messier 94 in Canes Venatici
Detail of the central area of M94
M94 as seen in at various wavelengths of light
Canes Venatici is one of the 88 constellations designated by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). It is a small northern constellation that was created by Johannes Hevelius in the 17th century. Its name is Latin for 'hunting dogs', and the constellation is often depicted in illustrations as representing the dogs of Boötes the Herdsman, a neighboring constellation.
Canes Venatici can be seen in the orientation it appears to the eyes in this 1825 star chart from Urania's Mirror.
The constellation Canes Venatici as it is seen by the naked eye in twilight
Messier 51, the Whirlpool Galaxy, photographed by the Hubble Space Telescope.
NGC 4248 is located about 24 million light-years away.