Observer's guide
About Cetus A
Cetus A (M77) is catalogued as a spiral galaxy in Cetus. Its J2000 position is RA 02:42:40.71, Dec -00:00:47.8, corresponding to 40.6696 degrees RA and -0.0133 degrees Dec. The local catalogue places it about 60,000,000 light-years away. Its referenced angular extent is approximately 5.5 by 5.09 arcminutes.
Observing tips
This is rated as a moderate target at magnitude 8.9. It is associated with autumn observing, with midnight placement typically strongest around October. From 52 degrees north its theoretical meridian altitude is about 38 degrees; local horizons and the live altitude chart determine the practical window.
A small telescope under reasonably dark skies is a good starting point; use the live altitude chart to choose its highest point.
What to expect
The SIMBAD classification for the matched source is Sy2. SIMBAD records the morphology as SAb. A published radial velocity value is 1042.6 km/s. The SIMBAD record currently connects it to 4941 bibliographic references.
At roughly 5.5 arcminutes across, it benefits from a narrower field and adequate image scale. Use the listed 5.5 by 5.09 arcminute extent to check framing, and treat catalogue magnitude as integrated brightness rather than a direct measure of visual contrast.