At an apparent magnitude of 3.4, the Andromeda galaxy is notable for being one of the brightest Messier objects. It visible to the naked eye on moonless nights even when viewed from areas with moderate light pollution. Although it appears "more than six times as wide as the full Moon" when photographed by a larger telescope, only the brighter central region is visible to the naked eye. Being both large and bright, it is one of the farthest objects that can be seen without a telescope or binoculars.