Target Type R.A. Dec. Constellation Magnitude Size M88 (NGC 4501) Spiral Galaxy 12h 31m 59s +14° 25′ 12″ Coma Berenice 9.36 8.7×4.4 arcmin Overview This is one of the largest spiral galaxies in the great Virgo Cluster. It spans some 110,000 light-years of space but lives between 50 and 60 million light-years away from us. …
Challenge #2 – M88, Spiral Galaxy in Coma Berenices Read More »
Target Type R. A. Dec. Constellation Magnitude Size M64 (NGC 5024) Spiral Galaxy 12h 56m 44s +21° 40′ 55″ Coma Berenices 8.4 10.5×5.3 arcmins Overview This galaxy is 17 million light-years from Earth and was discovered by Edward Pigott in March 1779. Messier himself discovered in independently a year later. Looking at the image below, …
Challenge #1 – M64, ‘Black Eye’ Galaxy in Coma Berenices Read More »
Target Type R. A. Dec. Constellation Magnitude Size M91 (NGC 4548) Barred Spiral Galaxy 12h 35m 27s +14° 29′ 46″ Coma Berenices +10.0 5.5×4.5 arcmin Overview This barred spiral galaxy was discovered M91 but shrouded it in mystery when he recorded its coordinates incorrectly in his notes. Suggestions for the ‘real’ M91 have included a …
Target Type R. A. Dec. Constellation Magnitude Size M98 (NGC 4192) Spiral Galaxy 12h 13m 48s +14° 54′ 00″ Comma Berenices +9.93 11.0×2.7 arcmin Overview Pierre Méchain discovered M98 at about the same time as he discovered M99 and M100, in 1781. It was not long after that Messier found them for himself and added …
Target Type R. A. Dec. Constellation Magnitude Size M99 (NGC 4254) Spiral Galaxy 14h 25m 00s +19° 40′ 01″ Coma Berenices +9.72 5.0×4.7 arcmins Overview This galaxy lies in the small constellation of Coma Berenices but is actually a member of the Virgo Cluster of galaxies, which includes 15 other galaxies in the Messier catalog. …
Target Type R. A. Dec. Constellation Magnitude Size M100 (NGC 4321) Spiral Galaxy 12h 22m 55s +15° 49′ 20″ Coma Berenices +9.30 6.1×5.6 arcmins Overview This face-on galaxy in Coma Berenices is the brightest galaxy in the Virgo Cluster. The image below reveal spectacular detail, such as the red glow of hydrogen gas being illuminated …
Target Type R. A. Dec. Constellation Magnitude Size M53 (NGC 5024) Globular Cluster 13h 12m 55s +18° 10′ 05″ Coma Berenices 7.6 13.0 arcmins Overview This globular cluster is easily accessible in small telescopes and binoculars. Its brightness comes from the 220 light-years wide grouping of stars that shine with the brightness of 200,000 suns. …
Target Type R. A. Dec. Constellation Magnitude Size M85 (NGC 4382) Lenticular Galaxy 12h 25m 24s +18° 11′ 25″ Coma Berenices +9.0 7.0×5.3 arcmins Overview This galaxy lies in the small constellation of Coma Berenices but is actually a member of the Virgo Cluster of galaxies, which includes 15 other galaxies in the Messier catalog. …
