Target Type R. A. Dec. Constellation Magnitude Size M90 (NGC 4569) Spiral Galaxy 12h 36m 50s +13° 09′ 48″ Virgo +9.36 9.1×3.8 arcmin Overview On one night, 18 March 1781, Charles Messier discovered eight separate galaxies. M90 is one of those eight. At the time, astronomers weren’t aware of galaxies and so he classed it …
Target Type R. A. Dec. Constellation Magnitude Size M89 (NGC 4552) Elliptical Galaxy 12h 35m 40s +12° 33′ 22″ Virgo +9.67 8.1×8.0 arcmin Overview This bright, compact galaxy was discovered by Charles Messier on 18 March 1781, the same day that he discovered seven others. He didn’t know at the time what it was he’d …
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 M87 (NGC 4486) Elliptical Galaxy 12h 30m 50s +12° 23′ 26″ Virgo +8.67 7.1×6.7 arcmin Overview This is both the largest and brightest member of the Virgo-Coma Supercluster of galaxies. M87 is an elliptical galaxy – no swirling arms here – shining brighter than magnitude 9. It’s …
Target Type R. A. Dec. Constellation Magnitude Size M61 (NGC 4303) Spiral Galaxy 12h 21m 23s +04° 28′ 26″ Virgo +9.52 6.9×6.6 arcmin Overview One of the largest members of the Virgo Cluster of Galaxies, M61 was discovered by Barnabus Oriani in May 1779 while observing a comet. Coincidentally, Messier also spied the galaxy on …
