Constellation of the Month: May
Coma Berenices (The Hair of Bernice)

by: John Mirtle.
Page last updated: May 3, 2004

Contents
Naked Eye Objects    Small Scope Objects    Big Scope Objects    Challenge Objects    Maps    Photos

Naked Eye Objects:

Name R.A. Decl. Details
  Melotte 111 12hr 25m +25° 43' The "Coma Berenices Star Cluster" - a large sprawling open cluster 5° in size, 250 LY distant. 37 stars, mag 4.87 and fainter.
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Small Scope Objects:

Name R.A. Decl. Details
  M53
(NGC 5024)		 13hr 12.9m +18° 10' The brightest globular in Coma, 1° NE of a Comae. Magnitude 8.7 , 14 arc minutes in diameter. First observed by J.E. Bode in February 1775. Partial resolution with a 6" scope.
  M64!
(NGC 4826)		 12hr 56.7m +21° 41' The "Black Eye Galaxy" - an unusual 8th magnitude spiral galaxy, 7.5 x 3.5 arc minutes in size. First observed by J.E. Bode April 4, 1779. An abnormally smooth and featureless galaxy except for a large dark dust cloud near the nucleus, which gives it the appearance of a black eye.
  M85
(NGC 4382)		 12hr 25.4m +18° 11' A member of the Virgo galaxy cluster, discovered by Mechain in 1781. M85 is a lenticular galaxy, 3 x 2 arc minutes in size, magnitude 10.5.
  M88
(NGC 4501)		 12hr 32.0m +14° 25' A bright multiple - arm Sb spiral, about 30° from edge-on. Discovered by Messier March 18, 1781. Magnitude 10.5, 5.7 x 2.5 arc minutes.
  M91
(NGC 4548)		 12hr 35.4m +14° 30' PLACEHOLDER
  M98
(NGC 4192)		 12hr 13.8m +14° 54' A large, elongated Sb spiral 8 x 2 arc minutes in size. Discovered by Mechain in 1781. Low surface brightness at mag. 11.
  M99
(NGC 4254)		 12hr 18.8m +14° 25' A bright, circular, face-on Sc spiral. Mag 10.4, 4.5 x 4 arc minutes. Spiral structure visible in 10" and larger scopes under good skies.
  M100
(NGC 4321)		 12hr 22.9m +15° 49' Another bright mag. 10.4 Sc spiral, 5.2 x 5 arc minutes.
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Big Scope Objects:

Name R.A. Decl. Details
  NGC 4565!! 12hr 36.3m +25° 59' The best and brightest edge-on spiral. 15.5 x 2.1 arc minutes, magnitude 10.7 . Dust lane visible in larger scopes. (110NGC)
  NGC 4725! 12hr 50.4m +25° 30' A large, bright barred spiral galaxy. Mag 9.2, 10.8 x 7.6 arc minutes in size. (110NGC)
  NGC 5053 13hr 16m +17° 41' A faint, loose globular cluster, 1° S.E. of M53. 8 arc minutes across, magnitude 10.5.
  NGC 4274! 12hr 19.8m +29° 37' (110NGC) PLACEHOLDER
  NGC 4414! 12hr 26.4m +31° 13' (110NGC) PLACEHOLDER
  NGC 4494! 12hr 31.4m +25° 47' (110NGC) PLACEHOLDER
  NGC 4559! 12hr 36.0m +27° 58' (110NGC) PLACEHOLDER
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Challenge Objects:

Name R.A. Decl. Details
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Constellation Maps:

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Photos:

 
Photo 1
South is at top to match the view in an inverting telescope.
Photo credit: John Mirtle.
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