Constellation of the Month: April
Virgo (The Virgin)

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

Contents
Small Scope Objects Big Scope Objects Challenge Objects Maps Photos

Small Scope Objects:

Name	R.A.	Decl.	Details
M49 (NGC 4472)	12hr 29.8m	+08° 00'	A mag 8.4 elliptical (E4) galaxy, 8.9 x 7.4 arc minutes across.
M58 (NGC 4579)	12hr 37.7m	+11° 49'	A mag 9.8 Sb spiral galaxy, 5.4 x 4.4 arc minutes across.
M59 (NGC 4621)	12hr 42.0m	+11° 39'	A mag 9.8 E3 elliptical galaxy, 5.1 x 3.4 arc minutes across.
M60 (NGC 4649)	12hr 43.7m	+11° 33'	A mag 8.8 E1 elliptical galaxy, 7.2 x 6.2 arc minutes across. Located in the same low power field as M59. Look for NGC 4647 4 arc min. NW.
M61 (NGC 4303)	12hr 21.9m	+04° 28'	A mag 9.7 face-on spiral, 6.0 x 5.5 arc minutes across.
M84^! (NGC 4374)	12hr 25.1m	+12° 53'	A bright pair of elliptical galaxies (M84/86) in the heart of the Virgo cluster. Part of the "Markarian Chain". Mags 9.3 and 9.2. Sizes 5.0 x 4.4 and 7.4 x 5.5 arc min.
M86^! (NGC 4406)	12hr 26.2m	+12° 57'	See M84.
M87 (NGC 4486)	12hr 30.8m	+12° 24'	Another bright elliptical galaxy, mag 8.6., 7.2 x 6.8 arc min. One of the largest and most luminous know galaxies, also a strong radio and X-ray source.
M89 (NGC 4552)	12hr 35.7m	+12° 33'	An E0 elliptical galaxy , 4.2 x 4.2 arc minutes, mag 9.8.
M90 (NGC 4569)	12hr 36.8m	+13° 10'	A bright, Sb spiral galaxy. Mag 9.5, 9.5 x 4.7 arc minutes.
M104^! (NGC 4594)	12hr 40.0m	-11° 37'	The "Sombrero Galaxy" - an Sb spiral galaxy. Mag 8.3, 8.9 x 4.1 arc minutes. Features a prominent dust lane, tilted almost edge-on.

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Big Scope Objects:

Name	R.A.	Decl.	Details
NGC 4216^!	12hr 15.9m	+13° 09'	A mag. 9.9 Sb spiral, 8.3x 2.2 arc min, almost edge-on. (110NGC)
NGC 4388^!	12hr 25.8m	+12° 40'	A mag 11 Sb galaxy near M84/86. Mag 10.9, 5.1 x 1.4 arc min. (110NGC)
NGC 4438^! and NGC 4435^!	12hr 27.8m	+13° 01'	"The Eyes" - an interacting pair. NGC 4438 is an mag. 10.1 spiral. 9.3 x 3.9 min. (110NGC)
NGC 4517^!	12hr 32.8m	+00° 07'	An edge-on Sc spiral. Mag 10.5, 10.2 x 1.9 arc minutes. (110NGC)
NGC 4526^!	12hr 34.0m	+07° 42'	A mag 9.6 E7 elliptical, 7.6 x 2.3 arc minutes. (110NGC)
NGC 4535^!	12hr 34.3m	+08° 12'	A mag. 9.8 Sc spiral. 6.8 x 5.0 arc min, near M49. (110NGC)
NGC 4567^! and NGC 4568^!	12hr 36.5m	+11° 15'	The "Siamese Twins" - a pair of interacting Sc spirals. Mag 11, 4.6 x 2.1 arc minutes. (110NGC)
NGC 4699^!	12hr 49.0m	-08° 40'	A small bright Sa spiral, mag 9.6, 3.5 x 2.7 arc min. (110NGC)
NGC 4762^!	12hr 52.9m	+11° 14'	The flattest galaxy known. A mag 10.2 SB0 spiral, 8.7 x1.6 arc min. (110NGC)
NGC 5746^!	14hr 44.9m	+01° 57'	Sb edge-on galaxy, mag 10.6, 7.9 x 1.7 arc minutes. (110NGC)

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Challenge Objects:

	Name	R.A.	Decl.	Details
	3C273	12hr 29.1m	+02° 03'	Appearing as a bluish 12th or 13th mag. variable "star", this quasar is some 2-3 billion light years away. Uranometria pg. 238

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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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