Coma Berenices - Berenice's HairLearn about the constellation Coma Berenices - Berenice's Hair, location, facts, mythology, meteor showers and deep space objects.
Coma Berenices is a traditional asterism that has since become a constellation. It is located near Leo and was originally considered Leo's tail.
Location: Northern Spring 12h RA 21° Dec
Coma Berenices contains the North Galactic Pole, at right ascension 12h 51m 25s and declination 27° 07' 48" (epoch J2000.0)
Coma Berenices Mythology
Coma Berenices has been known as a distinct asterism since ancient Greek times. The Eratosthenes referred to it as both Ariadne's Hair and Berenices' Hair. Ptolemy referred to it as the lock (of hair); however, he did not list it as one of his 48 constellations, considering it as part of Leo. For many years, Coma Berenices was considered usually as the tuft in Leo's tail, or sometimes as part of Virgo.
Coma Berenices Deep Space Objects
M64 (NGC 4826) is known as the Black Eye Galaxy because of the prominent dark dust lane in front of the galaxy's bright nucleus.
The Coma Berenicids meteor shower peaks around 18 January. Despite the shower's low intensity (averaging one or two meteors per hour), its meteors are some of the fastest, with speeds up to 65 km/s (40 mps).
In this table, the observation month represents the month in which the object reaches its highest point in the sky. It can also be viewed a few months before and after depending on your location. Direction is the compass direction in which the object is located, with Z meaning Zenith or overhead.
# | Common Name | Constellation | Month | Coords | Direction | Mag | Size (arcmin) | Type | Star Chart | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
C35 NGC 4889 | Coma Berenices | May | 13h 00.1m RA +27° 59m Dec | Z | 11.40 | 2.9x1.9 | Elliptical Galaxy | 🔍︎ | ||
C36 NGC 4559 | Koi Fish Galaxy | Coma Berenices | May | 12h 36.0m RA +27° 58m Dec | Z | 9.90 | 10.7x4.4 | Spiral Galaxy | 🔍︎ | |
C38 NGC 4565 | Needle Galaxy | Coma Berenices | Feb | 12h 36.3m RA +25° 59m Dec | Z | 9.60 | 15.9x1.85 | Spiral Galaxy | 🔍︎ | |
M53 NGC 5024 | Coma Berenices | Apr | 13h 12.9m RA 18° 10m Dec | SE | 8.30 | 13 | Globular Cluster | 🔍︎ | ||
M64 NGC 4826 | The Blackeye Galaxy | Coma Berenices | Apr | 12h 56.7m RA 21° 41m Dec | Z | 9.36 | 10.7x5.1 | Galaxy | 🔍︎ | |
M85 NGC 4382 | Coma Berenices | Apr | 12h 25.4m RA 18° 11m Dec | S | 10.00 | 7.1x5.5 | Galaxy | 🔍︎ | ||
M88 NGC 4501 | Coma Berenices | Apr | 12h 32.0m RA 14° 25m Dec | S | 10.40 | 6.9x3.7 | Galaxy | 🔍︎ | ||
M91 NGC 4548 | Coma Berenices | Apr | 12h 35.4m RA 14° 30m Dec | S | 11.00 | 5.4x4.3 | Galaxy | 🔍︎ | ||
M98 NGC 4192 | Coma Berenices | Feb | 12h 13.8m RA 14° 54m Dec | SE | 11.00 | 9.8*2.8 | Galaxy | 🔍︎ | ||
M99 NGC 4254 | Coma Pinwheel Galaxy | Coma Berenices | Feb | 12h 18.8m RA 14° 25m Dec | SE | 10.40 | 5.4x4.7 | Galaxy | 🔍︎ | |
M100 NGC 4321 | Blowdryer Galaxy (Mirror Galaxy) | Coma Berenices | Feb | 12h 22.9m RA 15° 49m Dec | SE | 10.10 | 7.4x6.3 | Galaxy | 🔍︎ |
Northern Circumpolar | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Camelopardalis | Cassiopeia | Cepheus | Draco | Lacerta | Ursa Major |
Ursa Minor |
Northern Spring | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Antlia | Boötes | Cancer | Coma Berenices | Crater | Hydra |
Leo | Leo Minor | Virgo |
Northern Summer | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aquila | Corona Borealis | Cygnus | Delphinus | Equuleus | Hercules |
Libra | Lyra | Ophiuchus | Sagitta | Scutum | Serpens |
Vulpecula |
Northern Autumn | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Andromeda | Aquarius | Aries | Capricornus | Pegasus | Pisces |
Triangulum |
Northern Winter | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Auriga | Canes Venatici | Canis Major | Canis Minor | Cetus | Eridanus |
Gemini | Lepus | Lynx | Monoceros | Orion | Perseus |
Taurus |