Hair of Veronica constellation

Constellations > Veronica’s Hair

Veronica’s Hair is a constellation located in the northern sky. Literally translated, it means “Hair of Berenice” and was named so in honor of Queen Berenice II of Egypt. Ptolemy believed that this is an asterism in the constellation Leo (the bundle of his tail). Only in the 16th century, on the Astronomical Globe of Kaspar Vaupel, it stood out as a separate constellation. But nevertheless, Tycho Brahe is considered the discoverer, who included him in the catalog of 1602.

Despite its small size, there are many famous objects in the constellation Coma, including: the Black Eye Galaxy (Messier 64), Messier 98, Messier 99, Messier 100, the globular cluster Messier 53, the Needle Galaxy (NGC 4565) and the Hair of Veronica Cluster of Galaxies … Also contains the northern part of the Virgo Cluster. The constellation Coma Veronica is also notable for the fact that it contains the Galactic North Pole.

Facts, position and map

With an area of ​​386 square degrees, Coma is the 42nd largest constellation. Located in the third quadrant of the northern hemisphere (NQ3). It can be found at latitudes between + 90 ° and -70 °. Neighbors Leo, Virgo, Big Dipper, Hounds and Bootes.

Contains two stars with planets and 8 Messier objects: M53 (NGC 5024), Black Eye Galaxy (M64, NGC 4826), M85 (NGC 4382), M88 (NGC 4501), M91 (NGC 4548), M98 (NGC 4192), M99 (NGC 4254) and M100 (NGC 4321). The brightest star is Beta Veronica’s Hair. There is a meteor shower – Coma Berenesida.

Belongs to the group of constellations Ursa Major, among which there are Bootes, Giraffe, Dragon, Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Lynx, Little Lion, Northern Crown and Hounds Dogs. You can see the scheme of the Coma of Coma constellation, including bright stars, objects in space and neighbors, on a star map.

Myth

The history of the constellation Coma Veronica concerns a historical figure – Queen of Egypt Berenice II. She was married to Ptolemy II, who had to confront the Seleucids who killed his sister in 243 BC. (third Syrian war). Berenice was very worried about the life of her husband, so she swore to Aphrodite that she would cut off her beautiful long curls if the goddess left him alive.

As soon as he returned, she immediately fulfilled her promise and left her hair in the temple of Aphrodite, which disappeared the next day. This greatly angered the king. The astronomer explained that Aphrodite liked them so much that she decided to send them to heaven.

Main stars

We invite you to get acquainted with the stars of the constellation Coma Veronica, including a detailed description and characteristics.

Diadem (Alpha Hair of Veronica) is a double star, represented by two stars of spectral type F5V, with magnitudes 5.05 and 5.08. The system is 63 light years distant. The two stars appear almost extreme, as if they were moving back and forth in a straight line, separated by a maximum of 0.7 arc seconds.

Diadem is the second brightest in the constellation with an apparent magnitude of 4.32. Displays the jewel in the crown of Queen Berenice. The word itself is taken from the Greek διάδημα (diádēma) – “strip”.

Beta Coma Veronica is the brightest star in the constellation, despite its beta definition, with an apparent visual magnitude of 4.26. It is a main sequence dwarf about 29.78 light years distant. It resembles the Sun, only slightly larger and brighter. There are no planets in orbit.

Gamma Hair of Veronica is a giant of the spectral type K1II. It has an apparent magnitude of 4,350 and a distance of 170 light years.

FK Coma Veronica is a variable star with an apparent magnitude of 8.14-8.33 for 2.4 days. Acts as a prototype for variable stars of the FK Com class (they have large cold spots on rotating surfaces). Spectral class G5II, and the distance is 800 light years.

Celestial objects

The Black Eye Galaxy (Messier 64, M64, NGC 4826) is a spiral galaxy with an apparent magnitude of 9.36 and a distance of 24 million light years. It is also called the Sleeping Beauty Galaxy or the Evil Eye Galaxy.

It is a popular object among amateur astronomers in the constellation Coma Coma, as it is easy to find even with a weak telescope. It has a bright core and a dark dusty stripe in front, which is why it received the nickname “Evil Eye”.

The galaxy is not quite ordinary, since the gas in the outer regions rotates in the opposite direction to the inner ones. It is possible that M64 swallowed up a smaller satellite galaxy a billion years ago.

The inner region is 3,000 light years in radius, and the outer is another 40,000 light years. The area separating them is the active site of star formation. It was independently discovered by Edouard Pigott and Johann Elert Bode in 1779. In 1780, Charles Messier included the galaxy in his catalog. Look for it 1 degree east-northeast of the star 35 Veronica’s Hair.

The Needle Galaxy (NGC 4565) is one of the most famous spiral galaxies in the sky.

Found in 1785 by William Herschel. It can be observed with a small telescope. Located exactly above the Galactic North Pole, 1 degree east of 17 Coma Beeronica. It has a visual magnitude of 10.42 and a distance of 42.7 million light years.

Based on the shape of the central bulge, astronomers believe NGC 4565 is a barred spiral galaxy. It reaches 16 arc minutes in length.

Melotte 111 is a small star cluster with 40 bright stars of magnitude 5-10.

The cluster was included in the catalog of Philibert Jacques Melotte. Occupies over 7.5 degrees in the sky. The age is 450 million years, and the distance is 280 light years.

The Coma Cluster of Galaxies is a cluster of galaxies located north of the Virgo Cluster. But it is farther and removed from our system by 230-300 million light years.

It contains about 1,000 large galaxies and 30,000 smaller ones, most of which are brighter than 19.0. The brightest galaxies in the group reach magnitude 13 (NGC 4889 and NGC 4874). Another notable member is NGC 4921, the brightest spiral galaxy in the cluster.

Virgo Cluster – contains the northern part of the Virgo Cluster. Located 60 million light years from Earth. This includes M100, M85, M99, M88, and M91.

Messier 53 (M53, NGC 5024) is a globular cluster located 58,000 light years from Earth and 60,000 light years from the Galactic Center.

Round in shape and with a very bright center. It was found in 1775 by Johann Bode, and two years later, Charles Messier added it to his catalog. This is one of the most distant globular clusters. Visible visual value – 8.33. Its stars are poor in metal.

M 53 is to be found in the northeastern part of the Alpha Hair of Veronica star. It is the brightest Messier object in the constellation. You can even see it with binoculars.

Messier 100 (M100, NGC 4321) is a huge spiral galaxy with a brilliant core, two main spiral arms, and a few more subtle and dusty stripes.

It is located in the Virgo cluster (this is one of its brightest representatives) in the constellation Coma Veronica. Measures 7 arc minutes wide. Messier 100 is 160,000 light years in diameter and 55 million light years distant. The apparent magnitude is 10.1. It was found by Pierre Meschen on March 15, 1781. It was one of the first spiral galaxies ever discovered. During the entire observation period, 5 supernovae were noticed in it. It contains the satellite galaxy NGC 4323, 52.5 million light years distant (apparent magnitude 15.7).

Messier 85 (M85, NGC 4382) is a lenticular galaxy. One of the most distant objects of Messier, located 60 million light-years away.

It has a diameter of 125,000 light years and an apparent magnitude of 10.0. Found in 1781 by Pierre Meschen. It is the northernmost member of the Virgo Cluster. In December 1960, a supernova was observed.

The galaxy interacts with two smaller neighbors: spiral galaxy 4394 and elliptical MCG 3-32-38.

Messier 99 (M99, NGC 4254) is a barred spiral galaxy with an apparent magnitude of 10.4 and a distance of 50.2 million light years.

Found in 1781 by Pierre Meschen, and later included in the catalog of Charles Messier. 3 supernovae were observed in it. It could have been distorted by the nearby possible dark galaxy VIRGOHI21, to which it is linked by a bridge of neutral hydrogen gas.

Messier 88 (M88, NGC 4501) is a spiral galaxy discovered by Charles Messier in 1781.

It has an apparent magnitude of 10.4 and a distance of 47 million light years. This is a Seyfert galaxy – produces narrow spectral emission lines due to highly ionized gas in the core.

It contains several spiral arms and a supermassive black hole in the center (80 million times the solar mass). M88 is one of 15 Messier objects located in the Virgo Cluster. In 1999, a supernova was seen in the galaxy.

Messier 91 (M91, NGC 4548) is a barred spiral galaxy belonging to the Virgo Cluster.

Apparent visual magnitude 11.0. Located 63 million light years away. Found by Charles Messier in 1781.

Messier 98 (M98, NGC 4192) is an intermediate, elongated spiral galaxy with an apparent magnitude of 11.0.

It has a small core and large, weak spiral arms. It is located 0.5 degrees west of 6 Coma, or 1.5 degrees west-northwest of Messier 99.

It is 54.1 million light years distant. It was first found by Pierre Méchain in 1781 and registered by Charles Messier in the same year. Part of the Virgo Cluster.

NGC 4889 (Caldwell 35) is a supergiant elliptical galaxy with an apparent magnitude of 11.4 and a distance of 308 million light years.

The galaxy can be found in the vicinity of the Beta Coma Star.

NGC 4147 is a small, relatively faint globular cluster with an apparent magnitude of 10.2. It appears blurry in smaller telescopes, but in larger telescopes, a bright, circular cluster with no well-defined core.

You can study the constellation Coma Veronica more closely if you use not only our photos, but 3D models and an online telescope. For an independent search, a static or moving map of the starry sky is suitable.

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