Coma Berenices

[OXO]

Coma Berenices and Friends...

James

[russ]

Great constellation for the galaxy hunter Caz....which is you with your 8" newt and new filter.

Nice image James!

I like this region of the sky...a lot.

[CELESCOPE]

Brillent James love tht one th best mate , smooth and wel ldefined

Rog

[OXO]

Thanks Russ,Rog

You know i have not paid much attention to this region of the sky i guess i should do now mmmmmmmm feel a plan coming on.

James

[The Warthog]

I've never been able to get the hang of Coma Berenices, myself. Is it actually a constellation, or a real big cluster, or what? There's a cute story about it, but I think it was made up after the fact, by a hairdresser.

[OXO]

There's a cute story about it, but I think it was made up after the fact, by a hairdresser.

Pray tell?

James

[Alan D]

Nice image James.

I am a big fan of wide field shots, hope to do Orion widefield next time I get out.

Cheers

Alan

[The Warthog]

There's a cute story about it, but I think it was made up after the fact, by a hairdresser.

Pray tell?

James

It goes something like: a pagan queen, named Bernice, whose husband was away looting and pillaging, believed that her husband had been killed, and in her grief she cut off all her beautiful hair. When he returned, alive, she was very happy to see him, but he was very angry to see his wife with a crew cut, as he had married her because of her beautiful hair. To assuage his ire, she pointed up to the Coma Berenices (did I mention her name was Bernice?) region and said, "But look! Because of my grief, the gods put my hair in the sky!" He fell for it, and everybody lived happily ever after, pillaging and looting to their heart's content.

[OXO]

Thanks for sharing that Warthog hehe i like these storys beats Disneys.

James

[Astroman]

Coma Berenices is both a constellation AND an open cluster. The constellation is shaped like an upside-down "L". The cluster is a triangle at the upper right edge of the L. The cluster is also called Mellotte 111 and is a truly great binocular site!

[OXO]

Isnt the Coma Cluster in there too or am i getting mixed up? Mag 14 i think..

James

[GazOC]

Nice pic James (those widefield shots play havoc with my monitors gamma settings!! ), theres a little piece on the galaxies around that area in S@N this month.

[Astroman]

Isnt the Coma Cluster in there too or am i getting mixed up? Mag 14 i think..

James

Yup. Virgo/Coma cluster of galaxies is there. 60 million LY away and the closest supercluster

[OXO]

Thanks Gaz/Warthog/Astroman,

Don't have Sky@Night yet i will be buying it tommorow though hehe. Closest super cluster eh thats cool! i must really take more notice of this area of the sky mmmmmmmm.

James

[OXO]

After my imaging session last night i had a quick half hour looking at the Constellation blimey theres some corking views to be had isn't there, i seen many many galaxies and a couple of cluster around the area. One of the galaxies looked like a fish in the Telescope any ideas? it's was just left of Coma Berenices...

Wonderfull Views!

James

[Astroman]

I don't know if I'd call it "fish shaped", but NGC 4565 is just to the east of the Coma Cluster-the aforementioned Mellotte 111. It's a spectacular edge-on galaxy with a pronounced dust lane. Excellent photographic subject.

[OXO]

Hi Astroman,

Just looked up NGC 4565 and thats what i was observing the seeing was shocking hence the fish like description hehe, it's pretty poor again tonight here but i will take a longer look later also look up Mellotte 111 too.

Thanks.

James

[Astroman]

You'll need binocs or a REALLY wide field to see Mel 111. It's huge, like Andromeda or the North American nebby. Ngc 4565 is one of my favorites in a big scope.

[OXO]

Just been looking at Mel 111 your quite right it is Huge just about fits into view of my scope with a 40mm EP very nice indeed but i will after wait till the seeing conditions are better to really get a hold of it. NGC 4565 is barely visable at the moment i'll try an image if the conditions allow later on.

James

[OXO]

Conditions were too poor for any images around Coma Berenices last night maybe try again tommorow it's quite amazing the amount of Galaxies visable in my cheap Refractor..

James

[Mick.G.]

Hi James a beauty.

I've only realized what I'm looking at by looking at my star chart.

I'd be hopeless under a real dark sky! :shock:

Mick.

[OXO]

Here's a chart for you Mick

[tom.yates]

Nice image mate love scanning this part of the sky with the 16" dob.

[OXO]

Cheers Tom, Must look amazing in ya 16" Dob :shock: maybe i'll get a peek soon eh :lol:

James