Spiral galaxy in Coma Berenices
Though it is across the constellation border in Coma Berenices, Messier 98 is a member of the Virgo galaxy cluster. A peculiar feature of this galaxy is that its dimmer, outer arms seem to be oriented at a different plane than the brighter inner arms. Below Messier 98 is a distant spiral galaxy, NGC 4816, of magnitude 13.8.
| Magnitude | 10.1 |
| Apparent Size | 10' x 3' |
| Distance (light yrs) | 55 million |
| Right Ascension | 12:13.8 |
| Declination | +14 54 |
| Field of View | 35' x 27' |
Image details: Exposure times of 30 minutes luminance and 18 minutes each of red, green and blue, taken with an SBIG ST-8300M imager and a 12" Meade telescope at f/5.6.
April 2012