M100 · galaxy

Messier 100

Messier 100 is a grand design intermediate spiral galaxy in the southern part of the mildly northern Coma Berenices.

RA12h 22m 54sDec+15° 49' 17"

Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech. Source: JPL via images.nasa.gov.

Identity & coordinates

Identification

Primary designation: M100
All designations: M100 · NGC 4321
Object type: Galaxy
Constellation: Coma Berenices
Best viewing: Spring

Coordinates & physical

Right ascension (J2000): 12h 22m 54s
Declination (J2000): +15° 49' 17"
Apparent magnitude (V): —
Distance: —
Redshift (z): 0.005240

III

Visibility tonight

The science

Messier 100 is a grand design intermediate spiral galaxy in the southern part of the mildly northern Coma Berenices. It is one of the brightest and largest galaxies in the Virgo Cluster and is approximately 55 million light-years from our galaxy, about 166,000 light-years in diameter. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1781 and 29 days later seen again and entered by Charles Messier in his catalogue "of nebulae and star clusters". It was one of the first spiral galaxies to be discovered, and was listed as one of fourteen spiral nebulae by Lord William Parsons of Rosse in 1850. NGC 4323 and NGC 4328 are satellite galaxies of M100; the former is connected with it by a bridge of luminous matter.

Summary adapted from Wikipedia · CC-BY-SA-4.0