M99 · galaxy

Messier 99

Messier 99 or M99, also known as NGC 4254 or St.

RA12h 18m 49sDec+14° 24' 59"

Image: Hubble Space Telescope (NASA/STScI/Z. Knez (Aladin)). Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Identity & coordinates

Identification

Primary designation: M99
All designations: M99 · NGC 4254
Object type: Galaxy
Constellation: Coma Berenices
Best viewing: Spring

Coordinates & physical

Right ascension (J2000): 12h 18m 49s
Declination (J2000): +14° 24' 59"
Apparent magnitude (V): —
Distance: —
Redshift (z): 0.008026

III

Visibility tonight

The science

Messier 99 or M99, also known as NGC 4254 or St. Catherine's Wheel, is a grand design spiral galaxy in the northern constellation Coma Berenices approximately 15,000,000 parsecs from the Milky Way. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain on 17 March 1781. The discovery was then reported to Charles Messier, who included the object in the Messier Catalogue of comet-like objects. It was one of the first galaxies in which a spiral pattern was seen. This pattern was first identified by Lord Rosse in the spring of 1846.

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