The Messier Ten Minute Challenge

M99 - Galaxy in Coma Berenices

Click here for a review of the strengths and weaknesses of the Global Rent-A-Scope operation.

This image was created by median combining 7 x 90 second unfiltered images taken with a Takahashi Epsilon 250 with SBIG ST-8XE CCD. The image has been cut down to be 10 x 10 arc minutes in size.

Messier 99 (NGC 4254) is a beautiful spiral galaxy seen almost face-on. It rotates clockwise (unlike the nearby spiral M100), and, unusually, the nucleus is not central. It is believed that this asymmetric shape is the result of a recent encounter of another member of the Virgo cluster.

Return to the front page


In collaboration with the Remote Astronomical Society Observatory

Martin Nicholson - Daventry, United Kingdom.

This page was last updated on April 15th 2009.