Galaxy
Mirror Galaxy
Spiral galaxy · M100 · NGC 4321
Spiral galaxy in Coma Berenices
Photo: ESO/IDA/Danish 1.5 m/R. Gendler, J.-E. Ovaldsen, C. C. Thöne and C. Féron · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Messier 100 is a grand design intermediate spiral galaxy in the constellation of Coma Berenices. It is one of the brightest and largest galaxies in the Virgo Cluster and is approximately 55 million light-years from the Milky Way, 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.
Description from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
In your sky
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Key facts
Distance
~55 million light-years
Apparent mag.
+9.3
Apparent size
7.4′ × 6.3′
Best seen with
Telescope
Catalogue
M100 · NGC 4321
Did you know
- Listed as Messier 100 in the Messier catalogue, also known as NGC 4321.
- Found in the constellation Coma Berenices.
- Needs a telescope to see clearly.
