Coma Berenices is an old northern asterism that has been classified as one of the eighty-eight contemporary constellations. It is visible in all hemispheres and is in the fourth galactic quadrant, between Leo and Boötes. Its Latin name, "Berenice's Hair," refers to Egyptian Queen Berenice II, who gave her long hair as a votive gift. Conon of Samos presented it to Western astronomy in the third century BC, and Gerardus Mercator and Tycho Brahe confirmed it as a constellation. It is the only modern constellation to have the name of a historical figure.
Alpha, Beta, and Gamma Comae Berenices are the three brightest stars in the constellation. Berenice's imaginary tresses, produced by the Coma Star Cluster, run diagonally through the half square. Beta Comae Berenices, the brightest star in the constellation, is a 4.2-magnitude main sequence star similar to the Sun. The North Galactic Pole is found in Coma Berenices, as is one of the most well-known galaxy clusters, the Coma Cluster, which is part of the Coma Supercluster. Galaxy Malin 1 is the first known enormous low-surface-brightness galaxy in the constellation. Supernova SN 1940B was the first type II supernova to be scientifically observed (in progress). Alpha, Beta, and Gamma are the three primary stars in the constellation. FK Comae The prototype of an eponymous class of variable stars is Comae Berenices. The constellation is home to the Coma Berenicids meteor shower, which has one of the highest meteor speeds, reaching sixty-five kilometres per second (40 miles per second). |
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History and Mythology
Alpha, Beta, and Gamma are the three primary stars in the constellation. FK Comae The prototype of an eponymous class of variable stars is Comae Berenices. Since the Hellenistic period (Pasachoff 2006) (or much earlier, according to some sources), Coma Berenices has been recognised as an asterism, and it is the only modern constellation named after a historical figure. (VanOppen de Ruiter 2005) Conon of Samos, the court astronomer of Egyptian pharaoh Ptolemy III Euergetes, introduced it to Western astronomy in the third century BC to honour Ptolemy's queen, Berenice II. If Ptolemy returned safely from war during the Third Syrian War, Berenice promised to sacrifice her long hair as a votive gift. (Barentine 2016) Alpha, Beta, and Gamma are the three primary stars in the constellation. FK Comae The prototype of an eponymous class of variable stars is Comae Berenices. Berenice made the sacrifice before or after Ptolemy's homecoming, according to modern researchers; it was suggested that it occurred after Ptolemy's return (about March–June or May 245 BC), when Conon gave the asterism together with scholar and poet Callimachus during a public nighttime ritual. (Van Oppen de Ruiter 2015) Berenice gave her tresses "to all the gods" in Callimachus' poem Aetia. She donated her tresses to Aphrodite and deposited them in the temple of Arsinoe II (associated after Berenice's death with Aphrodite) at Zephyrium, according to Catullus' Latin translation and Hyginus' De Astronomica. Alpha, Beta, and Gamma are the three primary stars in the constellation. FK Comae The prototype of an eponymous class of variable stars is Comae Berenices. The tresses had vanished by the next morning, according to De astronomica. Aphrodite, according to Conon, had placed the tresses in the sky as a sign of Berenice's sacrifice. (Barentine 2016) In Greek, Callimachus termed the asterism plokamos Bereniks or bostrukhon Bereniks, which Catullus translated as "Coma Berenices." It was also recognised as a separate constellation by Hipparchus (Ley 1963) and Geminus. (Dekker 2012) It was known as "Berenice's Hair" and "Ariadne's Hair" by Eratosthenes, who considered it to be part of the constellation Leo. (Garfinkle 1997) In the Almagest, Claudius Ptolemy did not include it among his forty-eight constellations, instead of classifying it as part of Leo (Pasachoff 2006) and naming it Plokamos. (Kunitzsch 2002) |
Alpha, Beta, and Gamma are the three primary stars in the constellation. FK Comae The prototype of an eponymous class of variable stars is Comae Berenices. During the 16th century, Coma Berenices became popular. Johannes Schöner labelled the asterism Trica, "hair," in a pair of gores in 1515. Caspar Vopel, who is credited with the asterism's identification as a constellation, first saw it on a celestial globe in 1536. It was also named "Crines Berenices" on a celestial map by Petrus Apianus that year. In 1551, Gerardus Mercator depicted Coma Berenices on a celestial globe with five Latin and Greek names: Cincinnus, caesaries, Berenicis crinis, and Trica. The constellation was first included on Dutch sky globes in 1589, because of Mercator's prominence as a cartographer.
Alpha, Beta, and Gamma are the three primary stars in the constellation. FK Comae The prototype of an eponymous class of variable stars is Comae Berenices. Coma was included in Tycho Brahe's 1602-star survey, and he is also credited with its identification as a constellation. (Pasachoff 2006) The constellation has fourteen stars according to Brahe, twenty-one according to Johannes Hevelius, and forty-three according to John Flamsteed. Johann Bayer's 1603 Uranometria included Coma Berenices, and a few other 17th-century celestial maps followed suit. The first post-Ptolemaic constellations shown on a celestial globe were Coma Berenices and the now-obsolete Antinous. Alpha, Beta, and Gamma are the three primary stars in the constellation. FK Comae The prototype of an eponymous class of variable stars is Comae Berenices. Coma Berenices exhibited an astronomical tradition in which globe- and mapmakers continued to rely on the ancients for data with Antinous. With observations of the southern sky and Tycho Brahe's work at the turn of the 16th century, this tendency came to a stop.
Coma Berenices was known by numerous names in English before the 18th century, including "Berenice's Bush" and "Berenice's periwig." "Berenices haire," the first known English name, dating from 1601. Coma Berenices was the name given to the constellation in 1702, and it occurs in the 1731 Universal Etymological English Dictionary.
On a tanned elk-skin star map from the 17th century, the North American Pawnee people showed Coma Berenices as ten weak stars. (Buckstaff 1927) The constellation was known as ombatapo in South American Kalina mythology (face). (Levi-Strauss 1983)
Alpha, Beta, and Gamma are the three primary stars in the constellation. FK Comae The prototype of an eponymous class of variable stars is Comae Berenices. Coma was included in Tycho Brahe's 1602-star survey, and he is also credited with its identification as a constellation. (Pasachoff 2006) The constellation has fourteen stars according to Brahe, twenty-one according to Johannes Hevelius, and forty-three according to John Flamsteed. Johann Bayer's 1603 Uranometria included Coma Berenices, and a few other 17th-century celestial maps followed suit. The first post-Ptolemaic constellations shown on a celestial globe were Coma Berenices and the now-obsolete Antinous. Alpha, Beta, and Gamma are the three primary stars in the constellation. FK Comae The prototype of an eponymous class of variable stars is Comae Berenices. Coma Berenices exhibited an astronomical tradition in which globe- and mapmakers continued to rely on the ancients for data with Antinous. With observations of the southern sky and Tycho Brahe's work at the turn of the 16th century, this tendency came to a stop.
Coma Berenices was known by numerous names in English before the 18th century, including "Berenice's Bush" and "Berenice's periwig." "Berenices haire," the first known English name, dating from 1601. Coma Berenices was the name given to the constellation in 1702, and it occurs in the 1731 Universal Etymological English Dictionary.
On a tanned elk-skin star map from the 17th century, the North American Pawnee people showed Coma Berenices as ten weak stars. (Buckstaff 1927) The constellation was known as ombatapo in South American Kalina mythology (face). (Levi-Strauss 1983)
Non-western astronomy
Several Polynesian peoples were also aware of the constellation. Tonga gave Coma Berenices four names: Fatana-lua, Fata-olunga, Fata-lalo, and Kapakau-o-Tafahi. (Makemson 1941) The constellation Tourt-chinboiong-gherra was named by the Boorong people, who regarded it as a little flock of birds sipping rainwater from a puddle in the crotch of a tree. (Selin 2012) It is possible that the natives of the Pukapuka atoll called it Te Yiku-o-te-kiole, though this name is commonly confused with Ursa Major.
Several Polynesian peoples were also aware of the constellation. Tonga gave Coma Berenices four names: Fatana-lua, Fata-olunga, Fata-lalo, and Kapakau-o-Tafahi. (Makemson 1941) The constellation Tourt-chinboiong-gherra was named by the Boorong people, who regarded it as a little flock of birds sipping rainwater from a puddle in the crotch of a tree. (Selin 2012) It is possible that the natives of the Pukapuka atoll called it Te Yiku-o-te-kiole, though this name is commonly confused with Ursa Major.
Characteristics and features
Boötes to the east, Canes Venatici to the north, Leo to the west, and Virgo to the south define the borders of Coma Berenices. It is the 42nd largest constellation by area, covering 386.5 square degrees and 0.937 percent of the night sky. The International Astronomical Union selected the three-letter abbreviation "Com" for the constellation in 1922. (Russell 1922) A polygon of twelve segments defines the official constellation limits, which were established by Belgian astronomer Eugène Delporte in 1930. These borders' right ascension coordinates are between 11h 58m 25.09s and 13h 36m 06.94s in the equatorial coordinate system, while their declination coordinates are between +13.30° and +33.31°. Observers north of latitude fifty-six degrees South can see Coma Berenices in its entirety. On April 2nd, the constellation reaches its midnight culmination. (Thompson & Thompson 2007)
Coma Berenices has one galaxy supercluster, two galactic clusters, a one-star cluster, and eight Messier objects despite its small size (including several globular clusters). Because the constellation is not in the direction of the galactic plane, these objects can be seen with minimum dust obscuration. As a result, there are few open clusters, diffuse nebulae, or planetary nebulae (save for the Coma Berenices Cluster, which dominates the northern section of the constellation). At right ascension 12h 51m 25s and declination +27° 07′ 48′′, Coma Berenices includes the North Galactic Pole (epoch J2000.0).
Boötes to the east, Canes Venatici to the north, Leo to the west, and Virgo to the south define the borders of Coma Berenices. It is the 42nd largest constellation by area, covering 386.5 square degrees and 0.937 percent of the night sky. The International Astronomical Union selected the three-letter abbreviation "Com" for the constellation in 1922. (Russell 1922) A polygon of twelve segments defines the official constellation limits, which were established by Belgian astronomer Eugène Delporte in 1930. These borders' right ascension coordinates are between 11h 58m 25.09s and 13h 36m 06.94s in the equatorial coordinate system, while their declination coordinates are between +13.30° and +33.31°. Observers north of latitude fifty-six degrees South can see Coma Berenices in its entirety. On April 2nd, the constellation reaches its midnight culmination. (Thompson & Thompson 2007)
Coma Berenices has one galaxy supercluster, two galactic clusters, a one-star cluster, and eight Messier objects despite its small size (including several globular clusters). Because the constellation is not in the direction of the galactic plane, these objects can be seen with minimum dust obscuration. As a result, there are few open clusters, diffuse nebulae, or planetary nebulae (save for the Coma Berenices Cluster, which dominates the northern section of the constellation). At right ascension 12h 51m 25s and declination +27° 07′ 48′′, Coma Berenices includes the North Galactic Pole (epoch J2000.0).
Deep-sky Objects
Coma Supercluster – The Coma and Leo Clusters of galaxies are found in the Coma Supercluster, which is part of the Coma Filament. The Coma Cluster (Abell 1656) is located between 230 and 300 million light-years from Earth. With at least 10,000 galaxies, it is one of the largest known clusters (elliptical, with a few spiral galaxies). Most galaxies can only be seen using enormous telescopes due to their distance from Earth. NGC 4874 and NGC 4889, both with a brightness of thirteen, are the brightest members; the rest are magnitude fifteen or fainter. The cluster's brightest spiral galaxy, NGC 4921, is a big elliptical galaxy with one of the largest known black holes (twenty-one billion sun masses), while NGC 4889 is a giant elliptical galaxy with one of the largest known black holes (21 billion solar masses).
Virgo Cluster - The northern component of the Virgo Cluster (also known as the Coma–Virgo Cluster) is around sixty million light-years away in Coma Berenices. Six Messier galaxies are included in this section. At magnitude nine, M85 (NGC 4382), an elliptical or lenticular star, is one of the cluster's brighter members. M85 is interacting with NGC 4394, a spiral galaxy, and MCG-3-32-38, an elliptical galaxy.
Messier 64 (M64) – Black eye Galaxy
NGC 4314 – Barred Spiral Galaxy
NGC 4414 – Spiral Flocculent Galaxy
NGC 4565 – Spiral Galaxy
NGC 4874 - Giant Elliptical Galaxy
NGC 4889 - Supergiant Elliptical Galaxy
NGC 4921 - Barred Spiral Galaxy
Messier 85 (M85) - Lenticular Galaxy
Messier 88 (M88) - Spiral Galaxy
Messier 91 (M91) - Barred Spiral Galaxy
Messier 98 (M98) - Intermediate Spiral Galaxy
Messier 99 (M99) - Spiral Galaxy
Messier 100 (M100) - Spiral Galaxy
Main 1 – Low surface brightness galaxy
Collinder 256 - Diffuse Open Cluster
M53 - Globular Cluster
NGC 4147 - Globular Cluster
MCG-3-32-38 - Elliptical Galaxy
Bordering
constellations
Bayer stars - 44
Stars with planets - 5
Stars brighter than magnitude 3.0 - 0
Stars within 32ly - 1
Meteor showers
Coma Berenicids – Mid to late December. Peaks on 16th December
Coma Supercluster – The Coma and Leo Clusters of galaxies are found in the Coma Supercluster, which is part of the Coma Filament. The Coma Cluster (Abell 1656) is located between 230 and 300 million light-years from Earth. With at least 10,000 galaxies, it is one of the largest known clusters (elliptical, with a few spiral galaxies). Most galaxies can only be seen using enormous telescopes due to their distance from Earth. NGC 4874 and NGC 4889, both with a brightness of thirteen, are the brightest members; the rest are magnitude fifteen or fainter. The cluster's brightest spiral galaxy, NGC 4921, is a big elliptical galaxy with one of the largest known black holes (twenty-one billion sun masses), while NGC 4889 is a giant elliptical galaxy with one of the largest known black holes (21 billion solar masses).
Virgo Cluster - The northern component of the Virgo Cluster (also known as the Coma–Virgo Cluster) is around sixty million light-years away in Coma Berenices. Six Messier galaxies are included in this section. At magnitude nine, M85 (NGC 4382), an elliptical or lenticular star, is one of the cluster's brighter members. M85 is interacting with NGC 4394, a spiral galaxy, and MCG-3-32-38, an elliptical galaxy.
Messier 64 (M64) – Black eye Galaxy
NGC 4314 – Barred Spiral Galaxy
NGC 4414 – Spiral Flocculent Galaxy
NGC 4565 – Spiral Galaxy
NGC 4874 - Giant Elliptical Galaxy
NGC 4889 - Supergiant Elliptical Galaxy
NGC 4921 - Barred Spiral Galaxy
Messier 85 (M85) - Lenticular Galaxy
Messier 88 (M88) - Spiral Galaxy
Messier 91 (M91) - Barred Spiral Galaxy
Messier 98 (M98) - Intermediate Spiral Galaxy
Messier 99 (M99) - Spiral Galaxy
Messier 100 (M100) - Spiral Galaxy
Main 1 – Low surface brightness galaxy
Collinder 256 - Diffuse Open Cluster
M53 - Globular Cluster
NGC 4147 - Globular Cluster
MCG-3-32-38 - Elliptical Galaxy
Bordering
constellations
- Canes Venatici
- Ursa Major
- Leo
- Virgo
- Boötes
Bayer stars - 44
Stars with planets - 5
Stars brighter than magnitude 3.0 - 0
Stars within 32ly - 1
Meteor showers
Coma Berenicids – Mid to late December. Peaks on 16th December