| Designation(s) | M85, NGC 4382 |
| Object Type(s) | Galaxy |
| Relevant Catalog(s) | All (Chron), Messier, NGC |
| Obs. Lat/Long | 42° 17', 073° 57' |
| Constellation | Coma Berenices |
| Date and Time Observed | 2024-04-25 23:27:00 |
| Instrument | EdgeHD 8" f10-2,032mm FL |
| Camera | ASI294mc-Pro |
| Image Details | Up is 91.2 degrees E of N. Total integration time was 8m 30s. Exposures 30s@305g, UV/IR Cut Filter, NINA framing assistant. Darks subtracted, no flats. Dithered and recentered in SharpCap. No guiding. |
| Description | The second of 9 entries added to the Messier catalog on March 8, 1781, this one credited to Méchain: "Nebula without star, above & near to the ear of the Virgin [Virgo], between the two stars in Coma Berenices... this nebula is very faint. M. Méchain had determined its position on March 4, 1781.' Apparently Messier did not feel it necessary to confirm the observation. <--> A bright lenticular galaxy, it's virtually featureless except for the segmentation between the bright center and its dimmer periphery. A lenticular galaxy is a spiral in transition to elliptical (spirals have defined arms). Both are older galaxies that are no longer creating new stars. M85 is interacting with the two, larger galaxies you see in the image: NGC 4394 and IC 3292. |
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