M91 (NGC 4548), Coma Berenices. RA 12:35 4, DEC 14:30
M91 is a faint barred spiral galaxy, in fact it’s the faintest object in the Messier list. M91 is a member of the Virgo Galaxy Cluster, and lies 58 million light years from us. It has a very prominent bar structure connected to two outer arms that trail stars and interstellar dust. This is one of the most difficult Messier objects and a larger instrument is needed, only the bar may be seen under average or poor conditions but on a good clear night the spiral arms can be seen. M91 is at magnitude 10.2
Galaxy M91
M92 (NGC 6341), Hercules. RA 17:17 1, DEC 43:08
M92 is a bright globular cluster 26,000 light years away, 109 light years across, a mass of 330,000 suns, and coming towards us at 112 km/sec. M92 can be seen with the naked eye under good conditions. It is a bright globular but can often get overlooked because of it’s famous slightly brighter neighbour M13. M92 is at magnitude 6.4
Globular cluster M92
M93 (NGC 2447), Puppis. RA 07:44 6, DEC -23:52
M93 is an open cluster 3,600 light years away, 25 light years across, and around a 100 million years old. At least 80 stars come together in a small but bright cluster, forming a triangle shape. M93 has a magnitude of 6.0
Open cluster M93
M94 (NGC 4736), Canes Venatici. RA 12:50 9, DEC 41:07
M94 is a spiral galaxy who’s distance is not well known, but one of the nearer galaxies outside our local group. M94 has a very bright inner region, surrounded by a ring of frantic star formation. Around the outside of the disk is a larger region of older yellow stars. This is a very attractive galaxy, M94 is at magnitude 9.0
Galaxy M94
M95 (NGC 3361), Leo. RA 10:43 58, DEC 11:42 14
M95 is a barred spiral galaxy 33 million light years away, is half the size of our Milky Way at 50,000 light years across, and is one of the galaxies forming the M96 Group. M95’s spiral arms form nearly a complete circle around the central bar, making the whole galaxy resemble a gigantic steering wheel in this photo. The centre of M95 contains a ring of star formation that is 2,000 light years in diameter. M95 can be seen with smaller telescopes and is at magnitude 11.4
Galaxy M95
M96 (NGC 3368), Leo. RA 10:46 46, DEC 11:49 12
M96 is a spiral galaxy 35.5 million light years away, 100,000 light years across, and is the brightest member of the M96 Group in Leo. M96 can be seen in the same field of view as M95. In 1998 a supernova was discovered in M96, this galaxy has a magnitude of 10.1
M96 (left), M95 (right)
M97, The Owl Nebula (NGC 3587), Ursa Major. RA 11:14 8, DEC 55:01
M97 The Owl Nebula is a planetary nebula 10,000 light years away, and 6,000 years old. M97 is one of the fainter Messier objects. this is the result of an average mass star coming to the end of it’s life and shedding it’s outer layers into space. The “holes” in the nebula give it it’s nickname as they make it resemble an owl. It’s central star is of 0.7 solar mass, and the nebula is 0.15 solar mass. This is one of the more complex of the planetary nebulae in the sky. The “eyes” can be seen with a larger telescope under good conditions with a nebula filter. M97 is at magnitude 9.9
M97, The Owl Nebula
M98 (NGC 4192), Coma Berenices. RA 12:13 8, DEC 14:54
M98 is one of the most challenging Messier objects as it is quite faint. M98 is a beautiful spiral tilted nearly edge on to our line of sight. It is in the Virgo cluster of galaxies at 60 million light years away, and is coming in our direction at 125 km/sec. It sits with galaxies M99 and M100 in the cluster and can be easily found by locating the star 6 Comae Berenices which is east of M98. This spiral is at magnitude 10.1
Galaxy M98
M99 (NGC 4254), Coma Berenices. RA 12:18 8, DEC 14:25
M99 is a face on spiral galaxy, and one of the brightest of the spirals in the Virgo Cluster. At 60 million light years away it shows off it’s graceful arms. Although it appears lob sided M99’s nucleus is not completely central, one of the spiral arms appears to have been pulled out of it’s original position. This is almost certainly due to a close encounter with another Virgo Cluster member in the past. M99 is at magnitude 10.4
Galaxy M99
M100 (NGC 4321), Coma Berenices. RA 12:22 55, DEC 15:49 21
M100 is a spiral galaxy in the Virgo Cluster 52 million light years away, and five supernovae have been discovered in this massive collection of stars, dust and gas. M100 is one of the so called “grand design” spirals, with beautiful symmetrical arms curling around. It has two main arms packed with young, massive, hot blue stars, and a few less pronounced inner arms. M100 can be seen with a moderate sized telescope under good conditions. Suggestions of the inner arm can be seen with apertures starting at 4 inches. M100 is at magnitude 9.3
Galaxy M100