M85
Galaxy in Coma Berenices
About
A lenticular galaxy in Coma Berenices, about 60 million light-years away, on the outskirts of the Virgo Cluster. It is interacting with the spiral NGC 4394 and a small elliptical, and shells and ripples in its outskirts probably come from a merger 4 to 7 billion years ago.
Imaging tips
- About 7′ by 5′, so 3,460–5,770 mm on APS-C frames it; at 21.6 mag/arcsec² it is moderately faint.
- One 10-inch imager at f/6.3 stacked 11 six-minute frames through a light-pollution filter; the result was a dim, structureless glow, and the writer felt a larger telescope would be needed to show it as a galaxy.
- NGC 4394, the 11th-magnitude barred spiral just east of M85, appeared in that same frame, and it is the galaxy M85 is interacting with.
- Best in March and April.
Facts
- Size
- 7′ × 5′
- Magnitude
- 9.1
- Coordinates
- RA 12h 25.4m, Dec +18° 11′
- Framing, APS-C
- 3460–5770 mm
- Framing, full frame
- longer than 4000 mm
- Best months
- Mar, Apr
- Peak altitude
- 58° from 50°N, 73° from 35°N