What we’re about to describe requires a dark sky to be seen: a faraway cluster of stars known as Coma Berenices.
Via schmidling.com
Everything you need to know: Vernal or spring equinox 2012
How can you spot it? One way is to use the famous constellation Leo the Lion, now in the east each evening. Leo is relatively easy to see. The front part of the Lion looks like a backwards question mark, and the back part is a little triangle, which includes the star Denebola, marked on today’s chart. The word Deneb in a star name always means tail, and this star marks the tail of Leo.
Imagine that Leo is holding his tail out. In the place where you might see a “puff” at the end of the Lion’s tail, you’ll notice a fuzzy patch not too far away from Denebola. This is the constellation Coma Berenices, or Berenice’s Hair. Indeed, the constellation Coma Berenices once was considered part of the constellation Leo.
The constellation Coma Berenices contains the Coma star cluster. This is an open cluster, a loose collection of stars held together by gravity.
The Coma star cluster is estimated to be about 288 light-years away and has at least 37 known stars that are 400 million years old. It is the third-closest open cluster to our Earth and sun. Only the Ursa Major cluster (the bowl stars of the Big Dipper) and the Hyades cluster (the head of Taurus) are closer.
Beyond the visible stars in the Coma cluster is something else: a vast region of galaxies.
Coma Berenices appears to the eye as a cluster of stars. But a telescope reveals a vast region of distant galaxies, which can be seen on this chart of the Coma Berenices region via SEDS
Click here to expand image above
Viewing Tip: To enhance your view of the Coma star cluster, take a paper towel tube or roll up some dark paper into a tube and place it to your eye. The tube will shield your eye from the glare of any ground lights. Binoculars or opera glasses will also lead to a better viewing experience.
Queen Berenices II of Egypt via Wikimedia Commons
This cluster of stars – known as Berenice’s Hair – is named for Queen Berenice II of Egypt, wife of Ptolemy III. In 243 B.C., Ptolemy went to war. His newlywed bride, Berenice, swore to the goddess Aphrodite to sacrifice her long, blonde hair, of which she was extremely proud, if her husband returned safely. He did, and she had her hair cut and placed it in the goddess’ temple. The next morning, the hair had disappeared. To appease the furious king and queen, and save the temple priests, the court astronomer is said to have indicated a fuzzy patch of stars in the heavens – and said that the gods were so pleased with Berenice’s offering that they had placed her hair in the heavens, for all to see.
Today, as in ancient times, the cluster known as Berenice’s Hair is one of the most beautiful sights in the heavens.
That particular area of the sky, far away from the Milky Way’s band [from Virgo to Ursa Major going from south to north] may be a paradise for astronomers or seasoned stargazers with access to AT LEAST dark rural skies –no less than 7 mag naked eye– and owners of decent telescopes, but for most of us it is just a void space in the sky.
The four “faintest” galaxies in that huge chunk of sky are M 81, 6.90 mag; M 94, 8.20 mag and M 106, 8.30 mag. Everything else is at least 8.60 mag or even much fainter. There are tons of galaxies there, fainter than 10 mag, but they are impossibly to see without a good telescope and a very dark observing site, on a 100% clear night. So, good luck to all those lucky enough to have both access to REALLY UNUSUALLY DARK skies and well-sized telescopes! I hope you guys share your nice pics or videos for most of us, unlucky city dwellers!!!
CORRECTION: I meant the THREE BRIGHTEST galaxies in that area, not the four faintest ones lol
Thankyou Bibi , very interesting post from you . Cloud and rain here tonight so no stars or planets for me at the moment but i do live in hope ! UK north of BIRMINGHAM
im currently living in esentepe/kyrenia the north of cyprus not none to many offen refered to as turkey, but after living in the uk for 36yrs i was a huge star gazer and knew a fair bit about the night sky but since moving here a year ago i have been unable to find a clear map or even a clear website where i can get a clear map as the night sky here is truly amazing and is such a huge shame if someone is not recording the events here.
At the present time the night sky has two very big stars between the plough and orion the biggest seems to be moving more than the other.
I am no where near an expert in this field but has always been attracted to it.
please if anyone can give me any info for this area i would be very grateful.
zoe the night sky in cyprus is extremely similar to that of the UK, except shifted a little farther south so that the northern constellations appear lower while u can see farther to the south than u could in the UK. However most of the most noticeable constellations will b in very similar positions. i bet the 2 “stars” u refer to are the planets Jupiter and Venus, the brightest things in the night sky other than the moon. Venus is brighter (and may appear bigger tho it is actually smaller, but it is closer)and has appeared to be moving much faster, this past week moving from W of Jupiter to E of it. although on a line from the plough to orion these would appear to the W, rather than on a straight line between the 2.
does anybody know what the two bright stars in the sky are tonight
We have theis two bright stars in central scotland
We have the two bright stars here in Virginia, USA too. We think Venus and the North Star or one of Venus’ moons.
Jupiter is the other; Venus has no moons.
I think it’s Venus and Jupiter.
http://earthsky.org/tonight/best-venusjupiter-conjunction-in-years-mid-march-2012
Hi Danielle, my name is Rachel. I too live in Northern Virginia, USA. I’ve been gazing every evening at those two extremely bright “stars” wondering which ones they are. Wondering and forgetting the accessibility at our fingertips ;) Either way, saw you’re a ‘NoVa’ (for the non-locals: Northern VA, USA) person as well and wanted to say both “hi and that we’ve got a darn good view of the 2 for a few hours!” Take care :)
Very CLEAR tonight on the Virginia Piedmont.
Are these two bright lights in the western sky for us here in Eastern Wa, U.S.A. planets? Where can we find out for sure?
yes, look at some of this site’s pages from last week. they’re Jupiter and Venus
What is the brightest star in the sky tonight its yellow in color not white like all the others also there is a very low star thats flickering i’m in Cromwell, CT its 12:26am
in what direction were those stars/planets?
There are 2 bright stars here in Alaska and the top is really bright and not usually there and the other i think is the north star cuz i always see a star in that direction
assuming u were looking to the (S)W, those were the *planets* Venus (brighter) and Jupiter.
hey every1 the 2 brightest non-manmade objects in the evening sky are Jupiter and Venus; that’s probably what (almost) every1′s talking about.