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(IAAC) M99 galaxy 20" Dobsonian
Observer: Nick Martin
Your skills: Intermediate
Date/time of observation: 20/04/2001 01:30 UT
Location of site: Bonnyton house drive, Ayrshire, Scotland
Site classification: rural
Sky darkness: 6 <zenithal limiting magnitude>
Seeing: III <I-V Seeing Scale (I best)>
Moon presence: None - moon not in sky
Instrument: 20" F4.4 Newton on Dobsonian mount
Magnification: X240
Filter(s): None,
Object: M99 (NGC 4254)
Object type: External galaxy.
Class: SA
Position:12 16.3 +14 42
Constellation: Coma Berenices
Data: Mag. 9.8 Size 5.4' X 4.8'
Object Rating: A
Description: The galaxy was a large interesting object. It has an almost
rectangular appearance. Material curled around from the northern end of the
broad rounded core toward a fainter following star. The longer brighter
central structure of the core was elongated and there were brighter patches
to the south and west of the line connecting the nucleus to the following
12.5 magnitude star. North of this line there is also a brighter patch just
outside the overall outline of the galaxy, part of the northern spiral arm.
The southern arm is more difficult to observe but as very faint hazy cloud
cleared it was visible, using averted vision and wobbling the telescope, as
a haze curling round toward the preceding edge from the south of the galaxy.
There was a lot of brighter and darker material in the bar of the galaxy.
Nick Martin, Bonnyton House, By Ayr, Ayrshire KA6 7EW ,Scotland, UK.
Latitude 55 24'56" Longitude 4 26' 00".
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