M100 is a face-on spiral galaxy in Coma Berenices that shines at about magnitude 9.4. This is the largest spiral of the Virgo-Coma Galaxy Cluster. This galaxy cluster includes 2,000 member galaxies which form the core of the Local Supercluster. This galaxy contains a small round bright nucleus. A six-inch telescope will begin to show (to a visual observer) slightly brighter patches comprising the spiral arms. The M100 galaxy has a structure consisting of two principal arms, and is an excellent example of what is sometimes referred to by astronomers as a grand-design spiral galaxy. This galaxy lies in an area of the sky rich in galaxies. It is one of eight objects in Coma Berenices that appears in the Messier catalog.
This image is an RGB color composite CCD image taken with an ST-8E CCD on a Takahashi FS-128 refractor at f8. There are at least four other galaxies in this image in addition to M100. This image was taken from my backyard in Scottsdale, Arizona.
M100 (NGC 4321)
Constellation: Coma Berenices
RA: 12h 22m 55s Dec: +15d 49' 22" (J2000)
January 27, 2004
Image by Sid Leach
Scottsdale, Arizona
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