M91 is a magnitude 10.1 spiral galaxy that is one of the faintest objects on the Messier list. This galaxy is one of four spiral galaxies on the Messier list. The other three are M58, M95 and M109. For a long time, M91 was a missing Messier object, because Charles Messier apparently determined and recorded its position from M89, while he thought he was measuring from M58. No object could be located at the position indicated by Messier when measured from M58 as indicated by Messier's records. In 1969, Texas amateur astronomer W.C. Williams is credited with uncovering the error. M91 is about 52 million light-years away. It is part of the Virgo Galaxy Cluster. M91 is located less than one degree from M88.
This is an LRGB composite CCD image taken with an SBIG ST-8XE CCD on a Takahashi FCT-150 refractor from my backyard in Scottsdale.
M91 (NGC 4548)
Constellation: Coma Berenices
RA: 12h 35m 47s Dec: +14d 27' 37"
April 27, 2006
Image by Sid Leach
Scottsdale, Arizona
Recent Images.
Complete list of images.
Description of equipment used to acquire images.
Home
Feedback and comments should go to Sid