M98 is a magnitude 10.1 type Sb spiral galaxy. It is approaching us at 125 km/sec., and is about 60 million light-years away. The galaxy is part of the Virgo Cluster, although it is situated in the constellation Coma Berenices. M98 is nearly edge-on and displays a chaotic, diffuse disk. A large quantity of occulting dust reddens considerably the light of the small bright central nucleus. Many early observers described the nucleus as almost steller. From this image, it is apparent why they would describe it as such. M98 is one of the more difficult Messier galaxies to observe.
M98 was discovered on March 15, 1781 by Pierre Méchain, together with nearby situated M99 and M100. Charles Messier measured its position and cataloged it on April 13, 1781, immediately before finishing the third, final published edition of his catalog. Messier considered M98 to be the faintest of these three galaxies.
This is an LRGB composite CCD image taken from my backyard in Scottsdale, Arizona. An ST-8E CCD was used at prime focus on a Takahashi FCT-150 refractor at f7 to obtain the RGB data on December 31, 2002. An STL-11000M CCD was used at prime focus on a Takahashi FCT-150 refractor at f7 to obtain the L data on January 18, 2009.
M98 (NGC 4192)
Constellation: Coma Berenices
RA: 12h 13m 48s Dec: +14d 53' 58" (J2000)
December 31, 2002 & January 18, 2009
Image by Sid Leach
Scottsdale, Arizona
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