Other Definitions
coma berenices (dict)
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Coma BerenicesComa Berenices (Latin for Berenice's Hair) is a traditional asterism that has since become a constellation. It is located near Leo, and was originally considered Leo's tail. Notable features Coma Berenices contains the North Galactic Pole, at right ascension 12h 51.42m and declination 27° 07.8′ (epoch J2000.0). The constellation is not particularly bright, having no stars brighter than fourth magnitude. β Comae Berenices is the brightest star in the constellation, at magnitude 4.26m. It is intrinsically only a little brighter than our Sun, which gives us an idea of how faint the Sun would appear seen from only 27 light years away. The second brightest star in Coma Berenices is named Diadem (α Comae Berenices), at magnitude 4.32m. It is the only star in the constellation with a common name, and it represents the gem in Berenice's crown. It is a double star, with two components of almost equal magnitude. It is suspected of being an eclipsing binary. The only other fourth magnitude star in Coma Berenices is γ, at magnitude 4.36m. Notable deep sky objects Although Coma Berenices is not a large constellation, it contains eight Messier objects. The constellation is quite rich in galaxies, containing the northern part of the Virgo cluster. There are also several globular clusters to be seen. These objects can be seen with minimal obscuration from dust because the constellation is not in the direction of the galactic plane. However, because of this fact, there are few open clusters (except for the Coma Berenices Cluster, which dominates the northern part of the constellation), diffuse nebulae, or planetary nebulae. Coma Berenices Cluster The Coma Berenices Cluster does not have a Messier or an NGC designation, but it is in the Melotte catalogue of open clusters, where it is designated Melotte 111 (Mel 111). It is a large, diffuse open cluster of stars that range between 5th and 10th magnitudes, including several of the naked eye stars in the constellation. The cluster is spread over a huge region, more than 5 degrees across, near γ Comae Berenices. The cluster has such a large apparent size because it is relatively nearby, only around 270 light years away. History and mythology Coma Berenices has been known as an distinct asterism since ancient Greek times. Eratosthenes referred to the it as both "Ariadne's Hair" and "Berenices' Hair". Ptolemy referred to it as "the lock" (of hair); however, he did not list it as one of his 48 constellations, considering it as part of Leo. For many years, Coma Berenices was considered usually as the tuft in Leo's tail, or sometimes as part of Virgo. During the 16th century, a few maps that were made of the sky pictured two new constellations, including Coma Berenices. Tycho Brahe, who is usually given credit for the creation of the constellation, listed it as a distinct constellation in his star catalogue of 1602, and it appeared in Johann Bayer's Uranometria of 1603. though this constellation is a modern constellation, it is associated with a charming legend. It is one of the few constellations (with Scutum) to owe its name to a historical figure, in this case Queen Berenice II of Egypt, wife of Ptolemy III Euergetes (fl. 246 BC - 221 BC), the king under whom Alexandria became an important cultural center. Circa 243 BC, the king undertook a dangerous expedition against the Assyrians, who had murdered his sister. Berenice swore to the goddess Aphrodite to sacrifice her famous long 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. By the next morning the hair had disappeared. To appease the furious king and queen (and save the lives of the temple priests), the court astronomer, Conon, announced that the offering had so pleased the goddess that she had placed it in the sky. He indicated a cluster of stars that at the time were identified as Leo's tail, but which have since been called Berenice's Hair. Table of leading stars The following table lists all stars in Coma Berenices with a Bayer designation or Flamsteed designation. | Common name !! Bayer designation !! Flamsteed designation !! Variable designation !! Other designations !! Right ascension !! Declination !! Apparent magnitude | | || || 1 || || || 12h 01m 44.3s || +22° 05′ 40″ || 6.59 | | || || 2 || || Σ1596, ADS 8406 || 12h 04m 16.6s || +21° 27′ 33″ || 5.87 | | || || 3 || || || 12h 10m 31.6s || +16° 48′ 33″ || 6.39 | | || || 4 || || || 12h 11m 51.2s || +25° 52′ 13″ || 5.66 | | || || 5 || || || 12h 12m 09.3s || +20° 32′ 31″ || 5.57 | | || || 6 || || || 12h 16m 00.2s || +14° 53′ 56″ || 5.10 | | || || 7 || || || 12h 16m 20.5s || +23° 56′ 43″ || 4.95 | | || || 8 || || || 12h 19m 19.1s || +23° 02′ 05″ || 6.27 | | || || 9 || || || 12h 19m 29.6s || +28° 09′ 25″ || 6.33 | | || || 10 || || || 12h 19m 50.6s || +28° 27′ 52″ || 6.69 | | || || 11 || || ADS 8521 || 12h 20m 43.0s || +17° 47′ 34″ || 4.74 | | || || 12 || || ADS 8530 || 12h 22m 30.3s || +25° 50′ 46″ || 4.81 | | || || 13 || GN || || 12h 24m 18.5s || +26° 05′ 55″ || 5.18v | | || || 14 || || || 12h 26m 24.1s || +27° 16′ 06″ || 4.95 | | || γ || 15 || || || 12h 26m 56.3s || +28° 16′ 06″ || 4.36 | | || || 16 || || || 12h 26m 59.3s || +26° 49′ 32″ || 5.00 | | || || 17 || AI || ADS 8568 || 12h 28m 54.7s || +25° 54′ 46″ || 5.29v | | || || 18 || || || 12h 29m 26.9s || +24° 06′ 32″ || 5.48 | | || || 20 || || || 12h 29m 43.2s || +20° 53′ 46″ || 5.69 | | || || 21 || UU || || 12h 31m 00.6s || +24° 34′ 02″ || 5.46v | | || || 22 || || || 12h 33m 34.2s || +24° 16′ 59″ || 6.29 | | || || 23 || || || 12h 34m 51.1s || +22° 37′ 45″ || 4.81 | | || || 24 || || Σ1657, ADS 8600 || 12h 35m 07.0s || +18° 22′ 38″ || 4.79 | | || || 25 || || || 12h 36m 58.3s || +17° 05′ 22″ || 5.68 | | || || 26 || || || 12h 39m 07.3s || +21° 03′ 45″ || 5.46 | | || || 27 || || || 12h 46m 38.7s || +16° 34′ 39″ || 5.12 | | || || 28 || || || 12h 48m 14.3s || +13° 33′ 11″ || 6.56 | | || || 29 || || || 12h 48m 54.2s || +14° 07′ 21″ || 5.70 | | || || 30 || || ADS 8674 || 12h 49m 17.4s || +27° 33′ 08″ || 5.78 | | || || 31 || || || 12h 51m 41.9s || +27° 32′ 26″ || 4.94 | | || || 32 || || || 12h 52m 12.3s || +17° 04′ 26″ || 6.32 | | || || 33 || || || 12h 52m 22.9s || +17° 06′ 30″ || 6.94 | | || || 35 || || Σ1687, ADS 8695 || 12h 53m 17.8s || +21° 14′ 42″ || 4.90 | | || || 36 || || || 12h 58m 55.4s || +17° 24′ 34″ || 4.78 | | || || 37 || || ADS 8731 || 13h 00m 16.5s || +30° 47′ 06″ || 4.90 | | || || 38 || || || 13h 01m 09.6s || +17° 07′ 23″ || 5.96 | | || || 39 || || || 13h 06m 21.2s || +21° 09′ 12″ || 5.99 | | || || 40 || FS || || 13h 06m 22.6s || +22° 36′ 58″ || 5.60v | | || || 41 || || || 13h 07m 10.7s || +27° 37′ 29″ || 4.80 | | Diadem | α | 42 | Σ1728, ADS 8804 | 13h 09m 59.3s | +17° 31′ 46″ | 4.32 | | || β || 43 || || || 13h 11m 52.4s || +27° 52′ 41″ || 4.26 | Galaxies in Coma Berenices
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