Messier 99 Explained

Messier 99
Type:SA(s)c
Z:0.008029
Dist Ly:13.87Mpc
Appmag V:9.9[1]
Names:Coma Pinwheel Galaxy, Virgo Cluster Pinwheel, M99, NGC 4254, PGC 39578, UGC 7345

Messier 99 or M99, also known as NGC 4254 or St. Catherine's Wheel, is a grand design spiral galaxy in the northern constellation Coma Berenices approximately 15000000abbr=offNaNabbr=off from the Milky Way. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain on 17 March 1781. The discovery was then reported to Charles Messier, who included the object in the Messier Catalogue of comet-like objects. It was one of the first galaxies in which a spiral pattern was seen. This pattern was first identified by Lord Rosse in the spring of 1846.[2]

This galaxy has a morphological classification of SA(s)c, indicating a pure spiral shape with loosely wound arms. It has a peculiar shape with one normal looking arm and an extended arm that is less tightly wound. The galaxy is inclined by 42° to the line-of-sight with a major axis position angle of 68°.

A bridge of neutral hydrogen gas links NGC 4254 with VIRGOHI21, an HI region and a possible dark galaxy. The gravity from the latter may have distorted M99 and drawn out the gas bridge, as the two galaxy-sized objects may have had a close encounter before parting greatly. However, VIRGOHI21 may instead be tidal debris from an interaction with the lenticular galaxy NGC 4262 some 280 million years ago. It is expected that the drawn out arm will relax to match the normal arm once the encounter is over.

While not classified as a starburst galaxy, M99 has a star formation activity three times larger than other galaxies of similar Hubble type that may have been triggered by the encounter. M99 is likely entering the Virgo Cluster for the first time bound to the periphery of the cluster at a projected separation of 3.7°, or around one megaparsec, from the cluster center at Messier 87. The galaxy is undergoing ram-pressure stripping of much of its interstellar medium as it moves through the intracluster medium.

Supernovae

Four supernovae have been observed in M99:

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Messier 99 . 30 April 2022 . SEDS Messier Catalog.
  2. Rosse . The Earl Of . 1850 . Observations on the Nebulae . Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Series I . 140 . 499–514.
  3. Web site: Circular No. 2021 . Gingerich . Owen . 5 July 1967 . Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams . Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory . 2 December 2024.
  4. 10.1086/128660 . free . The 1967 Palomar Supernova Search . 1968 . Zwicky . F. . Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific . 80 . 462 . 1968PASP...80..462Z.
  5. Web site: Transient Name Server . SN1967H . . 2 December 2024.
  6. Web site: Transient Name Server . SN1972Q . . 2 December 2024.
  7. 1986IAUC.4219....1P. Supernovae. Pennypacker. C.. Burns. S.. Crawford. F.. Friedman. P.. Muller. J.. Perlmutter. S.. Smith. C.. Treffers. R.. Williamson. A.. Junkkarinen. V.. Filippenko. A. V.. McCarthy. P. J.. Rosino. L.. Iijima. T.. Wilson. I.. Horine. E.. International Astronomical Union Circular. 1986. 4219. 1.
  8. Web site: Transient Name Server . SN1986I . . 2 December 2024.
  9. 2014CBET.3795....1Z. Supernova 2014L in M99 = PSN J12184868+1424435. Zhang. Tianmeng. Wang. Xiaofeng. Mo. Jun. Chen. Juncheng. Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams. 2014. 3795. 1.
  10. Web site: Supernovae 2014L in M99 . Bishop . David . Rochester Astronomy . 2 December 2024.
  11. Web site: Transient Name Server . SN2014L . . 2 December 2024.

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