Observer: Mark Birkmann
Your skills: Intermediate (some years)
Date/time of observation: 2-7-00, 10:05 UT, 4:05 am CST
Location of site: New Haven, Missouri (Lat +38, Elev ~700 feet)
Site classification: Rural
Sky darkness: 5 <1-10 Scale (10 best)>
Seeing: 6 <1-10 Seeing Scale (10 best)>
Moon presence: None - moon not in sky
Instrument: 40" f/5 dob
Magnification: 144x, 288x
Category: External galaxy.
Class: Sc
Constellation: Coma Berenices
Data: mag 10.4 size 5.4 x 4.7
Position: RA 12h:18m 49.6s DEC +14:25'
Description:
At 144x two spiral arms were clearly seen. The
brightest was to the southwest
and the other arm was to the northeast. The inner
half of the southern arm was markedly brighter than the other arms.
The eastern part of the galaxy was a
diffuse haze. At 288x two subtle spiral arms were
seen in this haze on the
eastern side of the galaxy. The more northen of
these two arms ended at a
nearly stellar condensation, while the other went about
half way from the core
to a nearby 13 mag star on the southeast side of the
galaxy. Megastar shows a 14 mag. star at the position where I thought
I saw a condensation. Here's a link to an excellent drawing
of M99 by Yann Pothier.