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COMA BERENICES CLUSTER

Though only 283 light years away, the the 400-million-year-old Coma Berenices star clusterstill appears faint to the eye. Spread out to the south of the modern constellationCanes Venatici(which itself is just south of the handleof theBig Dipper), this beautifulcluster is the most prominent part of the modernconstellation ofComa Berenices, Berenices Hair. Only the central part within the modern boundaries of the constellationis shown here. The North Galactic Pole (defined by the perpendicular to the planeof our Galaxy) is toward the upper left-hand corner It is nicely markedby the brighter of the pair of stars, 31 Comae, "PolarisGalacticus Borealis."

To see a labelled image, push the star:

Seefull resolution.

For more on Coma Berenices, seeUnder the Handle atStellar Stories.

Return to theCluster Page.

ByJim Kaler. Return toSTARS.