The constellation Coma Berenices is not particularly attractive to the naked eye. Its neighboring stars are: to the north, the Hunting Dogs (Canes Venatici); to the west, Leo; to the east, Boötes; and to the south, Virgo. These are used as reference points for its orientation. In this sense, the constellation Coma Berenices, also known as the Hair of Berenices, is located between 11:55 and 13:35 in elevation and between +14° and +34° of decay. If you would like to learn more about other constellations, you can visit our section dedicated to constellations.
Likewise, once this area of the sky has been located, one must try to record the isosceles right triangle made by three of the most brilliant stars , however they are only of the fourth extension: α or 42 Com, β or 43 Com and γ or 15 Com.
In light of the above, the constellation Coma Berenices lacks any striking appearance, despite the power of the myth and the historical reference of Eratosthenes, who didn't assign it a place in the cosmos until 1602, when the great Tycho Brahe placed it on the map . The best way to appreciate its meager appeal is to observe it with wide-field binoculars suitable for nighttime viewing or with telescopes of at least 14 cm aperture and eyepieces of low magnification.
On the other hand, it is important to note that the cluster of the constellation Coma Berenices, as seen from Earth, is about 255 ly, making it one of the closest to us after Ursa Major and the Hyades. This fact highlights the proximity of the constellation Coma Berenices among celestial bodies.
Furthermore, it is simultaneously a stream of stars, moving relative to the Sun at a speed of about 8 km/s in the direction of the well-known constellation Vela. It is located between the stars β Leonis (Denebola) and α Canum Venaticorum (Cor Caroli). Similarly, the shadows of the stars that make up the cluster range from the A variety to the K and M varieties.
With a telescope, apart from the cluster mentioned above, one can observe a prominent number of galaxies among the most brilliant of those that usually populate the entire constellation, mainly in the southwestern corner and also in the adjacent constellation of Virgo.
Constellation coma berenices : Main stars
The constellation Coma Berenices occupies the Galactic North Pole, at right elevation 12h 51,42m and decay 27° 07,8' (2000 Julian epoch). This region is not exclusively radiant and does not contain stars more radiant than those in the fourth expanse. Furthermore, β Comae Berenices is the brightest star in the constellation, with a magnitude of 4,26. It is only slightly brighter than our Sun, which gives us an idea of how the Sun would appear from just a few light-years away—a tentative figure being 27 light-years.
In another respect, it is significant to note that the second brightest star in the constellation Coma Berenices is the one known to many scientists and enthusiasts as Diadem (α Comae Berenices). This star has a magnitude of 4,32. This indicates that the outburst in Berenices' corona is a double star , meaning it has two elements of almost equal size. Based on this, it is suspected that one of these two elements is obscuring the other.
On the other hand, a relevant fact is that the last star in the fourth extension of the Coma Berenices constellation is undoubtedly Gamma Berenices, which has a magnitude of around 4,36. If you want to learn more about the fascinating world of constellations, I invite you to explore our dedicated section.
Essences representative of the sky that are in the Constellation coma berenices
Although the constellation Coma Berenices is not large, it contains eight Messier objects . That is to say, this constellation is rich in galaxies, as it encompasses the northern segment of the Virgo Cluster. Many spherical clusters can be distinguished. These objects are very little obscured by dust because the constellation is not aligned with the celestial plane.
This is why, due to this fact, there are many open clusters (excluding the Coma Berenices cluster, which dominates the northern hemisphere ) , fuzzy nebulae, or celestial nebulae. For those interested in astronomy, Messier objects are a fascinating topic to explore.
Constellation cluster coma berenices
On the other hand, the Coma Berenices cluster does not have a Messier or NGC designation, but it is listed in the Melotte inventory of isolated clusters as Melotte 111. It is a large, fuzzy open cluster of objects ranging from the fifth to the tenth dimension, containing many of the naked-eye comets in the region.
The cluster has the appearance of a monumental zone, more than 5 degrees, next to γ Coma Berenices. Its presumed size is due to its proximity, being only 270 light-years from Earth.
Origin, evolution and mythology of the constellation coma berenices
The constellation Coma Berenices was treated as an asterism since the times of ancient Greece. Eratosthenes referred to it as Ariadne's Hair and Coma Berenices. Claudius Ptolemy, on the other hand, called it the Flake (of hair); however, he did not include it in his list of 48 constellations, considering it part of Leo.
For many years, Coma Berenices was considered to be the constellation at the edge of Leo, and sometimes even part of Virgo. In the 16th century, some celestial maps recorded two remarkable discoveries: the finding of two constellations, one of which was Coma Berenices. The constellation's formation is largely attributed to Tycho Brahe, who included it in his 1602 list. It also appears in Johann Bayer's Uranometria in 1603.
However, Coma Berenices is a modern constellation, as it is linked to an old legend. It is one of the few constellations (along with Scutum) that owes its name to a historical figure, in this case, Queen Berenice II of Egypt.
How did the hair return to heaven to give Coma Berenices a zone?
Legend has it that on the night Berenice made the offering, it was discovered that the hair had been removed from the church. Rumors pointed to a parish priest, an admirer of Egyptian gods, who flew into a rage because the queen had implored a Greek goddess, but there was no proof that it was him, and the locals were irritated by the incident.
On the other hand, the astronomer Conon of Samos was able to reassure them, showing them that a cluster of stars in the shape of hair had appeared that same night in the sky, so it was most likely that Aphrodite had elevated the offering of the constellation Coma Berenices to that point.