Open cluster · Coma Berenices
Mel 111 Coma Star Cluster
mag 1.84.6° across
About
Mel 111, the Coma Star Cluster, is an open cluster of magnitude 1.8 in Coma Berenices, about 4.6° across.
How to find it
- Mel 111 is in the constellation Coma Berenices.
- Best evenings: around mid-May it is highest at about 9 pm (10 pm in summer time); a month earlier, two hours later.
- Where on Earth: it is seen well, at least 10° up, from north of 54° S.
When it rises and sets tonight, how high it climbs and how much the Moon gets in the way are worked out in your browser for your place.
What you will see
- EyesEasy: a group of stars, even from the suburbs.
- Binoculars (10×50)A rich scattering of stars — binoculars often give the best view.
- Telescope (6–8 inch)Too big for the field of view — only part fits. Binoculars show it better.
For a dark country sky with no Moon. From a city, faint galaxies and nebulae can disappear completely.
Facts
| Designations | Mel 111 |
|---|---|
| Type | Open cluster |
| Distance | 280 light-yearsWhere it is in the Galaxy |
| Magnitude | 1.8The smaller the number, the brighter. |
| Apparent size | 4.6°the full Moon is 31′ across |
| Constellation | Coma Berenices |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 12h 25m 06.0s |
| Declination (J2000) | +26° 06′ 00″ |
More in Coma Berenices
Sources and credits
Catalog data: OpenNGC by Mattia Verga, CC BY-SA 4.0, and d3-celestial by Olaf Frohn, BSD 3-Clause. All data sources →