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Ephemeris: 04/24/2025 – A constellation that’s a queen’s offering of her hair
This is Bob Moler with Ephemeris for Thursday, April 24th. Today the Sun will be up for 13 hours and 56 minutes, setting at 8:39, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:41. The Moon, 3 days before new, will rise at 5:29 tomorrow morning.
High in the east-southeast at 10 p.m. is a tiny and faint constellation of Coma Berenices, or Berenice’s hair. In it are lots of faint stars arrayed to look like several strands of hair. The whole group will fit in the field of a pair of binoculars, which will also show many more stars. The hank of hair was supposed to belong to Berenice, a real Queen of Egypt, of the 3rd century BCE who cut off her golden tresses and offered them to the gods for the safe return of her husband from war. Her husband did return safe, and at that same time her hair disappeared from the temple. The oracle of the temple pointed to this constellation showing that her sacrifice was enshrined in the stars.
The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EDT, UT – 4 hours). Times will be different for other locations.
Addendum
Ephemeris: 05/07/2024 – Coma Berenices, a queen’s sacrifice
This is Ephemeris for Tuesday, May 7th. Today the Sun will be up for 14 hours and 32 minutes, setting at 8:55, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:22. The Moon is new today, and won’t be visible.
High in the south-southeast at 10:30 p.m. is a tiny and faint constellation of Coma Berenices, or Berenice’s Hair. In it are lots of faint stars arrayed to look like several strands of hair to the naked eye. The whole group will fit in the field of a pair of binoculars, which will also show many more stars. The story behind it was that Berenice was a real queen of Egypt, whose husband, the Pharaoh Ptolemy III, was away at war. This was in the days when the Greeks ruled Egypt after Alexander had conquered it. She offered her golden tresses to the gods for the king’s safe return. The hair, was placed in a temple. However, the offering disappeared when the king returned. Ever since then, the constellation of Coma Berenices has been seen to commemorate the queen’s sacrifice.
The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EDT, UT–4 hours). They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Do not confuse the Coma Berenices star cluster (Melotte 111 and Collinder 256) with the Coma Cluster (actually a supercluster of galaxies up to 300 million light years away) in the northern part of the constellation. The Coma Cluster contains upwards of 10,000 galaxies.
04/19/2022 – Ephemeris – A constellation memorializing a real person
This is Ephemeris for Tuesday, April 19th. Today the Sun will be up for 13 hours and 41 minutes, setting at 8:32, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:49. The Moon, 3 days past full, will rise at 12:37 tomorrow morning.
High in the southeast at 10 p.m. is a tiny and faint constellation of Coma Berenices, or Berenice’s Hair. In it are lots of faint stars arrayed to look like several strands of hair to the naked eye. The whole group will fit in the field of a pair of binoculars, which will also show many more stars. The story behind it was that Berenice was a real Queen of Egypt, whose husband was away at war. This was in the days when the Greeks ruled Egypt after Alexander conquered it. She offered her golden tresses to the gods for the king’s safe return. The hair, was placed in a temple. However, the offering disappeared when the king returned. Ever since then, the constellation of Coma Berenices has been seen to commemorate the queen’s sacrifice.
The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EDT, UT – 4 hours). They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Coma Berenices and neighboring constellations at 10 p.m. in mid-April. Note that only the upper right star of the upside down L shape actually belongs to the cluster. Click on the image to enlarge it. Created using Stellarium.
Approximate 7 power binocular field of view (FOV) of the Coma Berenices Cluster. Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).
05/21/2020 – Ephemeris – A star cluster in a most unusual spot
This is Ephemeris for Thursday, May 21st. Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 3 minutes, setting at 9:11, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:07. The Moon, 1 day before new, will rise at 6:16 tomorrow morning.
High in the south at 10:30 p.m. or so is a tiny and faint constellation of Coma Berenices, or Berenice’s hair. In it are lots of faint stars arrayed to look like several strands of hair. The whole group will fit in the field of a pair of binoculars, which will also show many more stars. The hank of hair supposed belonged to Berenice II, Queen of Egypt, in the 3rd century BCE. Coma Berenices is the second closest star cluster to us at only 250 light years away, after the Hyades, the face of Taurus the bull a winter constellation. It’s in an odd spot for a galactic star cluster, which are supposed to lie in the plane of the Milky Way. It’s actually seen at the galactic pole, as far as possible away from the milky band. It’s a matter of perspective because it’s so close to us. It’s still really in the plane of the Milky Way.
The event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Coma Berenices and galactic coordinated showing how close to the galactic pole it is. The bright star Arcturus at the left edge. Leo’s hind end is at the lower right. Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).
Approximate 7 power binocular field of view of the Coma Berenices Star Cluster. Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).
Note: There is another cluster in the constellation. It’s called the Coma Cluster. It’s a cluster of over a thousand galaxies a bit over 300 million light years away.
04/23/2019 – Ephemeris – The story of Coma Berenices
Ephemeris for Tuesday, April 23rd. Today the Sun will be up for 13 hours and 52 minutes, setting at 8:37, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:43. The Moon, 3 days before last quarter, will rise at 1:24 tomorrow morning.
High in the southeast at 10 p.m. is a tiny and faint constellation of Coma Berenices, or Berenice’s hair. In it are lots of faint stars arrayed to look like several strands of hair. The whole group will fit in the field of a pair of binoculars, which will also show many more stars. The hank of hair was supposed to belong to Berenice, a real Queen of Egypt, of the 3rd century BCE. who cut off her golden tresses and offered them to the gods for the safe return of her husband from war. Her husband did return safe, and at that same time her hair disappeared from the temple. The oracle of the temple pointed to this constellation showing that her sacrifice was enshrined in the stars.
The times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Coma Berenices and neighboring constellations at 10 p.m. on April 16, 2015. Note that only the upper right star of the upside down L shape actually belongs to the cluster. Created using Stellarium.
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