The American Association of Amateur Astronomers
The Constellation Cetus - The
Whale
|
A fierce ocean creature, Cetus was more than forty
feet long and six feet wide. This forceful monster did not actually
resemble a whale at all, but looked more like the descriptions of
Scotland's Loch Ness monster. Poseidon is said to have created Cetus as
a representation of the power of the deep sea, and sent the sea monster
on many missions of destruction. Cetus met his death when Poseidon
punished Queen Cassiopeia for her never-ending boasting, and ordered the
powerful creature to destroy the Ethiopian coast. Here, the champion
Perseus produced the Medusa's severed head, whose fatal gaze instantly
turned Cetus to stone. Because of his faithful service, Cetus was given
a place among the stars in the region known as The Sea, where ocean
creatures abound. |
Cetus can easily be found in the Autumn
skies once one knows the locations of Pegasus, Aquarius and
Pisces.
Cetus contains the remarkable variable star, Mira, which is invisible
half of the time, as well as Messier object M77.
 M77is a compact spiral
galaxy located in the constellation Cetus. Messier first observed this
object on December 17, 1780, describing it as a cluster of small stars which
contains some nebulosity. Galaxies of the type of M77, with a small bright
nucleus and with spectra showing broad emission lines, are known as Seyfert
Galaxies. Seyfert Galaxies have very energetic nuclei and many similarities to
quasars. M77 is one of the brightest of the Seyfert Galaxies. M77
has a reputation as being one of the most difficult galaxies on the
Messier list to observe, even more difficult that M74 in Pisces.
Actually, once found, it is rather easy to see, showing up as a rather
elongated object in a small telescope. In bigger telescopes, 6-inches
and larger, it shows its true shape as a condensed rounded galaxy with a
starlike center surrounded by haze. M77 lies about one degree
southeast of Delta Ceti. This image is from the RealSky
CD from the Astronomical Society of the
Pacitic.
Messier Objects in Cetus
|
Con
|
Messier
|
Type
|
R.A.
|
Dec.
|
Mag.
|
Size
|
NGC#
|
|
Cet
|
M77
|
Galaxy
|
2h 42.7
|
-0d 2
|
10.5
|
7' X 6'
|
1068
|
Herschel 400 Objects in Cetus
| NGC |
R.A. |
Dec. |
Mag |
Type |
Constellation |
Galactic
Longitude |
Galactic
Latitude |
Size |
Class |
|
157 |
0 34.9 |
-8 24 |
11.5 |
Gal |
Cet |
110.32 |
-70.86 |
4' X 3' |
Sc |
|
246 |
0 47.0 |
-12 7 |
0.0 |
PlN |
Cet |
121.31 |
-50.44 |
240" X 210" |
3b |
|
247 |
0 47.0 |
-20 45 |
10.0 |
Gal |
Cet |
113.84 |
-83.54 |
20' X 7' |
S- |
|
584 |
1 31.3 |
-6 51 |
12.0 |
Gal |
Cet |
149.77 |
-67.63 |
|
|
|
596 |
1 32.8 |
-7 1 |
12.5 |
Gal |
Cet |
150.85 |
-67.63 |
|
|
|
615 |
1 35.1 |
-7 19 |
12.5 |
Gal |
Cet |
152.54 |
-67.65 |
|
|
|
720 |
1 53.0 |
-13 44 |
11.5 |
Gal |
Cet |
173.03 |
-70.35 |
|
|
|
779 |
1 59.7 |
-5 58 |
12.0 |
Gal |
Cet |
163.48 |
-63.32 |
|
|
|
908 |
2 23.1 |
-21 13 |
11.0 |
Gal |
Cet |
202.12 |
-68.31 |
|
|
|
936 |
2 27.7 |
-1 9 |
11.0 |
Gal |
Cet |
168.59 |
-55.26 |
|
|
|
1022 |
2 38.5 |
-6 40 |
12.5 |
Gal |
Cet |
179.01 |
-57.36 |
|
|
|
1052 |
2 41.0 |
-8 15 |
12.0 |
Gal |
Cet |
182.01 |
-57.93 |
|
|
|
1055 |
2 41.8 |
0 26 |
11.5 |
Gal |
Cet |
171.33 |
-51.75 |
|
|
Article © Copyright Edward
P. Flaspoehler, Jr.
Photos © Copyright Edward P. Flaspoehler, Jr.
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