M99

lopsided spiral galaxy · Virgo Cluster · in Coma Berenices

46 million light-years from Earth

A lopsided spiral with one arm much stronger than the others, thought to have been stirred by a fast pass of another galaxy that also drew out a tail of hydrogen some 700,000 light-years long. In 1846 Lord Rosse saw its spiral shape: only the Whirlpool's had been seen before.

• about 46 million light-years, uncertain by a fifth · about 67,000 light-years across
• moving away from us at 2,406 km/s, faster than any other Messier object

kind

galaxy

catalogue

M99 · NGC 4254

size

67,000 light-years across