The Pin Wheel Nebula and the Black Eye Galaxy are in Coma Berenices. It is a faint constellation with an amber color. Our word for varnish comes from a linguistic derivature of Berenices.
Bernice was an Egyptian princess in the third century B.C. She promised to shave her head in sacrifice to Venus if her brother Ptolemy IX, the Pharoah, would return safely from battle in Syria and Babylon. After his safe return her hair disappeared overnight before the ceremonial tonsorial exercise. The missing hair was discovered by court astronomers that evening between Boötes and Leo. Part of the Syrian/Egyptian connection is related in the Old Testament in the book of Daniel XI-6.
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| Symbol | Com |
| Right Ascension |
12:42
|
| Declination | 23 |
| Diameter (°) | 13 |
| Area (square °) | 386 |
| Opposition |
Apr 01
|
| Size Rank |
42nd
|
| Brightness Rank |
58th
|
| Genitive | Comae Berenices |
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