“From a little spark may burst a flame.” -Dante Alighieri
It's hard to believe that less than two years ago, we hadn't even begun Messier Monday, and now there are fewer than 20 objects left! Today represents a great milestone, as we finally take on the last of fifteen galaxies that Messier catalogued as part of the Virgo Cluster!
Image credit: Mike Hankey, via http://www.mikesastrophotos.com/galaxies/m100/; annotation & magnification by me.
Even though Messier couldn't see the details that modest amateurs can see today, his (and Méchain's) discovery-and-cataloguing of this object was the beginning of a remarkable journey, something that saw -- along its way -- five supernovae and perhaps the photo that heralded the greatest era of space telescopes: when the error with the Hubble Space Telescope's original primary mirror was fixed!
Images credit: NASA / JPL / Goddard Space Flight Center.
Come read -- and see in pictures -- the full glorious story of this object!
Thankyou Ethan, and Judy Schmidt for the excellent render.