Coma Berenices is a spring constellation that is located between Canes Venatici to the north, Virgo to the south, Bootes to the east, and Leo to the west. Coma Berenices means Berenice's Hair. The constellation was named after Egypt's Queen Berenice II, a real historical figure. Berenice was the wife of King Ptolemy III Euergestes. When the king went to war, Berenice promised her hair to Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of Love, if her husband returned victorious and safe. When he did, she sacrificed her hair. The legend said that Aphrodite then sent Berenice's hair to the stars where it was immortalized in a the story by the Greek Konon of Samos. Berenice died in 221 B.C.E. (Before the Common Era). The North galactic pole is located in Coma Berenices at a right ascension of 12h 51m 26s and a Declination of +27 07m 42.0 (epoch J2000), 25 arcminutes south of the star 31 Comae Berenices. |