M99 is the second stop on your tour of the Virgo cluster. This Sc-type galaxy has a visual magnitude of 9.8. It is located 51' southeast of 6 Comae Berenices. The bright Sb-type galaxy, M98, stands 1.3 degrees to the west-northwest. M99 presents a 3'x2' oval oriented almost due north-south in the 10-inch at 189X. A weak stellar core is set within a central region elongated northeast to southwest. Hints of three spiral arms are discernible. The most prominent curves to the east, south and southwest along a graceful arc. This arm begins at the northeast tip of the elongated core region. A second shorter arm extends north from a point just west of the core. The third arm appears to extend northward from the southwest tip of the elongated core. The three stars surrounding M99 range from 6th to 9th magnitude.

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