Difference between revisions of "M87"
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| − | '''M87''' (NGC 4486, Virgo A) is a [[galaxy]] situated in the Virgo cluster, in the [[constellation]] of Virgo and the 87th item in the Messier | + | '''M87''' (NGC 4486, Virgo A) is a [[galaxy]] situated in the Virgo cluster, in the [[constellation]] of Virgo and the 87th item in the [[Messier catalogue]].<ref name=messierSeds>[http://www.messier.seds.org/m/m087.html M87] from messier.seds.org, the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space</ref> It is one of the largest galaxies known, containing trillions of [[star]]s<ref name=esa>[http://sci.esa.int/hubble/43215-m87/ M87] from sci.esa.int</ref> It is well known for its jet that extends for thousands of light years from its centre. M87 is an [[elliptical galaxy]], with classification E0 or E1 meaning it is very nearly spherical and is thought to have a mass at least one trillion times that of the [[sun]].<ref name=messierSeds/> |
==Environment and Structure== | ==Environment and Structure== | ||
Revision as of 12:06, September 24, 2017
| M87 | |
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| Observational Data | |
| Designation | M-87 |
| Right ascension | 12h 30m 48s |
| Declination | +12° 24′ 0″ |
| Constellation | Virgo |
| Type of object | elliptical galaxy |
| Magnitude | 8.6 |
| Redshift | 0.00420 ± 0.00012 |
| Astrometry | |
| Distance from Earth | 60 million light years |
M87 (NGC 4486, Virgo A) is a galaxy situated in the Virgo cluster, in the constellation of Virgo and the 87th item in the Messier catalogue.[1] It is one of the largest galaxies known, containing trillions of stars[2] It is well known for its jet that extends for thousands of light years from its centre. M87 is an elliptical galaxy, with classification E0 or E1 meaning it is very nearly spherical and is thought to have a mass at least one trillion times that of the sun.[1]
Environment and Structure
M87 is an excellent example of an elliptical galaxy. As is expected of elliptical galaxies, it contains no dust lanes and very little dust, much less than that of the Milky Way. It is around 120,000 light years across, larger than the diameter of the Milky Way. It is thought to be the dominant galaxy in the Virgo cluster and likely to have several smaller satellite galaxies.[1] M87 contains an exceptionally large number of globular clusters, over 13,000 to be precise.[2] As a comparison, the Milky Way is known to contain approximately 200 globular clusters.[3]
Galactic Nucleus
The galaxy has an "active galactic nucleus" as the nucleus is visible is various wavelengths of light, including x-ray and radio.[4] A jet protrudes 5,000 ly from the central region of the galaxy and is visible in optical wavelengths, as well as x-ray and radio. The jet is thought to be caused by a supermassive black hole at the centre of the galaxy, with a mass 3.5 billion times greater than the sum. The light emitted is strongly polarized implying that is created by synchrotron radiation.
References
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