What type of elliptical galaxy is M87?
M87 is about 16.4 million parsecs (53 million light-years) from Earth and is the second-brightest galaxy within the northern Virgo Cluster, having many satellite galaxies. Unlike a disk-shaped spiral galaxy, M87 has no distinctive dust lanes….Properties.
| Radius kpc | Mass ×1012 M ☉ |
|---|---|
| 47 | 5.7 |
| 50 | 6.0 |
What does M87 stand for?
Messier 87
M87, in full Messier 87, also called Virgo A or NGC4486, giant elliptical galaxy in the constellation Virgo whose nucleus contains a black hole, the first ever to be directly imaged. M87 is the most powerful known source of radio energy among the thousands of galactic systems constituting the so-called Virgo Cluster.
Is M87 a quasar?
1.3. The luminosity profile of M87. There is thus a similarity between the nucleus of M87 and a quasar-like 3C 273, in that both are seats of intense energy production, both require a collapsed massive object, both are X-ray sources and, in this particular case, both have jets issuing from the central region.
Is the M87 visible?
Through backyard amateur telescopes, M87 is easily visible; at magnitude 9.6, it holds little challenge. But the jet requires unspoiled skies and a large aperture. Unlike Omega Centauri or the Tarantula Nebula, M87 is not calendar material.
Can you see M87 with binoculars?
In this cluster you’ll find M87 – though it’s nearly impossible to spot with the naked eye. However, with a telescope or good pair of binoculars, you should get a glimpse at the galaxy where it’s located. That’s Messier 87. With decent binoculars, it should look like a little smudge of light.”
Is Ton 618 a black hole?
Currently the largest known black hole, powering the quasar TON 618, has a mass of 66 billion solar masses.
How far away is M87?
53.49 million light years
Messier 87/Distance to Earth
How far away is M87 from Earth?
How was M87 discovered?
M87 was discovered by Charles Messier on the night of March 18, 1781. It must have been a great night for Chuck, because he also cataloged 8 other nebulous objects 7 of them in the same region and all member galaxies of the Virgo Cluster.
What if TON 618 exploded?
If you replaced that with TON 618, the ratio would be a lot smaller; a bit under 25 to 1. But still, 95% of the mass would be in the surrounding galaxy, and stars should still be able to form. Regarding radiation: TON 618 is also a “hyperluminous” quasar.