M87 · galaxy

Virgo A Galaxy

Messier 87 is a supergiant elliptical galaxy in the constellation Virgo that contains several trillion stars.

RA12h 30m 49sDec+12° 23' 28"

Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech/IPAC/Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration. Source: JPL via images.nasa.gov.

Identity & coordinates

Identification

Primary designation: M87
All designations: M87 · NGC 4486 · Virgo A
Object type: Galaxy
Constellation: Virgo
Best viewing: Spring

Coordinates & physical

Right ascension (J2000): 12h 30m 49s
Declination (J2000): +12° 23' 28"
Apparent magnitude (V): —
Distance: —
Redshift (z): 0.004283

III

Visibility tonight

The science

Messier 87 is a supergiant elliptical galaxy in the constellation Virgo that contains several trillion stars. One of the largest and most massive galaxies in the local universe, it has a large population of globular clusters—about 15,000 compared with the 150–200 orbiting the Milky Way—and a jet of energetic plasma that originates at the core and extends at least 1,500 parsecs, traveling at a relativistic speed. It is one of the brightest radio sources in the sky and a popular target for both amateur and professional astronomers.

Summary adapted from Wikipedia · CC-BY-SA-4.0