Sections

Catalogues

Tools and Links

Galactic Map

Show the direction and distance to this galaxy on the Galactic Map.

M89

NGC 4552

Elliptical Galaxy in Virgo

Show on Sky Map

Proper Name	None
Messier Number	M89
NGC/IC Number	NGC 4552
Constellation	Virgo
Right Ascension	12h 35m 40s
Declination	+12° 33' 23"
Distance	c.50,000,000 light years c.15,300,000 parsecs
Magnitude	Apparent: +9.7 Absolute: -21.3
Diameter	Apparent: 8.1' Actual: 121,000 light years
Hubble Type	E0 Elliptical
Optimum Visibility	April
Notes	This prominent elliptical galaxy lies at the heart of the Virgo Cluster. It appears to be unusually close to being spherical for a galaxy of its type. At the core of the galaxy is a supermassive black hole, and evidence exists that this object has been highly active in the past.

A galaxy of elliptical, and perhaps even spherical, form. It lies about sixty million light years from our own Milky Way Galaxy, in the Virgo Cluster of galaxies.

M89, a galaxy in the Virgo Cluster, has many curious features. Not only is it surrounded by a thin, spherical 'envelope' of matter, but it also has a tail-like 'tendril' that may represent a smaller galaxy coalescing with the main mass.

Indexes

Related Entries

v2.1g