APOD
Elliptical Galaxy M87
September 13, 1995Anglo-Australian Telescope
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Explanation:
Elliptical galaxy M87 is a type of
galaxy that looks much different
than our own
Milky Way Galaxy. But even for an
elliptical galaxy M87 is peculiar.
M87 is much bigger than an average
galaxy, appears at the center of a whole cluster of galaxies known as the
Virgo Cluster, and shows a very high number of
globular clusters.
These globular clusters are visible as faint
spots surrounding the bright center of M87. In general, elliptical galaxies
contain similar numbers of stars as
spiral galaxies, but are ellipsoidal in
shape (spirals are mostly flat), have no spiral structure, and little
gas and
dust.
This picture is number sixty on a publicly posted list of
images from the
Anglo-Australian
Telescope (AAT).
Tomorrow's picture: The Far Side
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Astronomy Picture of the Day (TM) is created and copyrighted in 1995 by
Robert
Nemiroff and
Jerry
Bonnell who are solely responsible for its content.
About This Image
cal galaxy M87 is a type of galaxy that looks much different than our own Milky Way Galaxy. But even for an elliptical galaxy M87 is peculiar. M87 is much bigger than an average galaxy, appears at the center of a whole cluster of galaxies known as the Virgo Cluster, and shows a very high number of globular clusters. These globular clusters are visible as faint spots surrounding the bright center of M87. In general, elliptical galaxies contain similar numbers of stars as spiral galaxies, but are ellipsoidal in shape (spirals are mostly flat), have no spiral structure, and little gas and dust. This picture is number sixty on a publicly posted list of images from the Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT).
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