The Halo of Galaxy Messier 87

Noirlab_m87-chris-mihos-case-western-burrell_1024

noirlab_m87-chris-mihos-Case-Western-Burrell May 2nd, 2023

Credit: KPNO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/Chris Mihos (Case Western Reserve University)/ESO

The huge halo around giant elliptical galaxy Messier 87 appears on this very deep image. An excess of light in the top-right part of this halo, and the motion of planetary nebulae in the galaxy, are the last remaining signs of a medium-sized galaxy that recently collided with Messier 87. The image also reveals many other galaxies forming the Virgo Cluster, of which Messier 87 is the largest member. In particular, the two galaxies at the top right of the frame are nicknamed "the Eyes".

Provider: NOIRLab

Image Source: https://noirlab.edu/public/images/m87-chris-mihos-Case-Western-Burrell/

Curator: NSF's NOIRLab, Tucson, AZ, USA

Image Use Policy: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

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Image Details

Image Type: Observation
Object Name: M87
Subject - Local Universe: Galaxy > Type > Elliptical

Noirlab_m87-chris-mihos-case-western-burrell_128

Position Details

Position (ICRS): RA = 12h 30m 49.4s; DEC = 12° 23’ 25.7”
Orientation: North is 0.1° CW
Field of View: 1.6 x 1.6 degrees
Constellation: Virgo

Color Mapping

	Telescope	Spectral Band	Wavelength
	Burrell (None)	Optical (None)	-

Noirlab_m87-chris-mihos-case-western-burrell_1280

ID: m87-chris-mihos-Case-Western-Burrell
Subject Category: C.5.1.4
Subject Name: M87
Credits: KPNO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/Chris Mihos (Case Western Reserve University)/ESO

Release Date: 2023-05-02T07:32:36
Lightyears
Redshift
Reference Url: https://noirlab.edu/public/images/m87-chris-mihos-Case-Western-Burrell/

Type: Observation
Image Quality
Distance Notes

Facility: Burrell Schmidt Telescope
Instrument: None
Color Assignment: Luminosity

Band: Optical
Bandpass: None
Central Wavelength

Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID: None
Notes

Coordinate Frame: ICRS
Equinox: J2000
Reference Value: 187.705761102, 12.3904709331
Reference Dimension: 4001.0, 4000.0

Reference Pixel: 2001.0, 1999.5
Scale: -0.000402521195457, 0.000402254836992
Rotation: -0.094318902734017
Coordinate System Projection:: TAN

Quality: Full
FITS Header
Notes

Creator (Curator): NSF's NOIRLab
URL: https://noirlab.edu
Name
Email

Telephone
Address: 950 North Cherry Ave.
City: Tucson
State/Province: AZ

Postal Code: 85719
Country: USA
Rights: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

Publisher: NSF's NOIRLab
Publisher ID: noirlab
Resource ID: m87-chris-mihos-Case-Western-Burrell

Resource URL: http://noirlab.edu/public/media/archives/images/original/m87-chris-mihos-Case-Western-Burrell.tif
Related Resources

Metadata Date: 2023-05-02T17:43:52.680994
Metadata Version: 1.1

Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

There is no distance meta data in this image.