Galaxies - Virgo and surroundings
Including Coma Berenices, Corvus and Hydra
The Virgo Cluster comprising about 2000 galaxies is the nearest big galaxy cluster. It comprises no less than 16 Messier galaxies. More information about the Virgo Cluster at SEDS or at An Atlas of the Universe
Chart of the central and northern part of the Virgo Cluster. The southern part including M49 and M61 is not visible here. Chart created with HNSky
Most of the galaxies in this gallery are members of the Virgo Cluster.
Magnitude 9.3 - Size 7.5' x 6.1' - class SBbc
2007 April 12 (Denmark) - C8 at f/6.3 - SXV-H9
LRGB = 64:16:16:16 min guided
Full resolution image
Magnitude 9.9 - Size 5.3' x 4.6' - class Sc
2007 April 15 (Denmark) - C8 at f/6.3 - SXV-H9
RGB = 12:12:12 min guided
Small but relatively bright spiral galaxy, thus much easier to spot than nearby M98. The asymmetric shape could indicate an encounter with another galaxy, maybe M98. It has the largest recession velocity (2324 km/s) of any Messier objects. It neighbour M98 is at the same time approaching us at 200 km/s. This could support the encounter theory as there is a lot of gravitational 'sling shotting' taking place in the Virgo Cluster
Magnitude 9.1 - Size 7.1' x 5.5' - class S0-a
2007 April 13 (Denmark) - C8 at f/6.3 - SXV-H9
L = 56 min guided
One of the more overlooked Messier objects. In less deep exposures it just looks like another elliptical galaxy but this image is deep enough to show the "shells" of this S0 galaxy. And furthermore, it has got a very lovely neighbour, NGC 4394.
Full resolution image
2005 Mar 29 (Denmark) - FS-60C @ f/5.9 - SXV-H9
LRGB = 50:10:10:10 min
The Markarian Chain is a remarkable string of galaxies at the center of the Virgo Cluster. From right to left: M84, M86, NGC 4435/38, NGC 4458/61, NGC 4473 and NGC 4477 with many fainter galaxies also visible.
M84 and M86 in Virgo
M84: Magnitude 9.1 - Size 6.7' x 6.0' - class E1
M86: Magnitude 8.9 - Size 9.8' x 6.3' - class E3
10 Apr 2004 (Denmark) - C8 at f/6.3 - SXV-H9 - 20 + 18 min - mosaic of two images
Two large elliptical galaxies at the western end of the "Markarian Chain".
The smaller galaxy at the bottom is NGC 4387.
Full resolution image
M87 in Virgo
Magnitude 9.6 - Size 8.7' x 6.6'
22 Apr 2003 - C8 at f/6.3 - MX516 - 27 minutes
M87 is a massive elliptical galaxy forming the center of the Virgo galaxy cluster. It has a supermassive black hole at the center. An enlarged and enhanced image of the famous jet is shown in the inset
M88 in Coma Berenices
Magnitude 10.2 - Size 6.8' x 3.7'
27 Apr 2003 (Puimichel) - C8 at f/6.3 - MX516 - 42 minutes
Nice tightly wound spiral. An increasing cirrus cover means that the effective exposure is considerably less than the listed 42 minutes
M90 in Virgo
Magnitude 9.5 - Size 9.9' x 4.4' - class SBab
25 Mar 2004 - C8 at f/6.3 - SXV-H9 - 25 min
The smooth arms of this large galaxy indicate that star formation no longer takes place here. It may be evolving into a state similar to M64 and later maybe into a lenticular galaxy (type S0)
M91 in Coma Berenices
Magnitude 10.1 - Size 5.2' x 4.2' - class SBb
25 Mar 2004 - C8 at f/6.3 - SXV-H9 - 24 min
Nice but quite faint barred spiral.
M98 in Coma Berenices
Magnitude 10.1 - Size 9.4' x 2.3' - class SBb
24 Mar 2004 - C8 at f/6.3 - SXV-H9 - 32 min
Large but faint galaxy. In my opinion one of the most difficult Messier galaxies to observe.
NGC 4298 / 4302 in Coma Berenices
4298: Mag 11.3 - Size 3.2' x 1.9' - Sc
4302: Mag 11.6 - Size 5.3' x 1.0' - Sc
10 Apr 2004 (Denmark) - C8 at f/6.3 - SXV-H9 - LRGB = 38:11:9:11 min
Interesting pair 40 arcmin east of M99. Visually they are difficult to observe
M60 in Virgo
Mag 8.8 - Size 7.6' x 6.2' - class E1
28 Mar 2004 - C8 at f/6.3 - SXV-H9 - 16 min
Large elliptical galaxy at the eastern edge of the cluster. The touching neighbour is spiral galaxy NGC 4647. The object at the lower right corner is NGC 4638. M59 is located nearby just outside the field to the right
M49 in Virgo
Magnitude 8.4 - Size 9.8' x 8.2' - class E4
10 Apr 2004 (Denmark) - C8 at f/6.3 - SXV-H9 - 25 min
Massive elliptical galaxy dominating the southern part of the Virgo Cluster
M61 in Virgo
Magnitude 10.1 - Size 6.5' x 5.9'
01 May 2003 (Puimichel, FR) - C8 at f/6.3 - MX516 - 25 minutes
The M61 group of galaxies is one of several smaller groups (Virgo II groups) forming the southern extension of the Virgo Cluster. This image made in south France is a tad unsharp because my telescope was battered by the local "mistral".
 Full resolution (1313 x 1031) |
M64, Black Eye Galaxy (NGC 4826) in Coma Berenices Magnitude 8,5 - Size 10,3' x 5,0' - class Sab 2005 May 28 - C8 at f/6.3 - SXV-H9 and SXV guider L = 68 min This bizarre spiral galaxy comprises two counterrotating systems. The galaxy core rotates in the opposite direction to the outer disc and the rubbing between these two systems causes intense star formation. The black "eye" feature characterizing this galaxy is visible even in smaller telescopes (15 cm?) |
Abell 1656, Coma Cluster of Galaxies
Magnitude 11.0 - 157' - galaxy cluster
24 May 2004 - C8 at f/6.1 - SXV-H9 - 40 min binned 2x2
This is the nearest massive cluster of galaxies, it lies at a distance of about 300 million light-years and contains some 3000 galaxies. The cluster is dominated by two gigantic elliptical galaxies, NGC 4874 (right) and NGC 4889 (left).
M83 in Hydra
Magnitude 8.0 - Size 13.1' x 12.2'
27 Apr 2003 (Puimichel) - C8 at f/6.3 - MX516 - 26 minutes
Beautiful southern galaxy but very low even in southern France
NGC 4565 in Coma Berenices
Magnitude 9,6 - Size 14,9' x 2,0'
15 May 2002 (Puimichel) - C8 at f/6.3 - MX516 - 22 minutes
The classical edge on galaxy
M104, The Sombrero Galaxy in Virgo
Magnitude 8,0 - Size 8,6' x 4,2'
13 May 2002 (Puimichel) - C8 at f/6.3 - MX516 - 20 minutes
The dark dust disc is easily visible in even smaller telescopes. Here is an image of the Sombrero Galaxy made with one of the 8 m VLT telescopes in Chile.
NGC 4038 / 4039, The Antennae Galaxies in Corvus
Magnitude 10,3 / 10,6 - Size 3,4' x 2,0' / 3,3' x 1,7'
13 May 2002 (Puimichel) - C8 at f/6.3 - MX516 - 26 minutes
This object is very difficult to observe from my home due to its low altitude. In the clean air of Puimichel it rises to more than 20 degrees above the horizon making it a much easier target. The two 'antennae' are faintly visible to the left of the two colliding galaxies. Compare this image to the image made with the Hubble Space Telescope
NGC 5566 in Virgo
Magnitude 10,6 - Size 6,6' x 2,3'
15 May 2002 (Puimichel) - C8 at f/6.3 - MX516 - 26 minutes
Less known but very interesting triplet of interacting galaxies in the eastern part of Virgo