Posted on 10/10/2020 5:40:18 PM PDT by MtnClimber
Explanation: Galaxies of the Virgo Cluster are scattered across this deep telescopic field of view. The cosmic scene spans about three Full Moons, captured in dark skies near Jalisco, Mexico, planet Earth. About 50 million light-years distant, the Virgo Cluster is the closest large galaxy cluster to our own local galaxy group. Prominent here are Virgo's bright elliptical galaxies from the Messier catalog, M87 at the top left, and M84 and M86 seen (bottom to top) below and right of center. M84 and M86 are recognized as part of Markarian's Chain, a visually striking line-up of galaxies vertically on the right side of this frame. Near the middle of the chain lies an intriguing interacting pair of galaxies, NGC 4438 and NGC 4435, known to some as Markarian's Eyes. Of course giant elliptical galaxy M87 dominates the Virgo cluster. It's the home of a super massive black hole, the first black hole ever imaged by planet Earth's Event Horizon Telescope.
(Excerpt) Read more at apod.nasa.gov ...
For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then zoom by moving the magnifying glass over an area and then clicking. The side bars will move the zoomed area over the photograph.
Pinging the APOD list.
Beautiful and calming, because it’s nice to realize that most places out there don’t know what a democrat is.
Growing up in L.A. Griffith Observatory was one of my favorite places. They actually dug up the front and expanded the museum underground. The whole Northern wall is a blow-up of the Virgo cluster which they call ‘The Big Picture’. Big enough that you can even see the beam of material heated up by a supermassive black hole shooting out into space.
One of the most amazing galaxies known is in the Virgo cluster. One set of stars rotates clockwise around the center and another counter clockwise! That such a thing is even possible is because of the vast distances between the stars.
But they may know about Vogon poetry.
Oh, if there are corporeal peeps out there, they probably have their own equivalent problems :-)
Wow. The Lord is awesome and wonderful!
Always humbling to know every star you see in the night sky is right here in our own Milky Way galaxy. And beyond those billions of stars are billions of other galaxies. Over 1,000 of them, right there in the Virgo cluster, over 50 million light years away. The immense scale of the universe is truly amazing, and the possibilities of what exists is unlimited.
Sky & Telescope posted a star chart every month. Nestled in the “Y” of the constellation Virgo was the “Realm of Galaxies”. Always blew me away, still does. I remember an introductory astronomy book my brother had...I think I got dizzy as a 9 year old reading those huge numbers.
One of the more enjoyable parts of the Sky. I have the southern part of the cluster memorized, but, above this point, it takes a chart.
That's a staggering amount of stars and planets we don't even know about. Planets that could have life on them. It's mind boggling.
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