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Astronomy Picture of the Day - Messier 87
NASA ^ | 20 Feb, 2025 | Image Credit: NASA, ESA and the Hubble Heritage Team

Posted on 02/20/2025 5:02:40 PM PST by MtnClimber

Explanation: Enormous elliptical galaxy Messier 87 is about 50 million light-years away. Also known as NGC 4486, the giant galaxy holds trillions of stars compared to the mere billions of stars in our large spiral Milky Way. M87 reigns as the large central elliptical galaxy in the Virgo galaxy cluster. An energetic jet from the giant galaxy's core is seen to stretch outward for about 5,000 light-years in this sharp optical and near-infrared view from the Hubble Space Telescope. In fact, the cosmic blow torch is seen across the electromagnetic spectrum from gamma-rays to radio wavelengths. Its ultimate power source is M87's central, supermassive black hole. An image of this monster in the middle of M87 has been captured by planet Earth's Event Horizon Telescope.


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; astronomy; messier87; nasa; ngc4486; science
To be added or removed from the Astronomy Picture of the Day ping list please send me a request via "Private Reply" (Mail).

For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then move the magnifying glass cursor then click to zoom in and click again to zoom out. When zoomed in you can scan by moving the side bars on the bottom and right side of the image.

1 posted on 02/20/2025 5:02:40 PM PST by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

2 posted on 02/20/2025 5:03:00 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: 21stCenturion; 21twelve; 4everontheRight; A Navy Vet; A_perfect_lady; abb; AFB-XYZ; AFPhys; ...
Pinging the APOD list

🪐 🌟 🌌 🍔

3 posted on 02/20/2025 5:03:46 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

Wow.


4 posted on 02/20/2025 6:15:09 PM PST by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as)
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To: MtnClimber

Looks like my glasses need cleaning.


5 posted on 02/20/2025 7:38:22 PM PST by Deaf and Discerning
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To: MtnClimber

M87 is a biggie.


6 posted on 02/20/2025 11:11:28 PM PST by telescope115 (I NEED MY SPACE!!! 🔭)
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