Active galaxy M87
A NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image of a spiral-shaped disk of hot gas in the core of active galaxy M87. HST measurements show the disk is rotating so rapidly it contains a massive black hole at its hub.
Credit:Holland Ford, Space Telescope Science Institute/Johns Hopkins University; Richard Harms, Applied Research Corp.; Zlatan Tsvetanov, Arthur Davidsen, and Gerard Kriss at Johns Hopkins; Ralph Bohlin and GeorgeHartig at Space Telescope Science Institute; Linda Dressel and Ajay K.Kochhar at Applied Research Corp. in Landover, Md.; and Bruce Margon fromthe University of Washington in Seattle NASA/ESA
About the Image
About the Object
| Name: | IRAS 12282+1240, M 87, Messier 87, NGC 4486, Virgo Galaxy |
| Type: | Local Universe : Galaxy : Component : Central Black Hole |
| Distance: | 55 million light years |
| Constellation: | Virgo |
| Category: | Quasars and Black Holes |
Coordinates
| Position (RA): | 12 30 48.95 |
| Position (Dec): | 12° 23' 31.52" |
| Field of view: | 0.33 x 0.33 arcminutes |
| Orientation: | North is 24.1° left of vertical |
View in ESASky:
View in WorldWide Telescope:
Colours & filters
| Band | Wavelength | Telescope |
|---|---|---|
| Optical H-alpha + Nii | 658 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
WFPC2 |