Virgo Cluster
Virgo Cluster | |
---|---|
J2000) | |
Constellation(s) | Virgo & Coma Berenices |
Right ascension | 12h 27m [1] |
Declination | +12° 43′[1] |
Brightest member | Messier 49 |
Number of galaxies | ~1,500[1] |
Parent structure | Virgo Supercluster |
Bautz–Morgan classification | III[1] |
Binding mass | 1015 M☉ |
The Virgo Cluster is a large
Many of the brighter galaxies in this cluster, including the giant elliptical galaxy Messier 87, were discovered in the late 1770s and early 1780s and subsequently included in Charles Messier's catalogue of non-cometary fuzzy objects. Described by Messier as nebulae without stars, their true nature was not recognized until the 1920s.[A]
The cluster subtends a maximum arc of approximately 8 degrees centered in the constellation Virgo. Although some of the cluster's most prominent members can be seen with smaller instruments, a 6-inch telescope will reveal about 160 of the cluster's galaxies on a clear night. Its brightest member is the elliptical galaxy Messier 49; however its most famous member is the elliptical galaxy Messier 87, which is located in the center of the cluster.[6]
Characteristics
The cluster is a fairly
The cluster is an aggregate of at least three separate
Of all of the subclumps, Virgo A, formed by a mixture of elliptical, lenticular, and (usually) gas-poor spiral galaxies,[13] is the dominant one, with a mass of approximately 1014 M☉, which is approximately an order of magnitude larger than the other two subclumps.[14]
The three subgroups are in the process of merging to form a larger single cluster
Other two nearby aggregations known as M Cloud, W Cloud, and W' Cloud[10] seem to be background systems independent of the main cluster.[15]
The large mass of the cluster is indicated by the high peculiar velocities of many of its galaxies, sometimes as high as 1,600 km/s with respect to the cluster's center.
The Virgo cluster lies within the Virgo Supercluster, and its gravitational effect slows down the nearby galaxies. The large mass of the cluster has the effect of slowing down the recession of the Local Group from the cluster by approximately ten percent.
Molecular gasses in Virgo Cluster has been swept away by a huge cosmic broom that is preventing nearby galaxies from birthing new stars. The actual cause of it has been a long standing mystery in astrophysics. According to scientists, it occurs because of the extreme environment of the Virgo Cluster.[17]
Intracluster medium
As with many other rich galaxy clusters, Virgo's
Galaxies
Below is a table of bright or notable objects in the cluster and their subunit (subcluster). Note that in some cases a galaxy may be considered in a different subunit by other researchers (sources:[10][15][27][28])
- Column 1: The name of the galaxy.
- Column 2: The right ascension for epoch 2000.
- Column 3: The declination for epoch 2000.
- Column 4: The blue apparent magnitude of the galaxy.
- Column 5: The galaxy type: E=Elliptical, S0=Lenticular, Sa,Sb,Sc,Sd=Spiral, SBa,SBb,SBc,SBd=Barred spiral, Sm,SBm,Irr=Irregular.
- Column 6: The angular diameter of the galaxy (arcminutes).
- Column 7: The diameter of the galaxy (thousands of light years).
- Column 8: The recessional velocity (km/s) of the galaxy relative to the cosmic microwave background.
- Column 9: Subcluster where the galaxy is located.
Designation | Coordinates (Epoch 2000) | Apparent magnitude (blue) |
Type | Angular size
|
Diameter (kly) |
RV (km/s) |
Subcluster | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RA
|
Dec | |||||||
Messier 98 | 12 13.8 | 14 54 | 10.9 | SBb | 9.8′ | 150 | 184 | Virgo A or N Cloud |
NGC 4216 | 12 15.9 | 13 09 | 10.9 | SBb | 7.9′ | 120 | 459 | Virgo A, N Cloud, or LVC. |
Messier 99 | 12 18.8 | 14 25 | 10.4 | Sc | 5.4′ | 80 | 2735 | Virgo A or N Cloud |
NGC 4262 | 12 19.5 | 14 53 | 12.4 | S0 | 1.9′ | 30 | 1683 | Virgo A |
NGC 4388 | 12 25.5 | 12 39 | 11.8 | SAb | 6.2′ | 85 | 2845 | Virgo A |
Messier 61 | 12 21.9 | 04 28 | 10.2 | SBbc | 6.2′ | 100 | 1911 | S Cloud |
Messier 100 | 12 22.9 | 15 49 | 10.1 | SBbc | 7.6′ | 115 | 1899 | Virgo A |
Messier 84 | 12 25.1 | 12 53 | 10.1 | E1 | 6.0′ | 90 | 1239 | Virgo A Markarian's Chain |
Messier 85 | 12 25.4 | 18 11 | 10.0 | S0 | 7.1′ | 105 | 1056 | Virgo A |
Messier 86 | 12 26.2 | 12 57 | 9.9 | E3 | 10.2′ | 155 | 37 | Virgo A or own subgroup. Markarian's Chain |
NGC 4435 | 12 27.7 | 13 05 | 11.7 | S0 | 3.0′ | 45 | 1111 | Virgo A |
NGC 4438 | 12 27.8 | 13 01 | 11.0 | Sa | 8.7′ | 130 | 404 | Virgo A |
NGC 4450 | 12 28.5 | 17 05 | 10.9 | Sab | 5.1′ | 80 | 2273 | Virgo A |
Messier 49 | 12 29.8 | 08 00 | 9.3 | E2 | 9.8′ | 150 | 1204 | Virgo B |
Messier 87 | 12 30.8 | 12 23 | 9.6 | E0–1 | 9.8′ | 980 | 1204 | Virgo A |
Messier 88 | 12 32.0 | 14 25 | 10.3 | Sb | 6.8′ | 100 | 2599 | Virgo A |
NGC 4526 | 12 32.0 | 07 42 | 10.6 | S0 | 7.1′ | 105 | 931 | Virgo B |
NGC 4527 | 12 34.1 | 02 39 | 12.4 | Sb | 4.6′ | 69 | 1730 | S Cloud |
NGC 4536 | 12 34.4 | 02 11 | 11.1 | SBbc | 7.2′ | 115 | 2140 | S Cloud |
Messier 91 | 12 35.4 | 14 30 | 11.0 | SBb | 5.2′ | 80 | 803 | Virgo A |
NGC 4546 | 12 35.5 | -03 48 | 11.3 | S0 | 2.3' | 30 | 1054 | S Cloud |
NGC 4550 | 12 35.5 | 12 13 | 12.5 | S0 | 3.2′ | 50 | 704 | Virgo A |
Messier 89 | 12 35.7 | 12 33 | 10.7 | E0 | 5.0′ | 75 | 628 | Virgo A |
NGC 4567 | 12 36.5 | 11 15 | 12.1 | Sbc | 2.8′ | 40 | 2588 | Virgo A |
NGC 4568 | 12 36.6 | 11 14 | 11.7 | Sbc | 4.4′ | 65 | 2578 | Virgo A |
Messier 90 | 12 36.8 | 13 10 | 10.2 | SBab | 10.5′ | 160 | 87 | Virgo A |
NGC 4571 | 12 36.9 | 14 13 | 11.9 | Sc | 3.7′ | 55 | 659 | Virgo A |
Messier 58 | 12 37.7 | 11 49 | 10.6 | SBb | 5.6′ | 85 | 1839 | Virgo A |
Messier 59 | 12 42.9 | 11 39 | 10.8 | E5 | 5.0′ | 75 | 751 | Virgo A or Virgo E |
Messier 60 | 12 43.7 | 11 33 | 9.8 | E2 | 7.2′ | 110 | 1452 | Virgo A, Virgo E, or Virgo C |
NGC 4651 | 12 43.7 | 16 24 | 11.4 | Sc | 4.0′ | 60 | 1113 | |
NGC 4654 | 12 43.9 | 13 08 | 11.1 | SBc | 5.0′ | 75 | 1349 | Virgo A |
Fainter galaxies within the cluster are usually known by their numbers in the Virgo Cluster Catalog, particularly members of the numerous dwarf galaxy population.[29]
See also
- Virgo III Groups
- Coma Cluster – another large, nearby cluster of galaxies
- Eridanus Cluster
- Fornax Cluster – a smaller nearby cluster of galaxies
- Norma Cluster
- List of galaxy clusters
- Virgocentric flow
Notes
- ^ Following the entry for M91 in the Connoissance des Temps for 1784, Messier added the following note:
- The constellation of Virgo, & especially the northern Wing is one of the constellations which encloses the most Nebulae: this Catalog contains thirteen which have been determined: viz. Nos. 49, 58, 59, 60, 61, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, & 91. All these nebulae appear to be without stars: one can see them only in a very good sky, & near their meridian passage. Most of these nebulae have been pointed to me by Mr. Méchain.[5]
References
- ^ a b c d "NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database". Results for Virgo Cluster. Retrieved 2006-10-19.
- S2CID 16483538.
- ^ "Virgo Cluster". Cosmos. Swinburne University of Technology.
- S2CID 10468717.
- SEDS.
- ^ "Virgo Cluster | Messier Objects". www.messier-objects.com. 9 August 2017. Retrieved 2018-06-24.
- S2CID 18021414.
- doi:10.1086/186928.
- ^ "Virgo Cluster". ned.ipac.caltech.edu. Retrieved 2018-06-24.
- ^ S2CID 119244700. A69.
- .
- ^ "Publications | Event Horizon Telescope". eventhorizontelescope.org. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
- ^
Chamaraux, P.; Balkowski, C.; Gerard, E. (1980). "The H I deficiency of the Virgo cluster spirals". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 83 (1–2): 38–51. Bibcode:1980A&A....83...38C.
- ^ a b The Virgo Super Cluster: home of M87 (with frames)
- ^ S2CID 41700753.
- doi:10.1086/162073.
- S2CID 240354399.
- S2CID 120960432.
- Bibcode:1997hst..prop.7411F.
- S2CID 4390832.
- ^ S2CID 4390832.
- S2CID 9761241.
- )
- Bibcode:2010AAS...21547814D.
- ^ S2CID 20743125.
- S2CID 8686119.
- ^ "Galaxy On Line Database Milano Network". GOLDMine. Retrieved 2012-08-06.
- ^ "The Virgo Cluster". Retrieved 2013-04-06.
- doi:10.1086/113874.
External links
- The Virgo Cluster at An Atlas of the Universe, map (and table) of the 160 largest galaxies
- California Institute of Technology site on Virgo cluster.
- The Virgo Cluster of Galaxies, SEDS Messier pages
- Partial Virgo cluster centered on M87 (Dark Atmospheres)
- Binggeli, B.; Sandage, A.; Tammann, G. A. (1985). "Studies of the Virgo cluster. II. A catalog of 2096 galaxies in the Virgo cluster area". The Astronomical Journal. 90: 1681. doi:10.1086/113874.