Messier 88

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Messier 88
M88 2022 revision.jpg
Spiral Galaxy Messier 88
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Constellation Coma Berenices
Right ascension 12h 31m 59.2s [1]
Declination +14° 25 14 [1]
Redshift 0.007609
Helio radial velocity 2281
Galactocentric velocity2235
Apparent magnitude  (V)9.6 [2]
Characteristics
Type SA(rs)b, HII Sy2 [1]
Apparent size  (V)6.9 × 3.7 moa [1]
Other designations
NGC 4501, UGC 7675, PGC 41517, VCC 1401 [1]

Messier 88 (also known as M88 or NGC 4501) is a spiral galaxy about 50 to 60 million light-years away from Earth [3] [4] [5] in the constellation Coma Berenices. It was discovered by Charles Messier in 1781.

Contents

Properties

Location of M88 M88map.png
Location of M88

M88 is one of the fifteen Messier objects that belong to the nearby Virgo Cluster of galaxies. It is galaxy number 1401 in the Virgo Cluster Catalogue (VCC) of 2096 galaxies that are candidate members of the cluster. [6] M88 appears to be on or ending a highly elliptical orbit, currently on an approximate or direct course toward the cluster center, which is occupied by the giant elliptical galaxy M87. It is currently 0.3 to 0.48 million parsecs from the center and will come closest to the core in about 200 to 300 million years. Its motion through the intergalactic medium of its cluster is creating, as expected, ram pressure that is stripping away the outer region of neutral hydrogen. To date, this has been detected along the western, leading edge of the galaxy. [7]

This galaxy is inclined to the line of sight by 64°. [8] It is classified as an Sbc spiral, a status between Sb (medium-wound) and Sc (loosely wound) spiral arms. The spiralling arms are very regular and can be followed down to the galactic core. [9] The maximum rotation velocity of the gas is 241.6 ± 4.5 km/s. [10]

M88 is classified as a type 2 Seyfert galaxy, which means it produces narrow spectral line emission from highly ionized gas in the nucleus. [11] In the core region there is a central condensation with a 230 parsec diameter, which has two concentration peaks. This condensation is being fed by inflow from the spiral arms. [12] The supermassive black hole at the core of this galaxy has 107.9 solar masses, or about 80 million solar masses (M). [13]

One supernova has been observed in M88: SN 1999cl (type Ia, mag. 16.4). [14] [15]

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Messier 49</span> Elliptical galaxy in the constellation Virgo

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Messier 59</span> Elliptical galaxy in the constellation Virgo

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Messier 60</span> Elliptical galaxy in the constellation Virgo

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Messier 84</span> Galaxy in the constellation Virgo

Messier 84 or M84, also known as NGC 4374, is a giant elliptical or lenticular galaxy in the constellation Virgo. Charles Messier discovered the object in 1781 in a systematic search for "nebulous objects" in the night sky. It is the 84th object in the Messier Catalogue and in the heavily populated core of the Virgo Cluster of galaxies, part of the local supercluster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Messier 90</span> Galaxy in the constellation Virgo

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Messier 98</span> Intermediate spiral galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices

Messier 98, M98 or NGC 4192, is an intermediate spiral galaxy about 44.4 million light-years away in slightly northerly Coma Berenices, about 6° to the east of the bright star Denebola. It was discovered by French astronomer Pierre Méchain on 1781, along with nearby M99 and M100, and was catalogued by compatriot Charles Messier 29 days later in his Catalogue des Nébuleuses & des amas d'Étoiles. It has a blueshift, denoting ignoring of its fast other movement, it is approaching at about 140 km/s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Messier 99</span> Spiral galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices

Messier 99 or M99, also known as NGC 4254, is a grand design spiral galaxy in the northern constellation Coma Berenices approximately 15,000,000 parsecs from the Milky Way. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain on 17 March 1781. The discovery was then reported to Charles Messier, who included the object in the Messier Catalogue of comet-like objects. It was one of the first galaxies in which a spiral pattern was seen. This pattern was first identified by Lord Rosse in the spring of 1846.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4639</span> Galaxy in the constellation Virgo

NGC 4639 is a barred spiral galaxy located in the equatorial constellation of Virgo. It was discovered by German-born astronomer William Herschel on April 12, 1784. John L. E. Dreyer described it as "pretty bright, small, extended, mottled but not resolved, 12th magnitude star 1 arcmin to southeast". This is a relatively nearby galaxy, lying approximately 72 million light-years away from the Milky Way. It is a companion to NGC 4654, and the two appear to have interacted roughly 500 million years ago. NGC 4639 is a member of the Virgo Cluster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4571</span> Galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4388</span> Galaxy in the constellation Virgo

NGC 4388 is an active spiral galaxy in the equatorial constellation of Virgo. It was discovered April 17, 1784 by Wilhelm Herschel. This galaxy is located at a distance of 57 million light years and is receding with a radial velocity of 2,524 km/s. It is one of the brightest galaxies of the Virgo Cluster due to its luminous nucleus. NGC 4388 is located 1.3° to the west of the cluster center, which translates to a projected distance of ≈400 kpc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4457</span> Galaxy in the constellation of Virgo

NGC 4457 is an intermediate spiral galaxy located about 55 million light-years away in the constellation of Virgo. It is also classified as a LINER galaxy, a class of active galaxy defined by their spectral line emissions. NGC 4457 Is inclined by about 33°. It was discovered by astronomer William Herschel on February 23, 1784. Despite being listed in the Virgo Cluster Catalog as VCC 1145, NGC 4457 is a member of the Virgo II Groups which form an extension of the Virgo cluster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4492</span> Spiral galaxy in the constellation Virgo

NGC 4492 is a spiral galaxy located about 90 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo. NGC 4492 was discovered by astronomer William Herschel on December 28, 1785. It was rediscovered by astronomer Arnold Schwassmann on January 23, 1900, and was listed as IC 3438. NGC 4492 lies in the direction of the Virgo Cluster. However, it is not considered to be a member of that cluster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4522</span> Spiral galaxy in the constellation of Virgo

NGC 4522 is an edge-on spiral galaxy located about 60 million light-years away within the Virgo Cluster in the constellation Virgo. NGC 4522 is losing its molecular gas though ram-pressure stripping as it plows though the cluster at a speed of more than 10 million kilometres per hour. The galaxy was discovered by astronomer John Herschel on January 18, 1828.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4586</span> Spiral galaxy in the constellation Virgo

NGC 4586 is a spiral galaxy located about 50 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo. The galaxy was discovered by astronomer William Herschel on February 2, 1786. Although listed in the Virgo Cluster Catalog, NGC 4586 is considered to be a member of the Virgo II Groups which form a southern extension of the Virgo cluster. NGC 4586 is currently in the process of infalling into the Virgo Cluster and is predicted to enter the cluster in about 500 million years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4237</span> Galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices

NGC 4237 is a flocculent spiral galaxy located about 60 million light-years away in the constellation Coma Berenices. The galaxy was discovered by astronomer William Herschel on December 30, 1783 and is a member of the Virgo Cluster. It is also classified as a LINER galaxy and as a Seyfert galaxy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4302</span> Galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices

NGC 4302 is an edge-on spiral galaxy located about 55 million light-years away in the constellation Coma Berenices. It was discovered by astronomer William Herschel on April 8, 1784 and is a member of the Virgo Cluster.

References

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  14. Transient Name Server entry for SN 199cl. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
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