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Credit: Anglo-Australian Telescope
Board
Explanation:
Elliptical galaxy M87 is a type of
galaxy that looks much different
than our own
Milky Way Galaxy. But even for an
elliptical galaxy M87 is peculiar.
M87 is much bigger than an average
galaxy, appears at the center of a whole cluster of galaxies known as the
Virgo Cluster, and shows a very high number of
globular clusters.
These globular clusters are visible as faint
spots surrounding the bright center of M87. In general, elliptical galaxies
contain similar numbers of stars as
spiral galaxies, but are ellipsoidal in
shape (spirals are mostly flat), have no spiral structure, and little
gas and
dust.
This picture is number sixty on a publicly posted list of
images from the
Anglo-Australian
Telescope (AAT).
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Elliptical Galaxy
Publications with words: Elliptical Galaxy
See also: