The Large and Small of M87 . ... Recent images from the Very Large Array (VLA) of radio telescopes indicate that huge bubbles of hot gas not only exist but are still being created. These bubbles measure 200,000 light-years across and surround the entire galaxy . The source creating and feeding the bubbles has been traced to jets pointing back to M87's center , where a supermassive black hole is thought to live. ... NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers . ...