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Virgo Cluster
Observation data (Epoch J2000)
Constellation(s) Virgo & Coma Berenices
Right ascension 12h 27m[1]
Declination +12° 43′[1]
Number of galaxies ~1500[1]
Brightest member Messier 87
See also: Galaxy groups and clusters, List of galaxy clusters
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The Virgo Cluster is a cluster of galaxies at a distance of approximately 59 ± 4 Mly (18. In Astronomy, an epoch is a moment in time used as a reference for the Orbital elements of a Celestial body. In Astronomy, an epoch is a moment in time used as a reference for the Orbital elements of a Celestial body. In common usage a constellation is a group of celestial bodies that are connected together in some arrangement typically stars to form a visible figure or picture Virgo ( Virgin, symbol, Unicode ♍ is a Constellation of the Zodiac. Coma Berenices ( Berenice 's Hair) is a traditional asterism that has since become a Constellation. Right ascension (abbrev RA; symbol α) is the Astronomical term for one of the two Coordinates of a point on the Celestial sphere In Astronomy, declination (abbrev dec or δ) is one of the two coordinates of the Equatorial coordinate system, the other being either Messier 87 (also known as M87, Virgo A or NGC 4486) is a giant Elliptical galaxy. Galaxy groups and clusters are the largest Gravitationally bound objects to have arisen thus far in the process of cosmic structure formation This page lists some of the more interesting Galaxy clusters and groups Galaxy groups and clusters are the largest Gravitationally bound objects to have arisen thus far in the process of cosmic structure formation A light-year or light year (symbol ly) is a unit of Length, equal to just under ten trillion Kilometres As defined by 0 ± 1. 2 Mpc)[2] away in the constellation Virgo. History The first direct measurements of an object at interstellar distances were undertaken by German Astronomer Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel in 1838 In common usage a constellation is a group of celestial bodies that are connected together in some arrangement typically stars to form a visible figure or picture Virgo ( Virgin, symbol, Unicode ♍ is a Constellation of the Zodiac. Comprising approximately 1300 (and possibly up to 2000) member galaxies[3], the cluster forms the heart of the larger Local Supercluster, of which the Local Group is an outlying member. The Virgo Supercluster or Local Supercluster is the galactic Supercluster that contains the Local Group, the latter containing in its turn The Local Group is the group of galaxies that includes our galaxy the Milky Way. It is estimated that its mass is 1. 2×1015 M☉ out to 8 degrees of the cluster's center or a radius of about 2. The solar mass is a standard way to express Mass in Astronomy, used to describe the masses of other Stars and galaxies. 2 Mpc. [2]

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. An elliptical galaxy is a Galaxy belonging to one of the three main classes of galaxy originally described by Edwin Hubble (whose name was dedicated Messier 87 (also known as M87, Virgo A or NGC 4486) is a giant Elliptical galaxy. Charles Messier ( June 26, 1730 &ndash April 12, 1817) was a French astronomer most notable for publishing an Described by Messier as nebulae without stars, their true nature was not recognized until the 1920s[4]. A nebula (from Latin: "mist" pl nebulae or nebulæ, with ligature or nebulas) is an Interstellar cloud of

The cluster subtends a maximum arc of approximately 8 degrees centered in the constellation Virgo. Many of the member galaxies of the cluster are visible with a small telescope.

The cluster is a fairly heterogeneous mixture of spirals and ellipticals. As of 2004, it is believed that the spirals of the cluster are distributed in an oblong prolate filament, approximately 4 times as long as wide, stretching along the line of sight from the Milky Way. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " A prolate spheroid is a Spheroid in which the polar Diameter is longer than the Equatorial diameter The Milky Way (a translation of the Latin Via Lactea, in turn derived from the Greek Γαλαξίας (Galaxias sometimes referred to simply [5] The elliptical galaxies are more centrally concentrated than the spiral galaxies.

The cluster is an aggregrate of at least three separate subclumps centered on the galaxies M87, M86, and M49. Galaxy groups and clusters are the largest Gravitationally bound objects to have arisen thus far in the process of cosmic structure formation Messier 87 (also known as M87, Virgo A or NGC 4486) is a giant Elliptical galaxy. Messier 86 (also known as M86 or NGC 4406) is a Lenticular galaxy in the constellation Virgo. Messier 49 (also known as M 49 or NGC 4472) is an elliptical / Lenticular galaxy about 49 million Light-years away Of the three subclumps, the one centered on M87 is the dominant one, with a mass of approximately 1014 solar masses, which is approximately an order of magnitude larger than the other two subclumps. The solar mass is a standard way to express Mass in Astronomy, used to describe the masses of other Stars and galaxies. [6]

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. In Physical cosmology, the term peculiar velocity refers to the components of a receding Galaxy 's velocity that cannot be explained by Hubble's law. The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand The second ( SI symbol s) sometimes abbreviated sec, is the name of a unit of Time, and is the International System of Units

The Virgo cluster lies within the Local Supercluster, and its gravitational effects slow down the nearby galaxies. The Virgo Supercluster or Local Supercluster is the galactic Supercluster that contains the Local Group, the latter containing in its turn 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.

See also

External links

References

  1. ^ a b c NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database. Results for Virgo Cluster. Retrieved on 2006-10-19. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 202 BCE - The Battle of Zama results in the defeat of Carthage and Hannibal.
  2. ^ a b Fouqué, P. ; Solanes, J. M. ; Sanchis, T. ; Balkowski, C. (2001). "Structure, mass and distance of the Virgo cluster from a Tolman-Bondi model". Astronomy and Astrophysics 375: 770-780. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20010833. A digital object identifier ( DOI) is a permanent identifier given to an Electronic document.  
  3. ^ See Virgo Cluster.
  4. ^ 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. (see M91. )
  5. ^ M. Fukugita, S. Okamura, N. Yasuda (1993). "Spatial distribution of spiral galaxies in the Virgo Cluster from the Tully-Fisher relation". Astrophysical Journal 412: L13-L16. doi:10.1086/186928. A digital object identifier ( DOI) is a permanent identifier given to an Electronic document.  
  6. ^ The Virgo Super Cluster: home of M87 (with frames)
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