[M84] [M86]

The heart of the Virgo Cluster near M84 and M86

[M84/M86 region, KPNO]

The M84/M86 Region in the Virgo cluster as photographed with the 4-meter Mayall Telescope of Kitt peak National Observatory. This image was taken in 1974; many fainter galaxies are seen between bright M86 (near center) and M84 (on the right), both either elliptical or lenticular galaxies.
Credit: AURA/NOAO/NSF

  • More information on this image (N. Sharp, NOAO)
  • More AURA/NOAO images

    [UKS 24: M84 and M86, David Malin] [PNG]

    The M84/M86 Region in the Virgo cluster (UK Schmidt Telescope Photo)

    In this longer exposure with a more powerful instrument, nearly exactly the same field is photographed as in our main image for M84, but rotated 180 degrees. The higher sensitivity for faint light reveals that the galaxies are much larger, and thus much denser packed in this huge agglomeration. Apparently, the faint outer halos of M84 and M86 come very close in this image (they even seem to touch in the older scan of this UKS image), and the fainter galaxies have grown to considerable size and reveal impressive detail. The real extent of the fainter envelopes of these galaxies is even more impressive on deep images (long exposures on sensitive film).

    This image is copyrighted by the Australian Astronomical Observatory; see their usage policy.

  • David Malin's informations on this image
  • More images by David Malin

  • Central part of the Virgo Cluster: M87 together with Markarian's chain around M84 and M86

    Hartmut Frommert
    Christine Kronberg
    [contact]

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    Last Modification: April 19, 1998