The Virgo Cluster and the Local Group of Galaxies

Analysis of the dynamics of the Local Supercluster has provided a picture of how the enormous mass of the Virgo Cluster acts gravitationally on the galaxies and galaxy groups around it. As a result, the value of the Virgo Cluster mass and the motion of the Local Group with respect to it (the Virgo-centric flow at the location of our small family of galaxies) seems to indicate that the Virgo Cluster is massive enough to slow down and eventually stop our cosmological recession from it, and then accelerate the Local Group member galaxies toward the central region of the Local, or Virgo Supercluster of Galaxies. Consequently, it appears probable that the Local Goup will finally fall and merge into, or be "eaten" by the Virgo Cluster.

An estimate of this effect will be given below.

.. more to come soon !

Hartmut Frommert
Christine Kronberg
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Last Modification: April 6, 1998