What if the Milky Way was elliptical?
Table of Contents
What if the Milky Way was elliptical?
If we lived in an elliptical galaxy, we would see the stars of our galaxy spread out all around the sky, not in a single band. These are both important marker of spiral arms in other spiral galaxies we see, so mapping them in our own galaxy can give a clue about the spiral nature of the Milky Way.
Is M87 in the Milky Way?
M87 is near (or at) the center of the Virgo Cluster, a closely compacted structure of about 2,000 galaxies. This forms the core of the larger Virgo Supercluster, of which the Local Group (including the Milky Way) is an outlying member.
Is M87 an elliptical spiral or irregular galaxy?
M87 is known as an elliptical galaxy, one of three major types of galaxies. The other two are spiral, like our Milky Way, and what we call irregular galaxies. We believe M87 is at least 120,000 light years across.
Will the Milky Way become an elliptical galaxy?
The tidal interactions strip gas and form new stars, but these galaxies will eventually merge together. Surprisingly to many, however, it’s unlikely to form an elliptical as a result.
What is the largest elliptical galaxy?
The galaxy is located 320 megaparsecs (1.04 billion light-years) from Earth….
| IC 1101 | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 1.045 ± 0.073 billion ly (320.4 ± 22.4 Mpc)h −1 0.73 |
| Group or cluster | Abell 2029 |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 14.73 |
| Characteristics |
How can I see Messier 87?
Discovered in 1781 by Charles Messier, this galaxy is located 54 million light-years away from Earth in the constellation Virgo. It has an apparent magnitude of 9.6 and can be observed using a small telescope most easily in May.
How massive is Messier 87?
~2,400 billion M☉
Messier 87/Apparent mass
What type would a spherical galaxy such as M87 that looks like a monster globular cluster be?
Messier 87 (M87) is a galaxy found in the constellation Virgo, known to be of elliptical type, but intriguingly, it displays no flattening and hence looks spherical to us.
How far is M87 from Milky Way?
53.49 million light years
Messier 87/Distance to Earth
How did giant elliptical galaxies get so massive?
Not surprisingly, the luminosities and masses of elliptical galaxies also range enormously. Giant elliptical galaxies are generally thought to be the result of galaxy mergers. Ordinary elliptical galaxies may also form in this manner, or may have formed from the gravitational collapse of an interstellar gas cloud.