AAO image reference UKS 24. « Previous || Next »
Top left is NE. Image width is about 50 arc min
Image and text © 1985-2010, Australian Astronomical Observatory
Photograph from UK Schmidt plates by David Malin.
The nearest moderately rich cluster of galaxies lies in the direction of Virgo. The richest part of the cluster is centred on the giant elliptical galaxies M84 and M86 which dominate this picture. Not surprisingly in such a relatively crowded environment, close encounters between cluster members are fairly common and in the upper left (NE) of the photograph NGC 4438 has been distorted by its companion NGC 4435. The whole cluster is receding with an average velocity of over 1000 km per second but there is sufficient variation around that value to suggest that it may be composed of more than one cloud of galaxies which is probably elongated along our line of sight, adding to the apparent richness seen here.. These galaxies have faint, extended outer envelopes, seen on this deep image.
NGC objects in this photograph listed in NGC 2000.0 (R.W. Sinnott, Ed.) © Sky Publishing Corporation, 1988:
NGC 4305 Gx 12 22.1 +12 44 s Vir2.2 12.6 vF, R NGC 4306 Gx 12 22.1 +12 47 s Vir1.6 14. p vF, pL, R, 4305 sp IC 323312 22.9 +12 34 d Vir R, bM, mag 15 IC 3279 * 12 24.4 +12 51 x Vir pF, S; 2 st? NGC 4374 Gx 12 25.1 +12 53 s Vir5.09.3 vB, pL, R, psbM, r; = M84 IC 3303Gx 12 25.2 +12 43 v Vir1.4 vF, vS NGC 4387 Gx 12 25.7 +12 49 s Vir1.9 12.0 pF, vS, R, *13 90" np, np of 2 NGC 4388 Gx 12 25.8 +12 40 s Vir5.1 11.1 vF, E, sf of 2 NGC 4402 Gx 12 26.1 +13 07 s Vir4.1 11.7 F, L, mE 90deg NGC 4406 Gx 12 26.2 +12 57 s Vir7.49.2 vB, L, R, gbMN, r; = M86 IC 3333 * 12 26.2 +13 08 x Vir vF, vS; *14? NGC 4407- 12 26.3 +12 39 r Vir f of 2 neb; = 4413? NGC 4413 Gx 12 26.5 +12 37 s Vir2.5 13. p cF, S, gbM, 2 st n, np IC 3355Gx 12 26.8 +13 11 v Vir1.3 eF, pS, E 168deg NGC 4425 Gx 12 27.2 +12 44 s Vir3.4 11.9 pF, S, R, bM NGC 4435 Gx 12 27.7 +13 05 s Vir3.0 10.9 vB, cL, R, np of 2 NGC 4436 Gx 12 27.7 +12 19 s Vir1.9 13.1 cF, S, gbM NGC 4438 Gx 12 27.8 +13 01 s Vir9.3 10.1 B, cL, vlE, r, sf of 2 NGC 4443* 12 28.1 +13 08 r Vir F, S IC 338612 28.4 +13 11 d Vir vF, cS, E 90deg IC 3388Gx 12 28.4 +12 49 z Vir 15. p vS, R, lbM, mag 15 IC 3393Gx 12 28.7 +12 55 v Vir1.4 S, E 125deg , bM, mag 14The hotlinked NGC and IC names lead to More information on the galaxies which is reproduced
by permission from the NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database (NED).
See also NED data for the Virgo cluster
Related images
AAT 53. The globular clusters of M87
AAT 60. A giant elliptical galaxy, Messier 87 in Virgo
UKS 31. M84, M86 and M87, and Markarian's Chain in Virgo
virgo_cl_d The Virgo cluster, deep image
virgo_cl_ud The Virgo cluster, ultra-deep image
Constellation of Virgo (external site)
For details of object position and photographic exposure, search technical table by UKS reference number.