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| M59, an elliptical galaxy. Image above has been cropped and downsized for display. Click on image for full frame full resolution picture. |
| M59 is a member of the Virgo cluster of galaxies, and one of the larger elliptical galaxies there. Note at least 5 smaller galaxies in this image. However it is considerably less luminous and massive than the great ellipticals in this cluster, M49, M60 and, above all, M87. It is quite flattened, with its larger axis about double its shorter one. At an estimated distance of 60 million light years, its longer axis of 5 arc minutes corresponds to almost 90,000 light years linear extension. As many as 2000 globular clusters have been detected in M59, considerably less than the three other giant ellipticals mentioned, but still ten times more than in and around our Milky Way Galaxy. M58, M59, and M60 were all discovered about the same time in April of 1779 while observing a prominent comet that came through their area then. They're all more or less in a line and quite close to one another. M60 is a mere quarter degree to the west, and M58 one degree to the right. They're at opposition during the month of April, and can be found to the left (East) of the whole group of galaxies behind Leo, and about 11-12 degrees above the celestial equator. |
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10"
F6.3 Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope, Baader coma corrector and IR-UV filter, Modified Canon
300D camera at prime focus |