Giant elliptical galaxy M87

with globulars and companion galaxies

[M87, AAT 53] [PNG]

Many of the thousands of globular clusters surrounding the giant elliptical galaxy M87 were captured in this beautiful color photograph taken with the Anglo Australian Telescope.

  • David Malin's information on this image

    [M87, AAT 60]

    M87's orange-yellow stars

    Besides many of the globulars in the impressive globular cluster system of giant M87, which can be traced here also to a smaller distance from the galaxy's center, this image clearly shows the smoothness and regularity of the main stellar population in this elliptical galaxy, a typical phenomenon for galaxies of that type (as well as for the bulges of disk galaxies). The orange-yellowish color of the dominating old stellar population is evident. As in the image above, the peculiar jet is overexposed in this image. Two small companion galaxies are clearly visible in both images at the lower right of M87; the upper image (AAT 53) reveals even more which appear starlike in AAT 60.
  • David Malin's information on this image
  • Enhanced version of this image

    The images in this page are copyrighted and may be used for private purpose only. For any other kind of use, including internet mirroring and storing on CD-ROM, please contact the Photo Permissions Department of the Anglo Australian Observatory.

  • Old style AAT images of M87
  • Deep photographs of M87 from the AAT by David Malin
  • More images by David Malin

    Hartmut Frommert (spider@seds.org)
    Christine Kronberg (smil@lrz.uni-muenchen.de)

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    Last Modification: 24 Jun 1999, 21:55 MET