A newly-released Hubble image shows Messier 88, a black hole-powered spiral galaxy that is gradually plunging toward the crowded heart of the Virgo Cluster.
This image, taken with the Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) instrument aboard the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, shows the spiral galaxy Messier 88. Image credit: NASA / ESA / Hubble / D. Thilker / MAUVE-HST Team.
Messier 88 is located approximately 63 million light-years away in the constellation of Coma Berenices.
Otherwise known as M88, NGC 4501 or LEDA 41517, the galaxy was discovered by the French astronomer Charles Messier on March 18, 1781.
It contains an active galactic nucleus, meaning the central region of the galaxy is more luminous than the rest of the galaxy.
At the galaxy’s core resides a supermassive black hole estimated to be 100 million times more massive than our Sun.
“A population of old, reddish stars around the black hole give Messier 88 its warmly glowing heart,” the Hubble astronomers said in a statement.
“Spreading out from the galaxy’s center are several tightly wound, symmetrical spiral arms, each outlined by sparkling pink and blue star clusters and knotted clouds of dust.”
“We see Messier 88 from an angle that makes it appear elongated, and its spiral arms delicately fan out before it.”
Messier 88 is a member of the Virgo Cluster, a collection of more than a thousand galaxies held together by gravity.
“As this massive galaxy group moves through space, the galaxies themselves are in constant motion as they orbit the cluster’s center of gravity,” the researchers said.
“Messier 88 itself is on a long and somewhat perilous cosmic journey that will bring it to the innermost reaches of the cluster.”
“As is the case with any epic journey, Messier 88 will be fundamentally changed by its trek to the center of the Virgo Cluster, about two million light-years from where it is today.”
“In 200 to 300 million years, Messier 88 will make its closest approach to Messier 87, the massive elliptical galaxy that anchors the entire cluster.”
“As it draws close to this gravitational behemoth, Messier 88 will experience intense ram-pressure stripping.”
“Ram-pressure stripping is a process through which a galaxy’s gas is swept away as it pushes through the ever-present gas between the galaxies in a cluster.”
The scientists have already seen this process at work in Messier 88.
“The galaxy’s swirling disk of gas is truncated and appears compressed on the leading edge of the galaxy, piling up gas and dust like snow before a plough,” they said.
“In fact, Messier 88 appears to have considerably less cold gas — the raw fuel for star formation — than expected for a galaxy of its size, especially in its outer regions.”
“This is a clear sign that Messier 88 will be altered by its journey, which will affect its ability to form stars and alter the course of its evolution.”
