Alternate Names

NGC 4486, Virgo A

Type

Supermassive

Location

in the constellation Virgo

Finder Chart

Distance

50 million light-years (16.1 megaparsecs)

Mass

6.6 billion times the mass of the Sun

Size

Three times the diameter of Pluto's orbit around the Sun

Discovery Methods

• Measuring the motions of gas
• Measuring the motions of stars

Astronomers say this combination of X-ray and optical images of M87 reveals that the region near the black hole produces outbursts every six million years. The shocks are shown in a series of unevenly spaced loops and bubbles to the lower left of the center of the galaxy. More powerful outbursts occurred about 20 million and 50 million years ago. [NASA/CXC/CfA/W.Forman et al.]

This document was last modified: October 6, 2006.