Articles by Mike R

Messier 88

Messier 88

Messier 88 is a spiral galaxy located in the Virgo Cluster, in the constellation Coma Berenices. The galaxy’s core contains an active galactic nucleus (AGN) with a supermassive black hole with an estimated mass of…




Messier 87

Messier 87

Messier 87 is a supergiant elliptical galaxy with about 1 trillion stars in the constellation Virgo. The elliptical galaxy Messier 87 is the home of several trillion stars, a supermassive black hole and a family…


Sextans

Sextans

The Sextans constellation lies in the southern sky, near the celestial equator. The constellation represents the astronomical sextant. Sextans is located in a dim region of the sky between the constellations Hydra, Crater, and Leo. The constellation was…



Messier 86

Messier 86

Messier 86 is an elliptical or lenticular galaxy in the constellation Virgo. It has the highest blueshift of all Messier objects.    DescriptionVisible From Pacific NorthwestDecember To MayBest Time To ObserveMayMinimum Size Of Viewing DeviceSmall TelescopeObject TypeElliptical Or Lenticular GalaxyDesignationsMessier 86, M86,…




Messier 85

Messier 85

Messier 85 is a lenticular or elliptical galaxy located in the Virgo Cluster of galaxies, in the constellation Coma Berenices. Messier 85 is interacting with two neighboring galaxies: the spiral galaxy NGC 4394 and the…