Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                               2020 October 10
    [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest
                        resolution version available.

                           Virgo Cluster Galaxies
                 Image Credit & [3]Copyright: Fernando Pena

   Explanation: [4]Galaxies of the Virgo Cluster are scattered across this
   deep telescopic field of view. The cosmic scene spans about three Full
   Moons, captured in dark skies near Jalisco, Mexico, planet Earth. About
   50 million light-years distant, the Virgo Cluster is the closest large
   galaxy cluster to our own local galaxy group. Prominent here are
   Virgo's bright elliptical galaxies from the [5]Messier catalog, M87 at
   the top left, and M84 and M86 seen (bottom to top) below and right of
   center. M84 and M86 are recognized as part of [6]Markarian's Chain, a
   visually striking line-up of galaxies vertically on the right side of
   this frame. Near the middle of the chain lies an intriguing interacting
   pair of galaxies, NGC 4438 and NGC 4435, known to some as
   [7]Markarian's Eyes. Of course [8]giant elliptical galaxy M87 dominates
   the Virgo cluster. It's the home of a super massive black hole, the
   first black hole ever imaged by planet Earth's [9]Event Horizon
   Telescope.

                    Tomorrow's picture: pinnacles of sky
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    Authors & editors: [21]Robert Nemiroff ([22]MTU) & [23]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([24]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Phillip Newman [25]Specific rights apply.
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                A service of: [27]ASD at [28]NASA / [29]GSFC
                           & [30]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2010/markarian_FernandoPena2048.jpg
   3. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
   4. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap150804.html
   5. https://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/hubble-s-messier-catalog
   6. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090609.html
   7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap070608.html
   8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap190427.html
   9. https://eventhorizontelescope.org/about
  10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap201009.html
  11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  14. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  19. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=201010
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap201011.html
  21. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  22. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  23. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  24. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  26. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  27. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  28. https://www.nasa.gov/
  29. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  30. http://www.mtu.edu/