by Ann » Mon Apr 01, 2019 2:57 am
neufer wrote: ↑Sun Mar 31, 2019 6:48 pm
http://www.messier.seds.org/more/m086_cxo.html wrote:
Chandra X-ray Observatory images of M86
The Virgo Cluster and M86: Cluster's Gain is Galaxy's Loss
<<This composite X-ray (blue)/optical (orange) image of M86 shows gas being swept out of the galaxy to form a long tail more than 200,000 light years in length. Located in the Virgo galaxy cluster, this enormous lenticular or elliptical galaxy is moving at about [1340 km/s] through diffuse hot gas that pervades the cluster. The supersonic motion of M86 produces pressure that is stripping gas from the galaxy and forming the spectacular tail.
M86 has been pulled into the Virgo galaxy cluster and accelerated to a high speed by the enormous combined gravity of dark matter, hot gas, and hundreds of galaxies that comprise the cluster. The infall of the galaxy into the cluster is an example of the process by which galaxy groups and galaxy clusters form over the course of billions of years.
The galaxy is no longer an "island universe" with an independent existence. It has been captured and its gas is being swept away to mix with the gas of the cluster, leaving an essentially gas-free galaxy orbiting the center of the cluster along with hundreds of other galaxies.>>
Fascinating, Art. I wasn't aware that M86 is leaking so much gas, or that it, in fact, has fallen into the Virgo Cluster. That would explain why M86 and M84, which look so similar (although one is obviously elongated and one is not) appear to follow such different trajectories through the Virgo Cluster. M86 and M84 are apparently quite unrelated.
NGC 4402. Photo: ESA/Hubble.
As
Fred pointed out in the post below yours (although he pointed it out obliquely,
through a link), NGC 4402, which is seen right above M86 in today's APOD, is also falling into the Virgo Cluster. And because it is a spiral galaxy, it has become obviously distorted by its reckless plunge into the hot intergalactic medium of of this large cluster of galaxies.
In your Chandra picture, Art, it looks as if M86 and NGC 4402 are falling in together, as if they were bound together. Maybe they are, too. Maybe NGC 4402 always used to be a satellite galaxy of M86.
Ann
EDIT: Here is the
Chandra page that originally published the X-ray picture of M86. This page contains more information about the picture, such as when it was taken. This page also contains a link to a
Chandra picture of NGC 4438 and NGC 4435, The Eyes.
[quote=neufer post_id=290985 time=1554058086 user_id=124483]
[quote="http://www.messier.seds.org/more/m086_cxo.html"]
[float=left][img3="This image covers a field of about 15 x 23 arc min."]http://www.messier.seds.org/Pics/More/m86cxo.jpg[/img3][/float]
[size=150]Chandra X-ray Observatory images of M86[/size]
The Virgo Cluster and M86: Cluster's Gain is Galaxy's Loss
:arrow: <<This composite X-ray (blue)/optical (orange) image of M86 shows gas being swept out of the galaxy to form a long tail more than 200,000 light years in length. Located in the Virgo galaxy cluster, this enormous lenticular or elliptical galaxy is moving at about [1340 km/s] through diffuse hot gas that pervades the cluster. The supersonic motion of M86 produces pressure that is stripping gas from the galaxy and forming the spectacular tail.
M86 has been pulled into the Virgo galaxy cluster and accelerated to a high speed by the enormous combined gravity of dark matter, hot gas, and hundreds of galaxies that comprise the cluster. The infall of the galaxy into the cluster is an example of the process by which galaxy groups and galaxy clusters form over the course of billions of years.
The galaxy is no longer an "island universe" with an independent existence. It has been captured and its gas is being swept away to mix with the gas of the cluster, leaving an essentially gas-free galaxy orbiting the center of the cluster along with hundreds of other galaxies.>>[/quote]
[/quote]
Fascinating, Art. I wasn't aware that M86 is leaking so much gas, or that it, in fact, has fallen into the Virgo Cluster. That would explain why M86 and M84, which look so similar (although one is obviously elongated and one is not) appear to follow such different trajectories through the Virgo Cluster. M86 and M84 are apparently quite unrelated.
[float=right][img2]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/33/NGC_4402_Hubble_heic0911c.jpg/560px-NGC_4402_Hubble_heic0911c.jpg[/img2][c][size=85]NGC 4402. Photo: ESA/Hubble.[/size][/c][/float]
As [url=https://asterisk.apod.com/viewtopic.php?p=290987#p290987]Fred pointed[/url] out in the post below yours (although he pointed it out obliquely, [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGC_4402]through a link[/url]), NGC 4402, which is seen right above M86 in today's APOD, is also falling into the Virgo Cluster. And because it is a spiral galaxy, it has become obviously distorted by its reckless plunge into the hot intergalactic medium of of this large cluster of galaxies.
In your Chandra picture, Art, it looks as if M86 and NGC 4402 are falling in together, as if they were bound together. Maybe they are, too. Maybe NGC 4402 always used to be a satellite galaxy of M86.
Ann
EDIT: Here is the [url=http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2003/m86/]Chandra page[/url] that originally published the X-ray picture of M86. This page contains more information about the picture, such as when it was taken. This page also contains a link to a [url=http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2003/ngc4438/]Chandra picture of NGC 4438 and NGC 4435[/url], The Eyes.