The lost galaxy

This image depicts the galaxy NGC 4535, in the constellation of Virgo (The Maiden), on a beautiful background full of many distant faint galaxies. Its almost circular appearance shows that we observe it nearly face-on. In the centre of the galaxy, there is a well-defined bar structure, with dust lanes that curve sharply before the spiral arms break from the ends of the bar. The bluish colour of the spiral arms points to the presence of a large number of hot young stars. In the centre, however, older and cooler stars give the bulge of the galaxy a yellower appearance.

This visible image was made with the FORS1 instrument on ESO’s 8.2-metre Very Large Telescope. The galaxy can also be seen through smaller amateur telescopes, and was first observed by William Herschel in 1785. When seen through a smaller telescope, NGC 4535 has a hazy, ghostly appearance, which inspired the prominent amateur astronomer Leland S. Copeland to name it “The Lost Galaxy” in the 1950s.

NGC 4535 is one of the largest galaxies in the Virgo Cluster, a massive cluster of as many as 2000 galaxies, about 50 million light-years away. Although the Virgo Cluster is not much larger in diameter than the Local Group — the galaxy cluster to which the Milky Way belongs —  it contains almost fifty times as many galaxies.

Credit:

ESO

About the Image

Id:potw1312a
Type:Observation
Release date:25 March 2013, 10:00
Size:2046 x 2046 px

About the Object

Name:NGC 4535
Type:Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Spiral
Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Barred
Distance:55 million light years
Constellation:Virgo
Category:Galaxies

Image Formats

Large JPEG
1.6 MB
Screensize JPEG
234.1 KB

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214.1 KB
1280x1024
378.8 KB
1600x1200
642.6 KB
1920x1200
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2048x1536
974.1 KB

Coordinates

Position (RA):12 34 20.28
Position (Dec):8° 11' 51.52"
Field of view:6.83 x 6.83 arcminutes
Orientation:North is 90.1° right of vertical

Colours & filters

BandTelescope
Optical
B
Very Large Telescope
FORS1
Optical
B+V
Very Large Telescope
FORS1
Optical
V
Very Large Telescope
FORS1