Discovering M88: A Stellar Marvel Beyond Our Milky Way

In 1781, French astronomer Charles Messier stumbled upon a faint nebula, which he subsequently added to his renowned catalog of non-stellar objects as M88. Back then, Messier could only describe it as a weak nebula, devoid of stars, due to the limitations of his astronomical instruments. Little did he know, he had discovered a galaxy akin to our own Milky Way.

Located at the border of the constellations Virgo and Coma Berenices, M88 is a spiral galaxy that lies within a star-free region, making it challenging to pinpoint. With an apparent magnitude of ten, it can only be observed through a telescope.

Spanning 130,000 light-years and containing roughly 200 billion solar masses, M88 is slightly larger and more massive than our Milky Way. When viewed from Earth, we can observe the galaxy almost face-on, revealing its intricate structure, including a core comprised of old yellow stars and spiral arms adorned with bands of brown dust and young blue stars.

Recent measurements place M88 within the Virgo Cluster, approximately 50 million light-years away from our planet.

Image Credit: Adam Block, Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter, U. Arizona.