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(IAAC) Obj: M87 (NGC 4486 or Virgo A) and NGC 4478 - Inst: 8" F/6 Dobsonian



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Observer: Michael Geldorp
Your skills: Beginner (< one year)
Date/time of observation: 4/18/1999  23.00 UT
Location of site: Alphen ad Rijn, Netherlands (Lat 52.09N, Elev )
Site classification: Suburban
Sky darkness: 5.0 <Limiting magnitude>
Seeing: II <I-V Seeing Scale (I best)>
Moon presence: None - moon not in sky
Instrument: 8" F/6 Dobsonian
Magnification: 49X, 98X, 203X, 244X
Filter(s): none
Object(s): M87 (NGC 4486 or Virgo A) and NGC 4478
Category: External galaxy.
Class: E1
Constellation: Vir
Data: mag 8.6  size 7'.2 x 6'.8
Position: RA 12:30  DEC +12:24
Description:
Gigantic elliptical galaxy at the heart of the Virgo cluster of galaxies.

Just south of a mag. 8.5 star M87 is a very large and very bright round 
elliptical galaxy easily seen at 49X. At higher powers M87 appears with a 
bright nucleus and a outer halo that gradually gets fainter outwards. 
Otherwise no details were seen.

About 8' away is the rather faint and small round galaxy NGC 4478 which has
a bright center. NGC 4478 was well seen at 98X and 203X.

There is a sketch on this object on my homepage: URL mentioned below.
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Optional related URLs: http://home.wxs.nl/~geldo006/home.html
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