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M87 is a giant elliptical galaxy that dominates the Virgo Cluster of galaxies.
It is one of the more massive galaxies known, tipping the scales at several trillion solar masses.
At its center is a 3 billion solar mass black hole.
15,000 globular clusters form a halo around this galaxy.
A huge jet of hot ionized gas (plasma) extends out from the nucleus,
but it is only visible through the largest amateur telescopes.
Despite its huge size,
M87 resembles an unresolved globular cluster and offers little in the way
of details in small telescopes.
The tiny 11th magnitude elliptical, NGC 4478, can be observed only 10' from M87.
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