Gas Disk in Nucleus of Active Galaxy M87
This is a NASA Hubble Space Telescope image of a spiralshaped disk of hot gas in the core of active galaxy M87. HST measurements showthe disk is rotating so repidly it contains a massive black hole at its hub. The giant elliptical galaxy M87 is located 50 million light years away in theconstellation Virgo.Return to the Introduction.Return to the Astronomical Sources.