Object Analysis

Messier 84 (M84) is an elliptical or lenticular galaxy in the constellation Virgo. It is located in the heavily populated core of the Virgo Cluster. M84 is famous for being part of Markarian's Chain, a striking string of galaxies that appear to curve through the heart of the cluster.

The galaxy has a supermassive black hole at its center, which was famously imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope in 1997. The observation revealed a disk of gas and stars rotating at incredible speeds around the core, providing some of the strongest evidence for the existence of black holes at the time.

M84 is also a radio galaxy, emitting two powerful jets of plasma from its nucleus. These jets are visible in radio and X-ray images and are caused by the black hole consuming material. It has very little ongoing star formation, typical of the massive "red and dead" galaxies found in the centers of large clusters.