Title:[1148] Elliptical galaxy in the constellation Centaurus Caption:NGC 5253, a type E5 elliptical galaxy in the constellation Centaurus. Copyright: Credit:National Optical Astronomy Observatories

Title:[1140] Elliptical galaxy in the constellation Virgo Caption:NGC 4526 is shown in this computer-enhanced image. Located in the constellation Virgo, 4526 is an E7 elliptical galaxy. Copyright: Credit:National Optical Astronomy Observatories

Title:[0990] M49, NGC 4472, type E1 elliptical galaxy Caption:M49, NGC 4472, type E1 elliptical galaxy in the constellation Virgo. A nearly spherical elliptical galaxy, it contains almost no dust or gas between its stars and shows no evidence of recent star formation. M49 is located approximately 42 million light years away, and has a diameter of 50,000 light years. Kitt Peak National Observatory 4-meter Mayall telescope photograph. Copyright: Credit:National Optical Astronomy Observatories

Title:[1005] M84, NGC 4374, lenticular galaxy Caption:M84, NGC 4374, lenticular galaxy in the constellation Virgo, type S0. M84 has a diameter of 25,000 light years and is located 42 million light years away. Kitt Peak National Observatory 4-meter Mayall telescope photo. Copyright: Credit:National Optical Astronomy Observatories

Title:[0992] M87, NGC 4486, Virgo A, 3C 274, type EO, giant elliptical galaxy Caption:M87, NGC 4486, Virgo A, 3C 274, type EO, giant elliptical galaxy in the constellation Virgo. This galaxy has a jet that is also a radio source and the whole object is the fifth brightest object in the sky (in radio frequencies). Kitt Peak National Observatory 4-meter Mayall telescope photo. Copyright: Credit:National Optical Astronomy Observatories

Title:[0026] Messier 87 and its globular clusters Caption:At the dynamical center of the nearby cluster of galaxies in Virgo lies Messier 87 (NGC 4486) at a distance of about 50 million light years. Although the boundaries of elliptical galaxies are not well-defined, by any standards M87 is enormous. It is 20 times the size of an average galaxy like the Milky Way and 40 times as massive, containing several thousand billion stars. It is also a strong radio source. Associated with this giant galaxy are large numbers of globular clusters, visible in this photograph as the slightly fuzzy objects around it. Like all ellipticals, M87 is composed mainly of old stars and is largely devoid of the materials needed to make new ones. Copyright:(c) 1987 Anglo-Australian Telescope Board, photograph by David Malin Credit:D. F. Malin