Astronomers create 3D model of monstrous M87 galaxy and it looks like a russet potato

Using observations from the Hubble Space Telescope and the W. M. Keck Observatory, astronomers have generated a 3D model of M87, an elliptical galaxy located 54 million light-years away in the heart of the vast Virgo cluster of galaxies. By following the motion of stars around the galaxy's centre, the research team, led by Chung-Pei Ma, a UC Berkeley professor of astronomy and of physics, determined that the galaxy is shaped more like a russet potato.

The monstrous M87, also known as NGC 4486, was discovered in 1781 by Charles Messier. In addition to several trillion stars, the galaxy is home to a supermassive black hole.

M87 not only has a long and short axis but also a third axis which helps define the three-dimensionality. The team estimates that its shortest axis is about three-fourths (72.2%) the length of its long axis, while the intermediate axis is about seven-eighths (84.5%) that of the long axis.

The researchers were also able to determine the mass of the black hole at M87's hub to a high precision, estimating it at 5.37 billion times the mass of the sun.

"Now that we know the direction of the net rotation of stars in M87 and have an updated mass of the black hole, we can combine this information with the amazing data from the EHT team to constrain the spin. This may point toward a certain direction and range of spin for the black hole, which would be remarkable. We are working on this," Ma said. 

🆕 Hubble & Keck telescopes assemble a 3D view of giant elliptical galaxy M87. The 3D shape was gleaned from meticulous observations that followed the motion of stars around the centre of the galaxy, like bees around a hive 🐝✨ Read more: https://t.co/vPRxVGHevr pic.twitter.com/pBldYtRR7a

— HUBBLE (@HUBBLE_space) April 13, 2023

In addition to M87, Ma's team had previously determined the 3D structure of two other giant elliptical galaxies, NGC 1453 and NGC 2693, both harbouring smaller black holes than M87.